-
1
Marinate the Beef
15 Mins active + 2 Hours resting
Refrigerator, 4°C (40°F)
Pierce the beef all over with a thin knife and rub in the garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Pour the red wine, red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce over it, turning the roast so every side is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for the deepest flavour, turning once halfway through.
Take the beef out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking so it sears instead of steaming.
Done when: Every side of the roast is coated in marinade and the surface no longer looks dry.
-
2
Melt the Panela into a Dark Caramel
8 Mins
Medium heat, ~175°C (350°F)
Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sprinkle in the grated panela and stir constantly until it melts and turns a deep, dark amber — about 4 to 5 minutes. Do not walk away: panela goes from dark caramel to burnt in under a minute.
If the panela starts to smoke, pull the pot off the heat for 30 seconds and keep stirring.
Done when: A glossy dark-amber caramel that coats the spoon and smells of toffee.
-
3
Sear the Beef on All Sides
10 Mins
Medium-high heat, ~190°C (375°F)
Lift the beef out of the marinade and pat it dry, keeping the marinade for later. Lay the roast in the caramel and sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side until every face is deep brown and lacquered with the dark panela glaze.
Do not move the beef while it sears — the crust forms where the meat sits still.
Done when: Every side is dark brown and shiny with caramel; no pale patches remain.
-
4
Build the Sauce and Braise Low and Slow
2 Hours 15 Mins
Low simmer, ~95°C (200°F)
Add the chopped onion and tomato paste to the pot and cook for 3 minutes, then pour in the reserved marinade, the beef stock, the red wine and the bay leaves. Scrape the bottom of the pot to lift the caramel into the liquid. Bring it to the gentlest simmer, cover, and cook on low for 2 hours, turning the roast once, until the beef is tender all the way through.
The liquid should barely tremble — a rolling boil toughens the meat and burns the sugar.
Done when: A knife slides into the centre with almost no resistance and the sauce has darkened further.
-
5
Rest and Slice the Beef
10 Mins
Room temperature, ~20°C (68°F)
Lift the roast onto a board, tent it loosely with foil and rest for 10 minutes so the juices settle. Slice it across the grain into slices about 1 cm thick.
Slice across the grain, not along it — that is what keeps each slice tender instead of stringy.
Done when: Clean slices that hold together but yield easily to a fork.
-
6
Reduce the Sauce and Serve
10 Mins
Medium heat, ~175°C (350°F)
Fish out the bay leaves. Simmer the braising liquid uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes until it thickens into a glossy sauce that coats a spoon. Taste and add salt if needed, then return the beef slices to the pot and turn them in the sauce for 2 minutes so they drink it up.
If the sauce gets too thick, loosen it with a splash of stock, not water.
Done when: A dark, glossy sauce that coats the beef slices without pooling thin on the plate.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the posta negra hot, sliced and bathed in its dark panela sauce, with coconut rice and patacones on the side to catch every drop.
Colombia
2h
