Tacacho con Cecina and Patacones

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Steps

1. 1
   Render the pork lard: dice pork belly fat into small pieces and place in the oven at 200°C (400°F) until the fat melts into liquid lard. Strain and reserve the rendered lard and the crispy fat bits (chicharrones de grasa) separately.

   Tip: The rendered lard solidifies like butter when refrigerated and can be stored for future use.

   ~30 min
2. 2
   Peel the plantains. For large batches: cut off the tips, halve them, score the skin lengthwise, blanch briefly in boiling water, then peel easily. Separate plantains by ripeness level (green, semi-ripe/pintón, ripe).

   Tip: This blanching trick was taught by Miss Paulette, a Jamaican cook — the hot water loosens the skin's adhesion to the flesh.

   ~10 min
3. 3
   Cut all plantains into thick chunks. Deep-fry in oil at 160-180°C (320-350°F) until tender but NOT browned. Keep the temperature low so they cook through without coloring. Keep fried plantains separated by ripeness.

   Tip: The plantains must be cooked through but pale — browning would change the flavor profile.

   ~15 min
4. 4
   While plantains are hot, set aside some green plantain chunks for patacones. Flatten them immediately using a heavy metal bowl. They must be pressed while hot.

   Tip: Work quickly — cold plantains will crack instead of flattening smoothly.

   ~5 min
5. 5
   Prepare the 10% brine: dissolve 50g salt in 500ml water. Submerge the flattened patacones in the brine for 1.5-2 minutes. This seasons them and helps them puff up when re-fried.

   Tip: The brine trick (from Miss Paulette) adds salt evenly and the absorbed water creates a crispy chicharron-like exterior when re-fried.

   ~3 min
6. 6
   Re-fry the brined patacones in oil at 180°C (350°F) until golden and crispy like chicharron on the outside. Drain and set aside.

   Tip: The water from the brine helps them puff and creates an extra crispy texture.

   ~5 min
7. 7
   Make the chicharron: cut panceta into small cubes. Fry in a pan starting from cold with a little rendered lard, allowing the pork to slowly render its own fat and turn golden and crispy. Reserve.

   Tip: Starting from cold helps render more fat, just like cooking duck breast skin-side down from a cold pan.

   ~10 min
8. 8
   Make the tacacho: place the hot fried plantains (mix of green, pintón, and ripe) into a batán (traditional wooden mortar) or large bowl. Add crispy fat bits, chicharron cubes, salt, and a generous amount of rendered lard. Mash together — the texture should be a chunky mash, not a smooth puree.

   Tip: If the mixture cracks when forming balls, it needs more lard. Don't be afraid of the fat — this is a festive dish, not everyday food.

   ~10 min
9. 9
   Form the tacacho into compact balls. They should hold together without cracking. If they crack, add more rendered lard and mix again.

   Tip: The lard is the binding agent — it's what holds everything together and provides moisture.

   ~5 min
10. 10
    Cook the cecina and chorizo: in the same pan with rendered lard, sear the cecina (scored with cuts for even cooking) and chorizo until browned on all sides. Both are already cooked from smoking — this step just adds color and flavor.

    Tip: Score the cecina without cutting through the base so it renders fat evenly and heats through.

    ~8 min
11. 11
    Make the aji de cocona: peel the cocona, dice into small cubes keeping the seeds. Mix with finely diced onion (brunoise), chopped cilantro (leaves and stems), roughly chopped aji charapita (about 5 peppers), salt, and fresh lime juice. Mix well.

    Tip: The traditional herb is sacha culantro (culantro in English), but regular cilantro works well. Be careful handling charapita — it's very spicy and aromatic even without heat.

    ~10 min
12. 12
    Plate the dish: serve the aji de cocona in a coconut shell or small bowl. Arrange crispy patacones, tacacho balls, sliced cecina, and chorizo on a large platter. Serve family-style for sharing.

    Tip: This is a communal celebration dish — serve it with a cold beer for the full San Juan experience.

    ~5 min

Nutrition (per serving)

Giacomo Bocchio

COMO PREPARAR TACACHO CON CECINA Y PATACONES | GIACOMO BOCCHIO

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