Traditional Argentine Dishes
Traditional Argentine Locro
Prepare a traditional Argentine locro, thick and comforting, with white corn, beans, squash, beef brisket, pork, bacon, and red chorizo. A Creole recipe for slow cooking, ideal for sharing on cool days and family gatherings.
This Argentine locro combines legumes, meats, and squash in an abundant, nutritious, and flavorful stew. The red sauce made with paprika and ground chili pepper adds the final characteristic touch to this Creole preparation.
01
Ingredients
Have everything ready before you begin.
- ✓250 g of broken white corn
- ✓150 g of dried white beans
- ✓250 g of beef brisket in cubes
- ✓200 g of medium-sized pork belly pieces
- ✓150 g of smoked bacon in thick strips
- ✓150 g of red chorizo in slices
- ✓1 large chopped onion
- ✓2 chopped garlic cloves
- ✓700 g of anco or calabash squash in large cubes
- ✓2 bay leaves
- ✓1 teaspoon of cumin
- ✓Salt and pepper
- ✓4 tablespoons of oil
- ✓1 chopped green onion
- ✓1 tablespoon of sweet paprika
- ✓1/2 teaspoon of ground chili pepper
- ✓4 tablespoons of water for the red sauce
02
Step-by-step method
- 01
The night before, place the white corn and beans in separate containers...
The night before, place the white corn and beans in separate containers and cover them with plenty of cold water. Let them soak for 8 to 12 hours. If it's very hot, keep them in the refrigerator.
- 02
The next day, drain and rinse the corn and beans
The next day, drain and rinse the corn and beans. Cut the beef brisket and pork belly into medium-sized pieces, the bacon into thick strips, and the red chorizo into slices. Chop the onion, garlic, and green onion, and cut the squash into large cubes.
- 03
Place in a large, heavy pot the corn, beans, beef brisket, pork belly...
Place in a large, heavy pot the corn, beans, beef brisket, pork belly, bacon, onion, garlic, and bay leaves. Cover everything with approximately 2.5 liters of cold water and bring to medium heat.
- 04
When it starts to boil, remove the foam that rises to the surface with a spoon...
When it starts to boil, remove the foam that rises to the surface with a spoon to obtain a cleaner broth.
- 05
Reduce the heat, partially cover the pot, and cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes...
Reduce the heat, partially cover the pot, and cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the ingredients from sticking to the bottom. If the liquid reduces too much, add hot water.
- 06
Add the red chorizo and squash cubes
Add the red chorizo and squash cubes. Add the cumin, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Cook for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the corn and beans are tender, the meat can be easily separated, and the squash starts to integrate with the broth.
- 07
During cooking, mash some squash cubes against the edge of the pot...
During cooking, mash some squash cubes against the edge of the pot to thicken the stew. If there's too much liquid, cook for a few minutes with the pot uncovered. If it's too thick, add a little hot water.
- 08
To prepare the red sauce, heat the oil in a small pan over low heat...
To prepare the red sauce, heat the oil in a small pan over low heat and sauté the green onion for 2 minutes, without burning it.
- 09
Remove the pan from the heat and add the sweet paprika and ground chili pepper
Remove the pan from the heat and add the sweet paprika and ground chili pepper. Add the 4 tablespoons of water and mix until a red and aromatic sauce forms.
- 10
Taste the locro and adjust the salt and pepper
Taste the locro and adjust the salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaves and check that the meats are tender.
- 11
Serve the locro hot in deep plates, making sure each portion includes...
Serve the locro hot in deep plates, making sure each portion includes corn, beans, meat, bacon, and chorizo. Top each plate with a tablespoon of red sauce.
- Let the corn and beans soak for 8 to 12 hours to reduce cooking time and ensure even cooking.
- Cook the locro over low heat and add hot water if it reduces too much; avoid adding cold water.
- Add salt in moderation, as the bacon and red chorizo already provide salt.
- Don't cut the squash too small: some cubes should remain while others integrate into the broth to thicken it.
- Add the paprika with the heat off or very low to avoid burning and giving it a bitter taste.
- The locro can be even more flavorful the next day, when the ingredients have had time to integrate.
- For a regional variant, the beef brisket can be replaced with roast beef or osso buco, and the pork belly with pork ribs.