Seco de Cordero - Peruvian Lamb Stew With Potatoes

By
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes is a freelance writer and recipe developer with a passion for South American food. She wrote a cookbook focusing on the cuisine of Brazil.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/5/23
Peruvian lamb stew
Wikimedia Commons
Prep: 45 mins
Cook: 90 mins
Total: 2 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Seco de Cordero is a delicious Peruvian lamb stew. Seasoned with aji peppers, cumin, and lots of cilantro, the lamb is braised in beer until it's tender and flavorful. Yellow potatoes cook at the same time and soak up all the great flavor. This recipe calls for one aji Amarillo pepper, which gives the dish a traditional kick of spiciness, but you can adjust the amount of hot pepper to your preference. Serve Seco de Cordero over South American-style rice.​

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds lamb shoulder, or leg

  • 1/2 cup vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil

  • 1 large red onion, finely chopped

  • 1 aji pepper, or other hot chile pepper, finely chopped

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil

  • 1 bunch cilantro

  • 1 bottle of beer

  • 1 to 2 cups chicken stock, or beef stock

  • 5 to 6 medium yellow potatoes

Steps to Make It

  1. Cut the meat into approximately 2-inch cubes.

  2. Mix the vinegar with the garlic, cumin, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, and some salt and black pepper, and pour over the meat. Let meat marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour.

  3. Puree the cilantro (stems removed) with some water in a blender or food processor until you get a smooth paste.

  4. Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons oil in a large pot or skillet on high heat. Working in 2 batches, brown the meat on all sides. Remove meat to a plate.

  5. Lower the heat and add the onion and aji pepper to the same skillet with the leftover marinade. Cook until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

  6. Add the meat back to the skillet, along with the beer, the cilantro, and 1 cup of the chicken stock. Cover and cook over low heat until the meat is tender, about an hour.

  7. Peel and quarter the potatoes, and add them to the stew. Continue to cook over low heat until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes more, adding more chicken broth if necessary.

  8. Serve warm over rice.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
895 Calories
41g Fat
68g Carbs
56g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 895
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 41g 53%
Saturated Fat 7g 34%
Cholesterol 149mg 50%
Sodium 365mg 16%
Total Carbohydrate 68g 25%
Dietary Fiber 7g 24%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 56g
Vitamin C 46mg 229%
Calcium 100mg 8%
Iron 8mg 43%
Potassium 2347mg 50%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags: