Karni Stoba

About This Recipe

Karni Stoba (beef stew) is the everyday version of Curaçao's beloved stoba tradition. Beef is braised low and slow until meltingly tender in a flavourful sauce seasoned with garlic, onion, cumin, and the distinctive Madame Jeanette pepper kept whole for gentle heat. It is a fixture of the Sunday table and a staple at local restaurants called snèks.

Ingredients

Serves 5

• 800 gbeef chuck, cut into large cubes
• 1 largeonion, sliced
• 3 clovesgarlic, minced
• 1 wholeMadame Jeanette pepper
• 1 tspground cumin
• 2 tbsptomato paste

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the beef

   Season beef with salt, pepper, and cumin. Sear in batches in hot oil until browned all over.

2. 2

   Sauté aromatics

   In the same pot, soften onion and garlic. Add tomato paste and cook 2 minutes.

3. 3

   Slow braise

   Return beef to pot, add water to just cover, and add the whole pepper. Simmer covered on low heat for 90 minutes.

4. 4

   Reduce and serve

   Remove pepper, uncover, and simmer 15 more minutes to reduce the sauce. Serve with rice or funchi.

Variations

• •

  Add sliced plantain in the last 20 minutes.

• •

  Use goat or pork for variety.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate 4 days or freeze 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions