Barreado of Morretes

The name comes from barro, clay, and from the method: beef in cubes is layered with bacon, cumin, onion and garlic into a clay pot, the lid is sealed on with a paste of flour and water so no steam escapes, and it goes into a low wood oven for anything from ten to twenty hours until the meat falls apart into its own fat. It is served in a bowl with cassava flour stirred in to thicken it, sliced banana, orange and rice. The traditional context is Carnival on the Parana coast, where the sealed pot could be left cooking while everyone was occupied for days - which is the practical origin of the technique. Restaurants in Morretes serve it year round, and the ritual of stirring in the flour to the right consistency is part of the meal.

What you actually see

• A pot sealed with flour paste - no steam escapes for ten to twenty hours.
• Meat cooked to threads - beef falling apart in its own rendered fat.
• Flour, banana and orange - stirred and served alongside at the table.
• A Carnival origin - a dish designed to cook while nobody watched it.

When to go

All year; Carnival for the traditional context. A long lunch.

Honest expectations

Portions are very large and it is extremely rich - one order between two is common. It is not a quick meal. Restaurants fill when the tourist train arrives, so eat before or after. Vegetarian alternatives are not really part of the tradition.

Nearby

Morretes is the home town; Antonina and Paranagua also serve it.