One of my favorite Peruvian dishes to make for my family and friends is seco de carne. The origins of this classic cilantro beef stew go way back as it has both Arab and Spanish influences. This dish is hearty and filling and has a wonderful herbaceous flavor. It's perfect for a cold rainy-day lunch, or serve it as Sunday dinner.
This seco de carne recipe can go straight into your slow cooker to cook and serve, or you can combine all of the ingredients in a large zip-lock bag and store in the freezer for two to three weeks. This stress-free and easy-to-make meal needs only 10 minutes of prep. Once you've bagged everything up, there's nothing else to add after freezing. Beef and potatoes make this dish hearty and filling, while the cilantro marinade gives it an amazing pungent herb flavor. Serve over steamed white rice, and you have a delicious and complete meal!
Slow cooker seco de carne
4
10 minutes
8 hours
8 hours, 10 minutes
½ yellow onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 green bell pepper, deseeded
2 cups cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
2 pounds beef chuck, thinly sliced
2 carrots, large dice
2 russet potatoes, peeled, large dice
In a blender, puree onion, garlic, green bell pepper, cilantro, salt and pepper until smooth to make sauce.
Place beef, blended sauce, carrots and potatoes in a 1-gallon zip-lock bag. Close the bag, removing as much air from the bag as possible.
Give the bag a gentle shake to mix everything together. Store in the freezer for up to two to three weeks.
Remove from freezer the night before cooking. Place the bag in a large bowl or plate, and set in the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
When all the ingredients have completely thawed, empty the bag into a 6-quart slow cooker. Make sure to get everything out, using a spoon or spatula if needed to scrape the bag.
Cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 8 hours.
Serve with steamed white rice.