Pepitoria Santandereana: Traditional Goat Offal & Rice Stew
Pepitoria Santandereana is an incredibly flavorful, exotic, and culturally significant dish from the Santander region of Colombia. It is a unique culinary experience that utilizes goat offal and coagulated blood, blending them with rich spices, herbs, and rice to create a dark, deeply savory, and unforgettable stew.
The secret to this 2-hour and 10-minute recipe lies in the careful preparation of the ingredients. By thoroughly cleaning and boiling the offal first, and then slow-cooking it in pork lard with an achiote sofrito, coagulated blood, and fragrant guascas, you completely transform these humble ingredients into a gastronomic masterpiece!
Pepitoria Santandereana (Goat Offal & Rice Stew)
A legendary and exotic dish from Santander! A rich, dark stew made with goat offal, coagulated blood, rice, and fragrant guascas herb.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Goat offal Vísceras de cabrito: kidney, liver, heart, and intestines/chunchullo
- 3 cups Coagulated goat blood Sangre cuajada del cabrito
- 1/2 cup Pork lard Manteca de cerdo
- 1 cup Rice Previously cooked
- 4 Scallion stalks Green onions
- 1 Red bulb onion
- 1 tablespoon Achiote oil Aceite achiotado
- 1/2 teaspoon Toasted and ground cumin
- 1/2 tablespoon Ground hot pepper Pimienta picante molida
- 1 bunch Guascas Gallant soldier herb
- 2 Eggs Hard-boiled
- Salt to taste
- Lemon For washing the meats
Instructions
- Clean and boil the offal: The very first and most crucial step is to wash the goat offal (kidney, liver, heart, and chunchullo) extremely well using plenty of water and lemon juice. Once clean, boil them in water with salt for approximately 1.5 hours until tender. Remove, chop them finely, and set them aside.
- Build the Sofrito: In a large, heavy cauldron (caldero), heat the pork lard over high heat. Add the finely chopped scallions and red onion, frying them in the achiote oil along with the toasted cumin, hot pepper, and salt to taste.
- Cook the meats: Add the finely chopped, boiled offal to the sofrito. Mix everything very well, cover the pot, and let it cook over low heat for 20 minutes so the flavors meld.
- Add the blood: Take the coagulated goat blood, let it drain completely, and chop it finely into small pieces. Add it to the cauldron with the offal mixture. Let it cook for another 20 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
- Fold in the rice: Add the previously cooked cup of white rice to the cauldron. Adjust the salt if necessary, and add the finely chopped guascas. Stir thoroughly until the rice takes on the dark color of the stew and the herbs are evenly distributed.
- Garnish and serve: Serve the pepitoria piping hot, generously scattering the chopped hard-boiled eggs over the top of each plate!
Video
Notes
- The Ultimate Side Dish: While hearty enough to be a main course, pepitoria is most traditionally served as the legendary, mandatory accompaniment to roasted kid goat (cabrito asado) or traditional sun-dried meat (carne oreada).
- Regional Pairings: To experience a truly authentic Santander feast, this dish must be accompanied by a side of boiled yuca and traditional yellow sweet corn arepas (arepas amarillas santandereanas).
- Zero Waste Cooking: This dish is a brilliant historical example of zero-waste culinary traditions, utilizing every single part of the animal to provide a massive dose of iron, proteins, and intense regional flavor.
You may also be interested
Callos con Garbanzos Santandereanos: Colombian Tripe & Chickpea Stew
Alboronía o Boronía Criolla: Colombian Eggplant & Plantain Mash
Fríjoles Rojos: Traditional Colombian Red Bean Stew
Estofado de Ternera con Cerveza Negra: Beef and Dark Beer Stew