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Keperí
Keperí: Santa Cruz slow-roasted beef flank with garlic and cumin
Keperí is the cut Santa Cruz families save for Sundays and birthdays: a flat, well-marbled piece of beef from the flank, rubbed with garlic, cumin and salt, slow-cooked under cover until meltingly soft, then browned hard at the end. It comes to the table sliced across the grain with boiled yuca, rice and a fresh tomato salad. Beef flank or skirt in one piece is the closest cut outside Bolivia. The most common mistake is slicing along the grain, which makes even tender meat chewy. Chef's tip: let the marinade work overnight in the fridge, then cook the meat fat side up so it bastes itself.
- Total time
- 200 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 3 ⅓ lb beef flank in one piece
- 8 garlic clovescrushed
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ cup sour orange or orange juiceor orange juice with 1 tbsp lime juice
- 2 onionsthickly sliced
- 1 cup water
To serve
- 1 ¾ lb boiled sweet cassava (yuca) (optional)
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Fresh ingredients (3)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Mix 8 garlic cloves, 2 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp dried oregano and ½ cup sour orange or orange juice into a paste. Rub all over 3 ⅓ lb beef flank in one piece, cover and marinate in the fridge overnight, or at least 4 hours.
15 minStep 2: Heat the oven to 325°F. Spread 2 onions in a roasting tin, lay the beef on top fat side up, and pour 1 cup water around it.
3 minStep 3: Cover tightly with foil and roast until a fork slides easily into the meat, about 2½ hours.
150 minStep 4: Uncover, turn the oven up to 425°F and roast for 20–25 minutes more, until the top is browned and the juices have reduced and darkened.
25 minStep 5: Rest for 10 minutes, then slice thinly across the grain. Spoon the onions and juices over and serve with 1 ¾ lb boiled sweet cassava (yuca).
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 58 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does keperí take?
- About 200 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 180 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.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of ground cumin?
- Cumin seeds, toasted and ground.
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