5.0 from 48 votes
Spanish Caldereta
I am using a venison neck roast here, but this recipe works with any meat you can stew, from beef and lamb to deer, elk, pork, goat, you name it. Serve with bread and a nice red wine.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 489 kcal
Course:
Main Course , Lunch
Cuisine:
Spanish
Ingredients
- 3 pounds venison or other meat, cut into chunks
- salt
- 1/3 cup olive oil, divided
- 2 cups chopped yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 to 4 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced about 1/4 inch thick
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon Spanish smoked paprika, or sweet paprika
- 1 1/2 cups red wine
- 1 quart venison or other stock
- 1 28- ounce can, whole peeled tomatoes, or 2 pounds fresh
- 1/2 cup tomato puree, or 1 tablespoon paste mixed with 1/2 cup water
- black pepper
PICADA
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lice stale bread, broken up, about 2 ounces
- 1/2 cup slivered, blanched almonds, about 2 ounces
- 3 guajillo or other semi-hot, dried peppers, seeded, rehydrated, and torn up.
Instructions
- Salt the meat well and let it sit on the counter while you chop all the other vegetables.
- Heat half the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or similar lidded pot -- or, if you are using a slow cooker, a really big frying pan. Pat the meat dry with paper towels and brown in the olive oil. Take your time with this and don't crowd the pan. Move the browned meat to a bowl if you are cooking in the Dutch oven, or to the slow cooker if using that.
- Chances are at some point in the process you will need more of the olive oil. You'll definitely need it when the meat it done to sauté the onions and garlic. Cook them over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent and soft. Add the garlic and cook another minute or two.
- At this stage, you will either move everything to a slow cooker, or start loading up your Dutch oven. Add all the herbs and spices except the black pepper, the meat, the sliced bell peppers, the stock, wine and the tomato puree. One by one, hand crush and shred the whole, peeled tomatoes into the pot. Use all the juice and sauce left in the can, and rinse the inside of the can with a little water and add that, too. Mix well, bring to a simmer, add salt to taste, then cover and cook gently on medium-low until the meat is tender, maybe 2 1/2 hours.
- When the meat is tender, uncover the pot and increase the heat so it's boiling. You want to cook the caldereta down.
- Meanwhile, make the picada by frying the almonds, stale bread pieces and peppers in the olive oil. You want them lightly browned. Grind to a paste in a mortar and pestle or food processor. Add to the stew with the freshly ground black pepper and mix well. Cook until the caldereta is thick.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- If you are using a slow cooker, drop the stock to a pint, not a quart, because the stew will lose less moisture as it cooks.
Nutrition Information
Calories
489kcal
(24%)
Carbohydrates
19g
(6%)
Protein
45g
(90%)
Fat
23g
(35%)
Saturated Fat
4g
(20%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
3g
Monounsaturated Fat
14g
Trans Fat
0.001g
Cholesterol
145mg
(48%)
Sodium
497mg
(21%)
Potassium
1307mg
(37%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
8g
(16%)
Vitamin A
1942IU
(39%)
Vitamin C
53mg
(59%)
Calcium
99mg
(10%)
Iron
9mg
(50%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 489
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 489kcal | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 19g | 6% |
| Protein | 45g | 90% |
| Fat | 23g | 35% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Trans Fat | 0.001g | 0% |
| Cholesterol | 145mg | 48% |
| Sodium | 497mg | 21% |
| Potassium | 1307mg | 28% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 1942IU | 39% |
| Vitamin C | 53mg | 59% |
| Calcium | 99mg | 10% |
| Iron | 9mg | 50% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.