Beef Stew (Guyanese Pepperpot)

A Guyanese comfort food this will warm your bones on those chilly evenings. Pepperpot is a unique type of stew that is made with cassareep and some type of red meat or pork (some people use chicken, but that seems to be the exception there). The stew is cooked with a handful of ingredients and tends to taste better over time. It is served alongside slices of plait bread and is typically enjoyed during the holiday time, but also made throughout the year. Cassareep is used widely in Guyanese cooking. It is a brown sauce made from extracting and boiling the juices from the cassava root. The cassava that is used to make cassareep is a specific kind; one that is bitter and has a certain age. Once the cassava is grated, it is placed in something to squeeze the juices out of it. The juices are then boiled with sugar to achieve a dark syrupy looking liquid. The finished product smells like burnt sugar and has the consistency of molasses. Casareep contains preservative agents, which is why pepperpot can be left out on the stove top for days without spoiling and does not need to be refrigerated. The dark brown color that the cassareep gives the meat might not be so appealing to the eyes, but the flavour is really quite unique.

3 lbs boneless stewing beef, such as chuck, brisket or bottom round
1 tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
½ cup cassareep
2 habanero peppers, or 3-4 wiri wiri peppers, left whole, or seeded and chopped
1 (2") piece ginger, peeled and minced
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 (3") strips orange zest, removed with a vegetable peeler
4 sprigs thyme
1 (2-3") stick cinnamon
¼ tsp. allspice
3 whole cloves

Pat beef dry and cut into 1½" pieces. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.

Add the meat in batches and brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot (if necessary, add more fat) and add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes.

Return the meat to the pot along with cassareep, habaneros or wiri wiri peppers, ginger, brown sugar, orange zest, thyme, cinnamon stick, allspice and cloves.

Add enough water to the pot to just cover the meat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer gently over medium-low heat until the meat is completely tender, about 3 hours. Remove the cinnamon stick, herb sprigs, and orange zest (and peppers, if left whole).

Serve as a stew with crusty white bread. Or, to serve over rice, transfer the meat to a plate with a slotted spoon. Reduce the liquid in the pot over medium-high heat until it has thickened into a sauce. Return the meat to the pot, let stand for a few minutes, and serve with cooked rice, Coconut Rice, or Jamaican Rice and Peas. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Cook's Notes:
Cassareep is a thick, dark, heavily seasoned, molasses-like syrup made from yucca. Though scarce in North America, it is worth seeking out for the irresistible flavour it adds to this stew. Order cassareep online, or find it at well-stocked Caribbean markets. If you cannot find it, substitute 1/3 cup molasses, 1 Tbsp. soy sauce, and 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce.

Pork, lamb, or mutton shoulder may be substituted for the beef.