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Vaca atolada
Vaca atolada: Minas Gerais beef ribs braised until soft with chunks of cassava
The name means cow stuck in the mud, and the picture is right: meaty beef ribs sunk in a thick stew of cassava that has half collapsed into the sauce. Vaca atolada comes from the cattle country of Minas Gerais and is a cold-night favourite at fazenda kitchens and comida mineira restaurants, served on its own or with white rice and a sharp pepper sauce. The ribs are browned, then braised slowly with onion, tomato, garlic and bay until the meat slips off the bone, and the cassava goes in for the last hour to thicken everything. People most often go wrong by adding the cassava at the start, so it dissolves completely; it should be soft but still in chunks. Cassava must be cooked right through and never eaten raw. Chef's tip: brown the ribs hard and deglaze the pan well; that dark crust is where most of the flavour comes from.
- Total time
- 175 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Season 3 ⅓ lb beef short ribs (costela) with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp ground black pepper.
Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large, heavy casserole over a high heat and brown the ribs in batches for 3–4 minutes a side until deeply browned. Lift out.
15 minStep 3: Lower the heat to medium and fry 2 onions, 6 cloves garlic and 1 green pepper for 5 minutes, scraping the bottom, until soft.
5 minStep 4: Add 3 tomatoes, 1 tsp ground annatto (colorau) and 2 bay leaves and cook for 5 minutes until the tomatoes break down.
5 minStep 5: Return the ribs, pour in 1.5 litres hot water, bring to the boil, cover and simmer on a low heat for 1 hour 15 minutes.
75 minStep 6: Add 2 ¼ lb cassava, pushing it under the liquid, cover and simmer for 45–60 minutes more, stirring now and then, until the meat falls from the bone and the cassava is completely tender and starting to thicken the sauce.
55 minStep 7: Remove the bay leaves, check the salt, stir in 4 tbsp parsley and spring onion and serve hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 690 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 37 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does vaca atolada take?
- About 175 minutes in total: 25 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.
- What can I use instead of ground black pepper?
- Black peppercorns, freshly ground, same amount.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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