Brazilian recipe
Easy Carne Seca with Sautéed Onions and Manteiga de Garrafa
A classic Brazilian staple: salt-cured, shredded beef sautéed with onions and rich, golden clarified butter. Simply delicious and easier than you think.
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Ingredients
1 kg carne-seca (Brazilian salt-cured beef)
2 large yellow onions
1/3 cup (tea) manteiga de garrafa (bottled clarified butter)
Salt to taste
2 large yellow onions
1/3 cup (tea) manteiga de garrafa (bottled clarified butter)
Salt to taste
Where to find ingredients
Carne-seca and manteiga de garrafa are specific Brazilian ingredients. Look for them at specialized Latin American or Brazilian grocers, or check the 'imported foods' or 'international' aisle of large supermarkets. If you cannot find carne-seca, high-quality beef jerky or biltong can serve as a substitute, though note they will have a different texture. If manteiga de garrafa is unavailable, high-quality ghee is the closest culinary equivalent to provide that distinctive nutty flavour.
Preparation method
- Slice the carne-seca into 7 cm chunks
- Rinse the pieces thoroughly under running water to wash away excess surface salt
- Place the meat in a bowl, cover with cold water, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, swapping the water for fresh at least 3 times to desalt properly
- Once desalted, drain the meat and give it one final thorough rinse under running water
- Transfer the beef to a pressure cooker and add enough water to cover it, making sure not to exceed the 2/3 maximum capacity of the pot
- Secure the lid and set the stove to high heat
- Once the pressure cooker reaches full pressure and starts whistling, turn the heat down to low and cook for 30 minutes
- Turn off the heat and allow the pressure to release naturally before carefully opening the lid
- Lift the cooked meat from the pot with a slotted spoon and move it to a platter
- While the meat is still hot, shred it using two forks, picking out and discarding any bits of fat or cartilage
- Alternatively, use a stand mixer on low speed to shred the beef until you reach your desired consistency
- Peel the onions and slice them into half-moons about 1 cm thick
- Heat a large frying pan or skillet over medium heat
- Add the manteiga de garrafa to the warm pan, then toss in the sliced onions with a pinch of salt
- Sauté the onions for about 5 minutes until they are soft and wilted
- Stir in the shredded carne-seca with the onions
- Cook and toss everything together for another 5 minutes, then taste and add a little salt if needed
- Serve straight from the pan while hot
Observations
Carne seca acebolada com manteiga de garrafa is a cherished Brazilian comfort food, loved for its bold, savory profile and satisfying, rustic appeal. It is the perfect choice for a hearty lunch or as a flavourful appetiser to share.
The secret to this dish lies in the balance between the tender, shredded beef and the sweet, translucent onions, all brought together by the unique, nutty aroma of manteiga de garrafa—a traditional Brazilian clarified butter. Properly soaking the meat is essential to achieve that perfect salt balance and melt-in-the-mouth texture.
Follow these simple steps to bring a taste of authentic Brazilian home cooking to your own kitchen.
The secret to this dish lies in the balance between the tender, shredded beef and the sweet, translucent onions, all brought together by the unique, nutty aroma of manteiga de garrafa—a traditional Brazilian clarified butter. Properly soaking the meat is essential to achieve that perfect salt balance and melt-in-the-mouth texture.
Follow these simple steps to bring a taste of authentic Brazilian home cooking to your own kitchen.
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