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Loading...Carne de Sol is the soul food of Brazil's Northeast, where slabs of beef are rubbed with coarse salt and left to cure under the blazing sun until chewy, salty, and deeply beefy. Once rehydrated and pan-seared, the meat is traditionally piled over a creamy buttered cassava puree with golden sautéed onions. This recipe walks you through both the home curing stage and the classic finishing plate.
Prep Time25 mins
Cook Time35 mins
Total Time60 mins
Servings4
Yield4 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 610 kcalCalories
- 28 gFat
- 13 gSaturated Fat
- 48 gCarbs
- 3 gFiber
- 4 gSugar
- 42 gProtein
- 1820 mgSodium
- 780 mgPotassium
- 90 mgCalcium
- 5 mgIron
- 28 mgVitamin C
- 130 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the Salt-Cured Sun Beef
- 2 lb (about 900 g) top round or eye-of-round roast, trimmed
- 1 cup coarse sea salt
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp crushed garlic
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
For the Buttered Cassava Puree
- 2 lb fresh cassava (yuca), peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup whole milk, warm
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
For the Sautéed Onions and Serving
- 2 large yellow onions, sliced into thick rings
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 4 large eggs (optional)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 small queijo coalho or firm white cheese, cubed (optional)
Directions
- Combine coarse salt, sugar, black pepper, and crushed garlic on a tray. Rub the beef thoroughly with the vinegar, then press the salt mixture onto every surface so the roast is fully coated.
- Place the salted beef in a glass or ceramic dish, cover loosely, and refrigerate for 24 hours, turning once halfway through so the cure penetrates evenly.
- Rinse the cure off under cold running water and pat the roast completely dry with paper towels. Set it on a wire rack over a tray and dry it outdoors in direct midday sun for 2 to 4 days (or in a 140°F oven with the convection fan for 6 to 8 hours), bringing it inside at night, until the surface is dark, firm, and leathery.
- Place the cassava chunks in a large pot, cover with cold water by 1 inch, add 1 teaspoon of salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until the cassava is fork-tender and the fibers pull away easily.
- Drain the cassava and mash it warm with 4 tablespoons butter, warm milk, sea salt, and white pepper until smooth and creamy. Cover to keep warm.
- Slice the cured beef thinly against the grain, then soak the slices in cold water for 30 minutes to remove excess salt; drain and pat dry.
- Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the beef slices in a single layer for 2 to 3 minutes per side until browned and just tender. Remove and keep warm.
- In the same skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and sauté the onion rings with a pinch of salt for 6 to 8 minutes until deep golden and softened. If using eggs, fry them in a separate pan to your liking.
- Mound the buttered cassava puree on a large platter, pile the seared carne de sol over the center, and crown with the caramelized onions and any pan juices.
- Finish with a fried egg on top, scatter fresh parsley, add cubes of queijo coalho if using, and serve immediately while hot.
Cook’s Notes
- If you live in a humid climate, oven-drying at 140°F with the fan on is more reliable than sun-drying and produces an equally authentic result.
- Taste a small sliver of the rehydrated beef before cooking; if it is intensely salty, soak the slices up to 2 hours, changing the water once.
- Fresh cassava must be cooked thoroughly; the raw root contains natural compounds that break down with sustained boiling.
- For a shortcut, swap the cassava for frozen peeled cassava, thawed, which cooks in about 15 minutes.
- Always slice carne de Sol thinly across the grain so each bite stays tender rather than tough and chewy.
