- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total time
- 50 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- EASY
- Calories
- 840 kcal
Quick summary
“A traditional Brazilian dish made with desalted and shredded dried beef cooked with garlic, onion, and herbs, topped with velvety sweet potato purée and gratinated with coalho cheese. An oven classic that balances with precision the salt of the meat and the sweetness of the tuber.”
What you need to know
- The 40-minute pressure cooking leaves the carne seca fibers at the exact point to shred easily.
- The sweet potato puree enriched with heavy cream softens the saline power of the shredded meat.
- The grated coalho cheese forms a golden and crispy crust under 180°C heat without releasing excess fat.
Ingredients
Main
- 1 kg of shredded dried meat (carne seca)
- 500 g cooked and mashed sweet potato (or cassava)
- 1 chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 200 g heavy cream
- 100 g of grated queijo coalho
- 1/2 cup milk
- Cheiro-verde a gosto
Instructions
Principal
- Cook the dried meat (carne seca) in a pressure cooker for approximately 40 minutes until tender. Desfie e reserve.
- Em outra panela, refogue a cebola e o alho até dourarem.
- Add the shredded meat to the sauté and mix well. Add chopped green onions to taste.
- In a bowl, mix the mashed sweet potato, heavy cream, and milk until a smooth puree forms.
- In a pan, place a layer of the dried meat mixture, followed by the layer of sweet potato puree.
- Finish with grated queijo coalho on top.
- Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or until golden.
Chef's tips
- Desalt the cubed meat in cold water in the fridge for 12 hours, changing the liquid at least three times.
- Squeeze the sweet potato while still hot to obtain a silky and uniform puree without hard pieces.
- Wait 10 minutes after removing from the oven before slicing so that the layers stabilize in the pan.
Variations
- Spread a generous layer of requeijão over the meat before covering with the mashed potatoes for greater creaminess.
- Add clarified butter (manteiga de garrafa) and chopped pimenta-de-cheiro to the dried meat sauté to accentuate the aroma.
- Sprinkle fine breadcrumbs mixed with queijo coalho to intensify the crunch of the gratin.
Substitutions
- Sweet potato can be replaced by cooked cassava or English potato in the same proportion of 500g.
- Rennet cheese can be swapped for mozzarella or standard Minas cheese, coarsely grated.
- The heavy cream can be substituted with creamy requeijão from a tube for a firmer filling.
How to store
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven at 180°C covered with aluminum foil for 15 minutes to preserve the moisture of the puree without burning the cheese.
Can it be frozen?
You can freeze the assembled dish before or after baking for up to 3 months, well wrapped in plastic wrap. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and take to a medium oven until heated through.
What to serve with
Serve accompanied by very loose white rice, green leaf salad with tomato, and classic vinaigrette to balance the richness of the queijo coalho.
Frequently asked questions
Why is coalho cheese ideal for gratinating?
Queijo coalho resists high temperatures better without melting into the oil, forming a golden and crispy crust on the surface.
How to prevent the puree from becoming watery?
Cook the sweet potato with the skin on or steamed; add the heavy cream gradually and stir over low heat until it reaches a thick consistency.
Can I make it with cassava instead of sweet potato?
Yes, the cooked and mashed cassava is the classic of the northeastern escondidinho and pairs in perfect harmony with the shredded carne-seca.
