Carne de Sol

Name: Carne de Sol
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 15 servings
Cuisine: Brazilian
Ingredients: 1.5 kg Beef (Top Sirloin Cap/Picanha), without fat cap; or rump/round; cut into 2–3 large thick slabs; 500g Coarse Salt, sal grosso; for curing; 2 tbsp Manteiga de Garrafa (Bottled Butter), or neutral oil; for searing; 2 large Onions, sliced; 1.2 kg Cassava (Yuca), peeled and cut into batons; 750ml Vegetable Oil, enough for deep-frying; 2 cups Long-Grain White Rice, rinsed; 3 cups Water; 1 tbsp Neutral Oil; 1 cloves of Garlic, minced; 1/2 tsp Salt; 1 cups Dried Feijão de Corda (Cowpeas); 1 Bay Leaves; 1 small Onions, finely chopped; 2 cloves of Garlic, minced; 1 tbsp Neutral Oil, or manteiga de garrafa; 1 tsp Salt, to taste; 2 cups Toasted Cassava Flour (Farinha de Mandioca Torrada); 3 tbsp Manteiga de Garrafa (Bottled Butter); 1 small Onions, finely chopped; 1/2 tsp Salt, to taste; 2 tbsp Parsley, fresh, chopped; 2 Tomatoes, diced; 1 small Onions, finely diced; 1/2 Green Bell Peppers, finely diced; 3 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar, or white vinegar; 3 tbsp Olive Oil; 1/2 tsp Salt; 2 tbsp Parsley, fresh, chopped; Some Water, Cold; enough to rinse and desalinate after curing

Carne de Sol is a rustic Brazilian classic — salt-cured, browned beef served with creamy boiled cassava, hearty cowpeas, fluffy rice, buttery farofa and a bright tomato vinaigrette. The result is a balance of smoky, savory and fresh flavors that make a comforting, festive meal perfect for family gatherings.

Carne de Sol is a rustic Brazilian classic — salt-cured, browned beef served with creamy boiled cassava, hearty cowpeas, fluffy ri... Show more

Traditional Brazilian Recipe

Health Grade

C · Balanced

Rating

4.1

Time

2 hrs

Price

0,87 €

Calories

672 kcal

gluten free

low sugar

comfort food

potluck

Method

Cure the beef

Pat the beef dry with paper towels, then rub it all over with the coarse salt, making sure every surface is well coated. Set the slabs in a dish or on a rack over a tray so any released liquid can drip away, cover loosely, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours to lightly cure. The meat should look a little darker and feel firmer when it is ready.

Soak the cowpeas

Pick over and rinse the dried feijão de corda to remove any grit, then place them in a bowl and cover with plenty of water by at least 2 inches. Let them soak for 1 hour while you get the other parts of the meal started.

Rinse the beef

Rinse the cured beef well under cold water to wash off the surface salt. Transfer it to a bowl, cover again with cold water, and let it soak for 30 minutes to gently desalinate, then drain and pat it very dry.

Prep the produce

Peel the cassava and cut it into thick batons, trimming out any tough inner core if you see one. Slice 2 large onions for the beef, finely chop 1 small onion for the beans and 1 small onion for the farofa, and finely dice the remaining small onion for the vinagrete. Mince the garlic, dice the tomatoes and the green bell pepper, and chop the parsley. Keep everything in separate piles so cooking the different components feels easy.

Cook the cowpeas

Drain the soaked cowpeas and put them in a saucepan with fresh water to cover by about 2 inches and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, lower to a gentle simmer, and cook until tender, 35 to 45 minutes. In a small skillet, heat the neutral oil over medium, cook the chopped onion for the beans and half of the garlic until soft and fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes, then stir that mixture into the beans. Add the salt, simmer 5 minutes more, and taste; the beans should be tender and nicely seasoned, with a little broth still around them.

Mix the vinagrete

In a bowl, combine the diced tomatoes, diced onion, green bell pepper, half of the chopped parsley, the red wine vinegar, olive oil, a pinch of salt, and the black pepper. Stir well and let it sit so the vegetables soften slightly and the flavors mingle.

Toast the farofa

Heat the manteiga de garrafa in a skillet over medium. Add the chopped onion for the farofa and cook until soft and lightly golden, then stir in the toasted cassava flour, the remaining chopped parsley, and a pinch of salt. Keep stirring for 3 to 5 minutes until the farofa smells nutty and feels lightly crisp, then take it off the heat so it stays loose.

Cook the rice

Rinse the long-grain white rice under cool running water until the water runs mostly clear. In a saucepan, heat a little neutral oil over medium, add the remaining garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, then stir in the rice and another small pinch of salt. Pour in 3 cups water, bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low, and cook for 15 minutes; rest it off the heat, still covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Parboil the cassava

Put the cassava batons in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until they are just tender enough to pierce with a knife but not falling apart, then drain very well and let the steam escape for a minute or two.

Fry the cassava

Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot to 350° F. Fry the cassava in batches for 4 to 5 minutes per batch until deeply golden and crisp on the edges, then transfer to paper towels or a rack and season right away with salt. Keep the finished pieces warm while you fry the rest.

Sear beef and onions

Cut the desalted beef into thick steaks or wide strips if needed so it cooks evenly. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high, add 2 tablespoons of manteiga de garrafa, and sear the beef in batches until well browned, about 2 to 3 minutes per side, with a juicy center. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes, then in the same pan cook the sliced onions until softened and browned at the edges, about 4 to 5 minutes. Slice the beef across the grain and toss it back with the onions so everything is glossy and hot.

Assemble and serve

Spoon the rice onto a large platter or individual plates and add the cowpeas alongside. Arrange the carne de sol with its onions on top or beside, then add the fried cassava, farofa, and a generous spoonful of vinagrete. Scatter any extra parsley over everything if you like, and serve while the beef and cassava are still hot.

Ingredients

Method

For 15 servings

Adjust servings

Carne de Sol (Cured Beef)

1.5 kg Beef (Top Sirloin Cap/Picanha), without fat cap; or rump/round; cut into 2–3 large thick slabs
500g Coarse Salt, sal grosso; for curing
2 tbsp Manteiga de Garrafa (Bottled Butter), or neutral oil; for searing
2 large Onions, sliced
Some Water, Cold; enough to rinse and desalinate after curing

Macaxeira (Fried Cassava/Yuca)

1.2 kg Cassava (Yuca), peeled and cut into batons
750ml Vegetable Oil, enough for deep-frying
Some Salt, to season

Brazilian White Rice

2 cups Long-Grain White Rice, rinsed
3 cups Water
1 tbsp Neutral Oil
1 cloves of Garlic, minced
1/2 tsp Salt

Feijão de Corda (Cowpeas)

1 cups Dried Feijão de Corda (Cowpeas)
1 Bay Leaves
1 small Onions, finely chopped
2 cloves of Garlic, minced
1 tbsp Neutral Oil, or manteiga de garrafa
1 tsp Salt, to taste
Some Water, for soaking and cooking

Farofa de Manteiga

2 cups Toasted Cassava Flour (Farinha de Mandioca Torrada)
3 tbsp Manteiga de Garrafa (Bottled Butter)
1 small Onions, finely chopped
1/2 tsp Salt, to taste
2 tbsp Parsley, fresh, chopped

Vinagrete (Brazilian Salsa)

2 Tomatoes, diced
1 small Onions, finely diced
1/2 Green Bell Peppers, finely diced
3 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar, or white vinegar
3 tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Parsley, fresh, chopped
Some Pepper (Black), to taste

🧂 Plus ~4g of salt

Nutrition

Per Serving.

Calories

672 kcal

34% of Daily kcal

Protein

33 g

66% RDI

Fat

27 g

8.9g sat fat

Carbs

73 g

26% RDI

Sugar

4.7 g

9% RDI

Fiber

4.4 g

15% RDI

Salt

3.1 g

62% RDI

Quality Profile

Scored against dietary guidelines.
Tap rows for a deeper breakdown.

Composite score - weighted by current nutrition science

C · 6.3 / 10

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