How To Prepare Brazilian Barreado
Barreado is a Brazilian Carnival staple dish originating from the state of Paraná. This hearty stew is made with beef (usually second-grade cuts of tougher meat with lots of fat), onions, tomatoes, beef bouillon, cumin, bay leaves, and fried bacon.
The ingredients are placed in a clay pot, and then water is added until all the ingredients are covered. The clay pot is traditionally sealed with a ring of dough made from manioc flour and wheat flour.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
6 bone-in beef shanks
Kosher salt ad freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 oz bacon, diced (about 4 to 5 strips)
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
3 fresh bay leaves
Freshly ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons tomato paste
DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO PREPARE BRAZILIAN BARREADO
Heat the oven to 325˚F and place a rack on the lower third set.
Prepare the Bone Stock: Cut the meat separating it from the bones. Heat a large stockpot and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the bones and cook them until lightly browned, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Pour 6 cups of cold water, bring to boil, then adjust the heat to medium and simmer until the liquid has thickened and flavored, about 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the meat into 1–inch cubes and season with salt and pepper.
In a large Dutch oven pan add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon until it just starts to crisp, about 4 minutes. Lower the heat, add the garlic, and cook until it just starts to golden about 1 minute. Add the onion, bay leaves, nutmeg, and cumin, and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the mixture gets soft and tender for about 6 minutes. Add the beef cubes and cook, stirring occasionally until the meat is browned. During this step, the meat will release its juices moistening the mixture and turning it into a delicious kind of refogado (sofrito). Add the tomato paste and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Strain the broth; you should have about 5 cups. Pour over the meat and bring to a boil. Cover the pan, and transfer to the oven. Braise until the meat is super tender, about 2½ hours, checking often to make sure simmering is at a gentle boil and liquid level is right. You can always add another ½ cup water if necessary. (In a traditional barreado, the manioc paste helps prevent some evaporation. Here, you need to check more often.)
Remove from the oven and let it rest at room temperature, covered for 30 minutes. Using a large spoon, smash the meat to shred everything into thin threads. At this point, the dish looks more like a soup than a stew.
To serve, place about 3 tablespoons of manioc flour on the bottom of a plate in a circular motion. First, add some of the liquid from the barreado to form a paste, then add the meat. Garnish with banana, oranges, and chopped parsley.
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Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.kjv