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Overview

Seco de Carne Ecuatoriano

Ecuadorian Beef Stew, Seco de Res, Seco de Carne con Naranjilla

This seco de carne ecuatoriano recipe browns beef chuck, then braises it low and slow in beer, naranjilla juice and a cilantro sauce with cumin and achiote until the meat falls apart, and serves it with white rice, creamy white beans and salsa criolla. One serving is about 605 g (beef and sauce with rice, beans and salsa). It is the everyday beef seco of Ecuadorian home kitchens — herby, gently sour and built for a full plate.

Seco is the everyday stew of the Andes, and in Ecuador it is defined by its cooking liquid: where older recipes used chicha, the fermented corn drink, modern kitchens use beer, and the sauce is always built on cilantro, garlic, cumin and achiote, with a sour note from fruit juice — naranjilla or tamarind. The meat changes with the region and the day — goat in Loja, chicken on the coast, beef everywhere — but the plate stays the same: stew, white rice, beans and a sharp salsa criolla on top.

Pairs well with: White rice, white beans and salsa criolla

Provenance

Ecuador flag Ecuador

Ecuadorian Family Stew

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

2h 5m

25m prep • 100m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

860 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 605 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Intermediate (Braised Beef)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Hearty Midday Main

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

High Protein Occasions: Sunday family lunch, family gathering, weekend dinner, dinner with friends Cost: Medium — about $4–5 per serving at home
Tags: Beef Savory Rich Herby Dairy-free Braised
A bowl of seco de carne with dark beef chunks in cilantro sauce, white rice, creamy white beans and red onion salsa criolla topped with a red chilli slice

Ecuadorian Family Stew

Photo: MiguelAlanCS, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Medium — about $4–5 per serving at home (USD)

A true Ecuadorian seco is braised, never boiled: the beef simmers low in beer, fruit juice and cilantro until it shreds, and the plate is finished with rice, beans and salsa criolla.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 2h 5m
P

Prep Stage: Blend the Cilantro Sauce, Season the Beef

25 Mins • Marinating

Blend half the cilantro with the beer, naranjilla juice, garlic and half the onion into a smooth green sauce. Season the beef chunks with salt, pepper, cumin and achiote, pour over half the sauce and leave for 20 minutes. While it marinates, dice the tomato and pepper, slice the remaining onion for the salsa and rinse the rice.

Maestro Tip: Blend the sauce until completely smooth — flecks of cilantro turn dark and bitter if they fry.

  1. 1

    Blend the Sauce and Marinate

    25 Mins Room temperature; 20 minutes marinating

    Blend half the cilantro, the beer, naranjilla juice, garlic and half the diced onion until smooth. Season the beef with salt, pepper, cumin and achiote, pour over half the sauce and leave for 20 minutes. Keep the rest of the sauce for the pot.

    A blender beats a food processor here — the sauce must be completely smooth.

    Done when: Beef evenly coated in the green sauce, marinating.

  2. 2

    Sear the Beef

    12 Mins High heat, about 200°C (400°F)

    Heat the oil in a heavy pot over high heat. Lift the beef out of the marinade and sear in batches for 2–3 minutes a side until browned all over. Do not crowd the pot — browned meat makes the sauce, steamed meat makes it grey.

    Leave the browned bits in the pot — they dissolve into the sauce and deepen it.

    Done when: Deep brown crust on every chunk.

  3. 3

    Braise Low and Slow

    90 Mins Low simmer, about 95°C (200°F); beef past 74°C (165°F)

    Return all the beef to the pot with the remaining sauce, the tomato, green pepper and the marinade liquid. Bring to a bare simmer, cover with the lid ajar and cook on the lowest heat for 80–90 minutes, until the beef shreds easily with a fork and the sauce has thickened. The beef will be well past 74°C (165°F).

    If the sauce dries out, add water a splash at a time — never drown it.

    Done when: Beef tender enough to shred with a fork; sauce thick and glossy.

  4. 4

    Cook the Rice and Beans

    20 Mins Rice: boil then low simmer about 95°C (200°F)

    While the beef braises, cook the rinsed rice in 400 ml of water: bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 15 minutes, then rest 5 minutes off the heat. Warm the cooked white beans gently in a small pan until steaming.

    Do not lift the rice lid while it steams — the trapped steam finishes the grains.

    Done when: Rice fluffy and separate; beans steaming hot.

  5. 5

    Make the Salsa and Plate

    8 Mins No heat

    Toss the thinly sliced red onion, diced tomato, lime juice and chilli rings with a pinch of salt and the remaining chopped cilantro. Plate a mound of rice, a ladle of beef and sauce, a spoonful of beans, and a pile of salsa criolla on top.

    Let the salsa sit for 5 minutes — the lime softens the onion's bite.

    Done when: A full plate: dark beef, white rice, pale beans and bright salsa.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Rest the beef for 5 minutes off the heat, then plate generously — rice, beef and sauce, beans, and a bright pile of salsa criolla on top, with the remaining cilantro scattered over.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

860

kcal / serving

Protein

52g

Complete AA

Carbs

82g

Complex

Fats

32g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 605 g)
Energy860 kcal
Protein52 g
Carbohydrates82 g
Fat32 g
Fibre13.2 g
Sugar5.8 g
Sodium622 mg
Per 100g
Energy142 kcal
Protein8.7 g
Carbohydrates13.5 g
Fat5.3 g
Fibre2.2 g
Sugar1 g
Sodium103 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Iron and zinc (beef), vitamin C (peppers, lime, tomato), vitamin B12 and niacin (beef), potassium (beans, rice). Nutrition is estimated.

High Protein

About 52.4 g of protein per serving from the beef and beans — a genuinely filling dinner plate.

Iron and Zinc from Beef

Beef is a good source of iron and zinc, and the vitamin C in the peppers and lime helps the body absorb the iron.

Fibre from Beans

About 13.2 g of fibre per serving, mostly from the white beans.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Fried Plantain

Sweet fried plantain against the sour-herby sauce is the classic Ecuadorian contrast on a seco plate.

Vegetables

Avocado

Creamy avocado cools the chilli heat in the salsa and adds richness to the plate.

Drinks

Lager Beer

A cold light beer matches the beer in the sauce and refreshes the palate between bites.

Full Menus

Ecuadorian Family Lunch

Seco with rice, beans, salsa and fried plantain, then fresh mango to finish — the full Ecuadorian lunch.

Complete menu

Serve the seco with white rice, white beans, salsa criolla and fried plantain, then fresh mango to finish — the full Ecuadorian family lunch.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Undercooked Beef

Braised beef must be cooked until tender and steaming throughout — pink, tough meat means the braise was cut short. This is general guidance, not medical advice.

Boiling the Sauce Hard

A hard boil toughens the beef and turns the cilantro sauce bitter — keep it at the barest simmer with the lid ajar. This is general guidance, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsOne 605 g plate at about 860 kcal is a full, hearty dinner.
  • ChildrenMild if the chilli is left out of their salsa; cut the beef small and serve a smaller plate.
  • ElderlySlow-braised beef is soft and easy to chew; serve the meat shredded with plenty of rice.
  • Pregnant womenBraised well past 74°C (165°F) throughout, so the beef is fully cooked and safe to eat.
  • Breastfeeding womenA protein- and iron-rich dinner while breastfeeding; the beans and rice make it filling.
  • AthletesAbout 52.4 g of protein a serving makes this a strong recovery dinner after heavy training.
  • Weight gainA generous, energy-rich plate with beef, rice and beans — an easy way to add protein and calories.
  • Weight lossFilling and high in protein; keep the rice portion modest and load up the beans and salsa.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesAbout 81.9 g of carbs a serving, mostly from the rice and beans — keep the rice portion modest. Ask your clinician about a suitable serving.
  • High blood pressureAbout 622 mg of sodium a serving, mostly from the added salt — skip extra salt at the table. Ask your clinician.
  • Kidney diseaseHigh in protein and potassium from the beef and beans; a smaller portion is usually wise — ask your clinician about your limits.
  • GoutBeef and beer are both sources of purines — eat occasionally and in modest portions. Ask your clinician.
  • Stomach issuesChilli, raw onion and beer can irritate a sensitive stomach — leave the chilli out and eat slowly. Ask your clinician about your triggers.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseChuck brings saturated fat; trim visible fat and keep the beans and salsa generous. Ask your clinician.
  • Fatty liverThe beer and the beef fat both count here — use a leaner cut and keep portions modest. Ask your clinician.
  • Food allergiesContains beer (gluten, barley). No egg, no milk, no nuts as written.
  • Special therapeutic dietsNot gluten-free as written because of the beer — use a certified gluten-free beer to make it so. Ask your clinician or dietitian.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool quickly and store the beef and sauce, rice, beans and salsa in separate airtight containers.
In the fridge
3 days for the beef and sauce; 3 days for the rice and beans; 1 day for the salsa.
In the freezer
Beef and sauce freeze 2 months; rice freezes 1 month; salsa does not freeze.
How to reheat
Reheat the beef and sauce in a pan over low heat until steaming throughout, to 74°C (165°F); warm the rice and beans separately.
Freezing recommended
Yes for the beef and sauce — up to 2 months.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour or off smell, slimy meat, or mould on the sauce — discard.

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