Čobanac
Čobanac: Slavonian shepherd's stew of beef, pork and game in a paprika-rich sauce
Slavonia, the flat farmland of eastern Croatia, cooks čobanac outdoors in a black cauldron at village fairs and hunting parties, and the smell of paprika drifts across the whole field. Three meats go in, typically beef, pork and venison or wild boar, with mountains of onion, sweet and hot paprika and a few peppers, simmering for hours until the sauce is thick, brick-red and spicy. This dish contains pork. Eat it with crusty bread or polenta. The usual slip is burning the paprika: it turns bitter in seconds, so always take the pot off the heat before stirring it in. Chef's tip: cook it a day ahead; like most stews it tastes deeper the next day.
- Total time
- 180 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp sunflower oil
- 4 onionsfinely chopped
- 1 ⅛ lb beef chuckcut into 3 cm cubes
- 1 ⅛ lb pork shouldercut into 3 cm cubes
- 1 ⅛ lb venison or wild boar shoulder (or more beef)cut into 3 cm cubes
- 5 garlic cloveschopped
- 3 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp hot paprika
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 red peppersdiced
- 1 fresh hot chillichopped
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 6 ¼ cups hot water or stock
- ⅓ oz fresh parsley (optional)chopped
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat the 4 tbsp sunflower oil in a large heavy pot over a medium heat and cook the 4 onions for 15 minutes, stirring, until soft and golden.
15 minStep 2: Turn the heat up, add the 1 ⅛ lb beef chuck, 1 ⅛ lb pork shoulder and 1 ⅛ lb venison or wild boar shoulder (or more beef) and cook for 10 minutes, turning, until browned on all sides.
10 minStep 3: Stir in the 5 garlic cloves for 1 minute, then take the pot off the heat and stir in the 3 tbsp sweet paprika and 1 tbsp hot paprika until everything is coated red.
2 minStep 4: Return to the heat, add the 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 red peppers, 1 fresh hot chilli, 2 bay leaves, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper and the hot 6 ¼ cups hot water or stock. Bring to a simmer.
5 minStep 5: Cover and simmer gently for 2 hours, stirring now and then, until the meat is tender enough to break with a spoon and the sauce has thickened; a cube of pork should be well above 160°F and fall apart.
120 minStep 6: Simmer uncovered for the last 10 minutes if the sauce is thin, then rest for 10 minutes and scatter with ⅓ oz fresh parsley.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 52 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does čobanac take?
- About 180 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 150 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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