← Nouns Cooking · Brazilian & Peruvian

Ingredients

• 400 g Carne seca (Brazilian salt-dried beef)
• 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 100 g Bacon, diced
• 250 g Smoked Brazilian sausage (linguiça calabresa), sliced
• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
• 400 g long-grain white rice
• 2 Bay leaves
• 900 ml hot beef cooking liquid or water
• 1 handful Parsley, chopped
• 3 Spring onion, sliced
• Black pepper

Method

1. The day before, cut the carne seca into chunks, cover with cold water and leave in the fridge for 12 hours, changing the water 3–4 times to draw out the salt.
2. Drain, cover with fresh water and simmer for 30–40 min, until tender enough to pull apart. Keep the cooking liquid, then shred the meat with two forks.
3. In a large heavy pot, warm the oil over medium heat and fry the bacon and sausage for 8 min, until browned and the fat runs. Add the onion and cook for 5 min, then the garlic for 1 minute.
4. Add the shredded beef and fry for 3 minutes to crisp the edges. Stir in the rice and bay leaves and toast for 2 minutes, until the grains turn glossy.
5. Pour in the hot liquid (taste it first: if it is very salty, use half water), bring to the boil, then cover and cook on low for 15–18 min, until the rice is tender and the liquid absorbed.
6. Rest off the heat for 5 min with the lid on, then fluff with a fork, season with pepper and fold through the parsley and spring onions.

Tips

• No carne seca? Use leftover roast or grilled beef (churrasco leftovers are traditional) and skip the soaking.
• Taste before adding any salt; the cured meats bring plenty.
• Cool leftover rice quickly, refrigerate within 1 hour and reheat only once, until piping hot.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Panelinha Camila Made