Tapado Olanchano beef stew gets its name from the department of Olancho, a part of Honduras famous for cattle ranching. However, cattle are not native to the Central American country; they were brought over by the Spaniards in the 16th century. This Honduran classic is made with beef, pork ribs, sausages, and root vegetables. Ask your butcher to cut the pork ribs to the correct size for you.
Serves 6 to 8
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3 1/2 pounds (1.5 kg) beef stew meat, cut into 3-inch (7.5-cm) cubes
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1 quart (1 l) chicken broth
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1 quart (1 l) beef broth
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3 1/2 pounds (1.5 kg) pork ribs, cut into 2 1/2-inch (6-cm) pieces
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1 tablespoon (15 g) vegetable shortening
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2 1/4 pounds (1 kg) cured chorizo, diced
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3 cloves garlic, cut into small dice
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2 green bell peppers, cut into small dice
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2 large tomatoes, cut into small dice
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1 large yellow or white onion, cut into small dice
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3 ripe plantains (peels on)
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2 1/4 pounds (1 kg) yuca, peeled and cut into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces
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2 1/4 pounds (1 kg) pork chicharrones, cut into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces
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5 green bananas, each cut into 4 pieces
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5 culantro leaves, chopped
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1/2 cup (20 g) chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
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1 tablespoon (15 g) dried Italian seasoning
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1 teaspoon (5 g) ground annatto
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large pot, combine the beef and chicken and beef broths. If necessary, add enough water to cover the beef. Cook over medium heat until the beef is tender, about 40 minutes. Add the pork ribs to the pot and continue to cook until the pork is tender, about 30 additional minutes. Remove the meat from the pot and place in a colander to drain. Reserve the cooking liquid.
In a medium skillet, melt the shortening over high heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chorizo to a plate.
Add the garlic, bell peppers, tomatoes, and onion to the drippings in the skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Peel the plantains; reserve the peels and slice each plantain into 4 pieces.
In a large soup pot, arrange some of the plantain peels on the bottom in a single layer. Add the yuca, arranging it in an even layer; then add layers of the beef and pork, chorizo, chicharrones, green bananas, culantro, and cilantro. Cover the top with a layer of the remaining plantain peels.
Add the Italian seasoning and annatto to the reserved beef cooking liquid and stir to combine. Then pour the liquid down the side of the soup pot to avoid dislodging the layers. Cover the pot and cook over medium heat until the yuca and green bananas are tender and cooked through, about 20 minutes.
To serve, remove the plantain peels, taste and adjust seasoning, and ladle into bowls. Garnish with cilantro.
Recipe from “Maribelle Entertains: Savory and Sweet Recipes for Every Occasion from the Master Chocolatier” by Maribel Lieberman (Rizzoli, 2024).
