Back
BRA_vaca atolada_Free_shutterstock_71678557

This speciality of Minas Gerais is so-named thanks to the sauce that accompanies the beef – thick and almost muddy in consistency!

  • Prep: 20 minutes
  • Cook: 1 hour
  • Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
  • Recipe serves: 6

Ingredients

  • 1kg beef flank
  • 1 pack of frozen cassava
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Small cup of cachaça (sugar cane spirit)
  • 2 chopped onions
  • 2 crushed garlic cloves
  • Bay leaf
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Finely chopped parsley to garnish

 

Instructions

  1. Boil the meat in 2 litres of water, lime juice and cachaça for 20 minutes, before draining and setting aside.
  2. Soften the garlic and onion in olive oil in a casserole dish.
  3. Add the meat, and when golden brown, add the cassava (properly thawed) and some water to cover the ingredients. Add bay leaf, salf and pepper. Keep adding water, until the cassava is nearly melted and resembles a thick, ‘muddy’ sauce.
  4. Adjust seasoning as necessary, garnish with parsley and serve with thinly sliced spring greens fried in garlic and olive oil.

Tailor-made holidays

Flexible, custom-made holidays to Latin America created to match your exact requirements: our tailor-made itineraries are as unique as the clients for whom they are designed.

Design my trip

Papagaio

Your edit for Latin American inspiration

Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

View Extraordinary Inspiration
Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Chris
    Chris Rendell-Dunn - Travel Expert

    Anglo-Peruvian Chris grew up in Lima and spent much of his adult life in between London and Cusco as a tour leader, before settling permanently in our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours sales team.

  • Lina
    Lina Fuller - Travel Expert

    Lina's passion for the continent where she was born really took off when she moved to Córdoba (Argentina) to study, spending the holidays travelling between Argentina and her native Colombia.

  • Mary
    Mary Anne Nelson - Travel Expert

    Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary’s insider knowledge and dry sense of humour make her a highly valued member of the Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tour sales team.

  • Heloise
    Heloise Buxton - Travel Expert

    Heloise started her Latin American journey as an exchange student in Santiago, Chile. With extended summer holidays this was the perfect opportunity to backpack through Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.

  • Kathryn
    Kathryn Rhodes - Travel Expert

    Kathryn backpacked across Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru before joining us. She has a degree in Philosophy and French and is a keen netball player.

  • Rosie profile
    Rosie Kay - Travel Expert

    During a career break, Rosie embarked on an unforgettable year-long backpacking trip across Latin America. Now back in the UK, she is excited to share her knowledge and experiences with others, helping them discover her favourite place in the world.

0 1 2 3 4 5