Charquican - Chilean Beef Stew
"Charquicán is a Chilean dish, a beef stew that is slow-cooked with squash and potatoes. It was traditionally prepared with dried beef (charqui). This version has both stewing beef and some commercial beef jerky (or make your own), which adds a nice smoky flavor and makes the stew seem more like chili (Chilean chili!) My kids love beef jerky and they love this stew.
The squash falls apart as it cooks and helps to thicken the broth. You can add any vegetables you have on hand - beans and corn are common. You can make this stew in a crockpot or simmer it on the stove. In Chile, charquicán is often served topped with a fried egg."
- Ready In:
- 2hrs 15mins
- Ingredients:
- 15
- Serves:
-
4
ingredients
- 1 lb stewing beef, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 1⁄2 ounces beef jerky
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon aji panca chilies, pepper paste or 1 tablespoon minced hot pepper
- 1 acorn squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 1 cup chopped carrot
- 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
- 2⁄3 cup frozen lima beans
- 2⁄3 cup frozen corn
- salt and pepper
directions
- Toss the cubes of beef with the flour and season with salt and pepper.
- Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Sauté the cubes of beef until browned.
- Add the beef stock to the skillet and bring to a simmer over low heat.
- Chop the beef jerky into small pieces and add to the beef stock and beef cubes. Simmer gently for about 5 minutes.
- Transfer beef and beef stock to a large stockpot or slow cooker.
- Do not clean skillet. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, the chopped onion and garlic, and the aji chile pepper paste to the skillet. Sauté until the onion and garlic are soft and fragrant. Add the chopped squash, carrots, and potatoes and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add sautéed vegetables to the stockpot or crockpot with the beef. Simmer over low heat until beef and beef jerky are tender, about a hour and a half on the stove. (about 6 hours in the crockpot). If simmering the stew on the stove, you may need to add more liquid (beef stock or water) from time to time, but stew should finish up very thick, without much broth.
- Add the lima beans and corn and simmer for 10-15 minutes more.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve over rice.
Questions & Replies
Got a question?
Share it with the community!
Reviews
-
For this recipe I made my own jerky the day before (marinating very thin sliced meat overnight with soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, dried garlic powder and smoked paprika; then dried at 55°C). To the recipe I also added: diced green beans, red bell pepper, cumin and oregano. I followed the preparation as described but instead of a crock pot I used a double wall cooking pot. This is a recipe really worth to try as described as well as try your own variations according to the recipes on hand. Thanks a lot we enjoyed this dish really very much! Made for Culinary Quest 2014.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
JackieOhNo!
Stormville, New York
I didn't start cooking until my early 20's, even though I come from a family of accomplished and admired home cooks. While I grew up watching my Italian grandmother in the kitchen, I remained uninterested in trying anything on my own. As a young lady, I was known for being particularly ignorant in the kitchen, with no idea how to even make a hot dog! All this changed, however, when I got engaged. I realized it was time to let my inherent talents out of the bag. At the time, the New York Times had a weekly column called The 60-Minute Gourmet by Pierre Franey. Each week, I would follow these recipes diligently, and taught myself to cook that way. From there, I began to read cookbooks and consult with relatives on family recipes. At my ripe old age now, I feel I know enough to put together a very pleasing meal and have become accomplished in my own right. Having an Irish father and an Italian mother, I'm glad I inherited the cooking gene (and the drinking one too!). One thing I have learned is that simpler is always better! I always believe cooking fills a need to nurture and show love. After being widowed fairly young and living alone with my dog and cats, I stopped cooking for awhile, since I really had no one to cook for. I made care packages for my grown son occasionally, and like to cook weekly for my boyfriend, so I feel like I am truly back in the saddle!!
