Seco de Res with Beans (Beef Cheek Stew with Cilantro and Beans)

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Steps

1. 1
   Clean the beef cheeks: Remove the thick outer silver skin (tejido conjuntivo / piel plateada) from each beef cheek by inserting a knife at a low angle and peeling it away — similar to skinning a fish. Remove any blood clots and detach any attached tongue meat if present. The inner web of collagen is desirable and should remain. Cut each cheek in half.

   Tip: The silver skin will never soften during cooking — remove it entirely, or the surrounding meat will tighten and dry out before it tenderizes. The inner collagen web is different; it will melt into silky gelatin during the long braise.

   ~20 min
2. 2
   Make the marinade and marinate: In a bowl or container, combine salt, cumin, a small amount of ají panca paste, ají amarillo paste, garlic, black pepper, cilantro stalks and leaves, and the chicha de jora (including the sediment at the bottom of the bottle). Mix well. Add the cleaned beef cheeks, coat well, and marinate for at least 3 hours and up to 12 hours (overnight is ideal).

   Tip: The chicha de jora is acidic and helps penetrate the thick connective tissue. If chicha is unavailable, combine a dry golden beer with good vinegar, or use dry white wine with vinegar. Do not use sweet beers.

   ~180 min
3. 3
   Dry and sear the beef cheeks: Remove the beef cheeks from the marinade and place them on a rack or on paper towels to dry as much as possible. Strain and reserve the marinade liquid. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot (steel is ideal) over high heat. Add a good splash of oil. Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear the beef cheeks on all sides until deeply browned — 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.

   Tip: Wet meat steams instead of browning. Drying the surface is essential. Do not rush the sear — those browned bits on the base of the pot (fond) are concentrated flavor that will be lifted when the onion is added.

   ~20 min
4. 4
   Build the aderezo: Reduce the heat to medium. Without cleaning the pot, add a little more oil if needed and add the chopped onion. Stir, scraping up all the browned bits from the base of the pot with the moisture from the onion. Cook until the onion softens and takes on color from the fond, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Add the ají panca paste and ají amarillo paste. Stir well and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the aderezo 'takes point' (se corta / toma punto) — meaning the fat separates slightly and the mixture looks broken, about 10–15 minutes.

   Tip: The caramelized fond from the seared meat that clings to the pot is like a built-in bouillon cube. The onion moisture lifts all of it into the sauce.

   ~20 min
5. 5
   Add the blended cilantro: Blend the cilantro leaves with just enough water to form a smooth, pourable green liquid. Reserve a small amount for the end. Add the majority to the aderezo and stir. Raise the heat to high and cook the cilantro vigorously, stirring frequently, until it has fully cooked down, no longer smells raw, and has concentrated — the water must evaporate and the chlorophyll will cling to the base of the pot. This can take 10–15 minutes. Do not shortcut this step or the stew will taste bitter and raw.

   Tip: The chlorophyll that sticks to the pot during this phase will be incorporated into the stew just like the protein fond from the searing step — both add layers of flavor.

   ~15 min
6. 6
   Add the zapallo loche: Add the cubed zapallo loche to the aderezo and stir constantly for 2–3 minutes, as it has natural sugars that will caramelize and burn quickly if left unattended.

   Tip: Zapallo loche adds sweetness, umami, and body to the stew. Outside Peru, substitute with any dense, flavorful squash (kabocha works well). This ingredient is primarily northern Peruvian but Giacomo includes it because of the flavor value it adds.

   ~3 min
7. 7
   Braise the beef: Return the seared beef cheeks to the pot. Add the reserved strained marinade liquid and pour in the dark beef stock until the meat is mostly submerged. Mix everything well so the aderezo is distributed throughout and not just sitting on the base. Add the juices that accumulated from the resting beef cheeks. Taste and season carefully with salt — remember that the stew will reduce significantly. Cover and simmer on very low heat for 2 to 3 hours, checking every 20–25 minutes, gently turning the pieces and making sure nothing is sticking or burning on the bottom.

   Tip: In a pressure cooker the beef cheeks will be ready in about 1 hour. In a conventional pot, 2–3 hours. The chicha de jora may smell overpowering at first — like when making adobo — but after sustained cooking its umami quality emerges and the sourness rounds out.

   ~150 min
8. 8
   Cook the beans: In a separate pot, cook the soaked beans in unsalted water with the pork jowl until completely tender. Do not add salt until the beans are fully cooked, as salt creates a calcified film that prevents the beans from softening. Reserve the cooking liquid. Remove some of the pork jowl pieces and some beans and blend them together with some of the cooking liquid until smooth. This creates a creamy bean base to mix back in with the whole beans.

   Tip: The pork jowl (papada) adds collagen and fat that creates extraordinary creaminess in the beans. Panceta (pancetta/bacon) can substitute. This cooking liquid is umami-rich — do not discard it.

   ~90 min
9. 9
   Make the beans aderezo and finish the beans: In a separate saucepan, prepare the beans aderezo: cook the finely diced onion in a little oil until soft, add garlic, then add the ají amarillo paste, bay leaf, and cumin. Cook until the aderezo takes point. Add the whole cooked beans, some reserved pork jowl pieces, and the cooking liquid (including the blended creamy portion). Gently fold together — the beans should remain mostly whole. Do not over-stir. Taste and adjust salt. The beans should be saucy but not soupy.

   Tip: The key to great frejoles is textural contrast: some beans should be intact and whole while the blended portion provides a creamy, saucy coating. Handle gently.

   ~20 min
10. 10
    Finish the seco: When the beef cheeks are fork-tender and can be cut with a spoon, add the carrot pieces and cook 7 minutes. Add the green peas and cook 3 minutes more. Add the reserved small amount of fresh blended cilantro to brighten the color and lift the fresh herb note. Taste and adjust salt one final time.

    Tip: The stew should be juicy (jugoso), not dry — despite being called 'seco' (dry), a well-made seco is always served with plenty of sauce. The sauce is what you mop up with the rice.

    ~12 min
11. 11
    Plate and serve: Serve the seco buffet-style or plated individually. On each plate, arrange a portion of white rice, a generous serving of seco with 1–2 pieces of beef cheek and plenty of sauce, and a portion of the beans. Add boiled potatoes on the side for the classic Lima presentation. The sauce from the seco should be allowed to flood into the rice — this is one of the great pleasures of the dish.

    Tip: As Giacomo says: one of the best things about seco is mojar el arroz — soaking the rice in the juices and mixing in the beans. Serve with plenty of extra sauce.

    ~5 min

Nutrition (per serving)

Giacomo Bocchio

TE ENSEÑO A PREPARAR SECO DE RES CON FREJOLES ¦ GIACOMO BOCCHIO

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