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5 from 3 votes

Guyanese Pepperpot

Pepperpot is a Guyanese dish that is the pride and joy of the country. It is made by cooking a combination of beef and pork together with a unique Guyanese ingredient, Cassareep.
Course Main Course, stew
Cuisine Guyanese
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Marinating Time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 411kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 small White Onion
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 3 Celery leaves
  • 2 lb pork butt Cubed
  • 1.5 lb stew beef Cubed
  • ¾ cup cassareep
  • ¼ cup Brown Sugar
  • 4 inches orange peel
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 6 cloves
  • 6 sprigs Fresh Thyme
  • ¼ tsp black pepper (Use code FF20 for 20% off)
  • 1 tsp Salt divided
  • 1 Scotch Bonnet Pepper

Instructions

  • Blend together 1 small onion, 6 cloves garlic, and 3 celery leaves until a paste is formed.
  • In a large pot, add the meats (2 lb cubed pork butt and 1.5 lb cubed stew beef), the herb paste, and the ¾ cup cassareep. Use your hands to mix it together. Let it sit for a half an hour.
  • Then add ¼ cup brown sugar. Mix again to combine.
  • On top of the pot, add 4 inches of orange peel, 1 cinnamon stick, 6 cloves, 6 sprigs fresh thyme, ¼ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp salt, and 1 scotch bonnet pepper (or scotch bonnet pepper sauce). Mix again.
  • Put it on medium to low heat and allow it to cook (covered) in its own juices for about 25 minutes.
  • Then, add water (hot, already boiled) until the meat is covered. Cover it and let it cook for another hour and a half (2 hours total) until it has thickened and the meat is tender. You may need to cook it longer for the meat to be tender, and that is okay.
  • Add salt to taste at the end. Enjoy!

Notes

Recipe with inspiration from Alicia's Pepperpot, Jehan Powell, Caribbeanpot, and Real Nice Guyana
  • Celery Leaves: I bought a stalk of celery and pulled the leaves from the top of the celery plants for this dish 
  • Cassareep: See information above.
  • Scotch Bonnet Pepper: I was not able to find scotch bonnet peppers. If you can’t find it, you can substitute habanero peppers or use a scotch bonnet pepper sauce to taste. 
  • Meat: See FAQ question above for help choosing your meat.
  • Make this dish about 2-3 days before you actually want to eat it. The flavor typically enhances the longer the dish has been around, so the older the better. 
  • Pepperpot is typically served with bread, especially Guyanese Plait Bread. It’s a type of bread similar to challah, but it doesn’t include any egg. 
  • Some Guyanese Pepperpot recipes call for the garlic, onions etc. Other people say that adding these ingredients detract from the overall dish. Either method works and is completely up to you.

Nutrition

Calories: 411kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 554mg | Potassium: 972mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 76IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 5mg