Name: Brazilian Barreado Slow-Cooked Beef Stew
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 6 h
Total time: 6 h 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Brazilian
Ingredients: 3 lbs chuck beef, cut into 3-inch chunks; 2 large yellow onions, thickly sliced; 6 garlic cloves, smashed; 2 bay leaves; 1 tablespoon ground cumin; 1 tablespoon coarse black pepper; 2 teaspoons fine sea salt; 2 tablespoons bacon fat or lard; 1 1/2 cups beef stock or water; 4 ripe bananas, sliced lengthwise; 2 cups toasted manioc flour (farinha); 2 cups hot cooked white rice (optional); 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

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Barreado is a centuries-old beef stew from the coast of Parana in southern Brazil, traditionally buried in a clay pot sealed with wet flour dough and cooked for up to 24 hours. This streamlined home version uses a Dutch oven to achieve the same fall-apart tenderness in a fraction of the time, delivering rich, cumin-scented beef traditionally served with ripe banana and toasted manioc flour.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time360 mins

Total Time380 mins

Servings6

Yield6 servings

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

610 kcalCalories
32 gFat
12 gSaturated Fat
38 gCarbs
4 gFiber
14 gSugar
44 gProtein
820 mgSodium
940 mgPotassium
65 mgCalcium
6 mgIron
14 mgVitamin C
85 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the Beef

3 lbs chuck beef, cut into 3-inch chunks
2 large yellow onions, thickly sliced
6 garlic cloves, smashed
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
2 tablespoons bacon fat or lard

For Cooking and Serving

1 1/2 cups beef stock or water
4 ripe bananas, sliced lengthwise
2 cups toasted manioc flour (farinha)
2 cups hot cooked white rice (optional)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Pat the beef chunks dry and season generously with salt, black pepper, and cumin, rubbing the spices into the meat.
Heat the bacon fat in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the beef in batches until deeply caramelized on all sides, about 8 minutes total per batch.
Remove the beef and reduce heat to medium. Add the sliced onions to the pot and cook for 5 minutes until softened, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom.
Return the beef to the pot along with the smashed garlic, bay leaves, and beef stock. The liquid should come about one-third of the way up the meat.
Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover with a tight-fitting lid. Transfer to a 300°F (150°C) oven and cook undisturbed for 6 hours, or until the beef shreds effortlessly with a fork.
Remove the beef from the pot and use two forks to shred it directly in the cooking liquid, discarding the bay leaves. Stir well so the meat absorbs the rich broth.
Taste and adjust seasoning. To serve, mound the shredded beef on plates alongside sliced ripe bananas and a generous bowl of toasted manioc flour.
Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve immediately with rice on the side if desired, letting each diner mix the beef, banana, and farinha to taste.

Cook’s Notes

For the most authentic flavor, use a traditional clay pot and seal the lid with a simple flour-and-water dough paste before cooking.
The stew tastes even better the next day as the spices meld, so consider making it a day ahead and reheating gently.
If manioc flour is unavailable, you can substitute with toasted panko breadcrumbs or fine cornmeal for a similar crunchy texture.
Traditional barreado is cooked until almost dry, so don't add more liquid even if it looks too little at the start.
Serve with a simple green salad dressed with lime juice to cut through the richness of the beef.