Honduran Beef in Morro Seed and Roasted Tomato Sauce with Tender Sweet Corn Tamalitos

Name: Honduran Beef in Morro Seed and Roasted Tomato Sauce with Tender Sweet Corn Tamalitos
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 105 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Hondureña
Ingredients: 2 lb beef stew meat, cubed; 1 3/4 tsp salt; 1 tsp ground black pepper; 1 tsp ground annatto; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 1/4 cups white onion; 6 cloves garlic; 4 medium ripe tomatoes; 1 cup red bell pepper; 1/3 cup ground morro seed; 3 cups beef broth; 1/2 cup fresh cilantro; 3 tbsp sour orange juice; 12 pieces corn husks for wrapping; 3 1/2 cups fresh sweet corn kernels; 4 tbsp melted butter; 1/2 cup Honduran-style cream; 1 tbsp sugar; 1/3 cup fine cornmeal

An original main course inspired by Honduran flavors: beef pieces browned and slowly simmered in a silky sauce made with morro seed, roasted tomato, sweet pepper, and cilantro, served with tender steamed sweet corn tamalitos. It is comforting, aromatic, and distinctly Honduran in flavor.

30 minPrep

75 minCook

105 minTotal

6Servings

Gluten-FreeHigh Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

900 g beef stew meat, cubed (preferiblemente of posta or chuck)
10 g salt (divided)
3 g ground black pepper (freshly ground)
4 g ground annatto (for sazonar the res)
30 ml vegetable oil (divided)
180 g white onion (sliced, divided)
18 g garlic (divided)
500 g ripe tomatoes (whole for roasting)
140 g red bell pepper (in strips gruesas)
45 g ground morro seed (also conocida como jícara ground)
720 ml beef broth (unsalted or low sodium)
20 g fresh cilantro (chopped)
45 ml sour orange juice (si no hay, ver sustituciones)
12 unit corn husks for wrapping (remojadas en agua tibia 20 minutos)
500 g fresh sweet corn kernels (for the tamalitos)
60 g melted butter (for the tamalitos)
120 ml Honduran-style cream (for the tamalitos)
12 g sugar (for resaltar the dulzor of the elote)
40 g fine cornmeal (for dar cuerpo a the tamalitos)

Nutrition facts

per serving

615 kcal

Calories

35 g

Protein

31 g

Carbs

39 g

Fat

4 g

Fiber

27 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

Dairy

Instructions

1
1. Season the beef with 6 g (1 tsp) salt, the black pepper, and the ground annatto. Let it rest for 10 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
2
2. Heat a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Roast the tomatoes, half of the onion, and 3 garlic cloves for 10 to 12 minutes, turning them, until well charred and softened. Set aside.
3
3. In a large pot, heat 15 ml (1 tbsp) vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches for 6 to 8 minutes so it develops color on several sides. Remove and set aside.
4
4. In the same pot, add the remaining 15 ml (1 tbsp) vegetable oil. Sauté the rest of the onion, the red bell pepper, and the remaining 3 garlic cloves for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onion looks translucent.
5
5. Blend the roasted tomatoes, roasted onion, roasted garlic, ground morro seed, and 240 ml (1 cup) beef broth until smooth. If it seems too thick, add a little more broth.
6
6. Pour the blended sauce into the pot with the sautéed vegetables and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the browned beef, the rest of the beef broth, 4 g (3/4 tsp) salt, and the sour orange juice.
7
7. Once it reaches a gentle boil, lower the heat, partially cover, and cook for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the beef is tender and the sauce is velvety. In the last 5 minutes, add the fresh cilantro and adjust salt if needed.
8
8. While the beef cooks, preheat water in a steamer or a pot with a rack until it maintains a gentle simmer. Steam temperature will be about 212°F / 100°C.
9
9. For the tamalitos, blend the sweet corn kernels with the Honduran-style cream, melted butter, sugar, fine cornmeal, and the remaining salt until you get a thick, moist, slightly coarse batter.
10
10. Drain the soaked corn husks. Place portions of the corn mixture in the center of each husk, fold in the sides and then the ends to make tightly closed packets.
11
11. Steam the tamalitos for 30 to 35 minutes at 212°F / 100°C, or until they feel firm to the touch and partially release from the husk.
12
12. Serve the beef hot with plenty of morro and roasted tomato sauce alongside 2 tender tamalitos per serving. If you like, spoon a little sauce over the tamalitos before serving.

Chef tips

Browning the beef well gives the stew deeper flavor. Morro seed thickens the sauce naturally, so add broth gradually if you prefer a lighter consistency. Do not overfill the corn husks so the tamalitos cook evenly.

Substitutions

If you cannot find sour orange juice, use 2 tbsp orange juice plus 1 tbsp lime juice. Ground morro seed can be partially replaced with ground toasted pumpkin seeds, though the flavor will change. Honduran-style cream can be replaced with thick sour cream thinned with a little milk.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
View on Amazon
Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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