Here is a traditional Venezuelan recipe that I probably only make once a year, for good reasons. It is a recipe that requires time. This dish is very well known in the capital city of Venezuela. I honestly don’t remember having this dish at home much, but I did enjoy it many times for lunch when I was working in downtown Caracas. I used to roam around for blocks reading every menu posted at the door of lodging houses that served lunch right in the interior patio, typical of the colonial houses with long barred windows.Â
My grandmother was not from the city and moved to Caracas when my mom was already an adult. I believe maybe that’s why she didn’t cook much of this city dwellers delight. I think that the sweet and salty combination found in many traditional dishes is mostly from the city as well. This dish marinates overnight. It uses a round roast which gets tenderized by the marinade, that is why it is important to leave it overnight. The dark color that gives the roast its name comes from papelon or panela, the unrefined cane sugar used in Latin cuisine.Â
It is very decadent and perfect for a family Sunday meal or the holidays.
Ingredients:
(serves 6 to 8)
1/4 cup adobo seasoning blend
1 Eye of Round Roast, 2-3 lbs.
Salt & Pepper
10 garlic cloves
2 medium onions
4 green onions
1 leek
8 mini sweet peppers
1/2 cup giardiniera
â…“ cup Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup shredded panela
1/4 brown sugar
1 Tablespoon tabasco sauce
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tbsp. butter.
Water
Method:
Season round roast with salt and pepper, making sure it is seasoned on all sides.
Mince garlic, thinly slice onions, leek, sweet peppers, and giardiniera. In a large bowl, combine adobo seasoning, Worcestershire, Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, and red wine. Whisk to combine, add sliced vegetables. In a deep glass dish, like Pyrex, add the round roast and pour the marinade over, making sure all sides are coated with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Bring the marinated roast to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 375F. In a large Dutch oven, heat canola oil and butter over medium-high heat. Remove the roast from the marinade and pat dry. Sear the roast in the hot oil/butter until brown on all sides. About 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from the pot and keep aside. Add panela, sugar, and tabasco sauce to the pan, add ¼ cup of water and mix with a wooden spoon, cook carefully over low heat until bubbling. Return roast to the pan and make sure it is coated with melted sugar on all sides. Add liquid and vegetables from the marinade, add water if needed to cover the roast, bring to a boil. Once boiling, transfer to the preheated oven and cook for 2 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender. During cooking check and rotate the roast to make sure it cooks uniformly.Â
Remove the roast and let it rest 20 minutes before slicing into thick rounds. In the meantime, thicken the sauce by bringing it to a low simmer over the stove. Strain the sauce and serve alongside the round roast. Optional: Blend the sauce using a high-power blender. In Venezuelan, the typical sides for this dish are white rice and fried plantains. Enjoy!Â
