Pepperpot

About This Recipe

Pepperpot is the soul of Guyanese cuisine and the undisputed national dish, traditionally prepared on Christmas Eve and served on Christmas morning alongside fresh home-baked bread. The defining ingredient is cassareep — a thick, treacle-dark syrup made from boiled cassava juice — which acts as both flavouring and natural preservative. Combined with cinnamon, cloves, scotch bonnet pepper, and wiri wiri peppers, it transforms tough cuts of meat into a glistening, almost lacquered stew of incredible complexity. Historically, a pot of Pepperpot was never fully consumed; fresh meat would be added and it would be reboiled daily, with some pots famously lasting for years.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 1.5 kgmixed meat (beef short ribs, oxtail, pork trotters — or any combination)
• 250 mlcassareep
• 2 stickscinnamon
• 6whole cloves
• 1scotch bonnet pepper, left whole
• 6wiri wiri peppers (or substitute with extra scotch bonnet), left whole
• 1large onion, halved
• 4 clovesgarlic, smashed
• 3 tbspbrown sugar
• 1 tbspfresh thyme leaves
• 500 mlwater, plus more as needed
• 1 tspsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the meat

   Chop meat into large chunks (about 6 cm). Rinse thoroughly under cold water and pat dry. Season lightly with salt.

2. 2

   Build the base

   In a heavy-bottomed pot, combine cassareep, water, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves, onion, and garlic. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

3. 3

   Add the meat

   Add all the meat pieces to the pot. Toss to coat with the cassareep mixture. Add the whole scotch bonnet, wiri wiri peppers, and thyme.

4. 4

   Slow simmer

   Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to very low. Simmer uncovered for 2.5–3 hours, turning meat occasionally, until the meat is very tender and the sauce has reduced to a thick, dark, glossy coating. Add small amounts of water if the pot dries out.

5. 5

   Adjust and serve

   Taste and adjust salt. Remove the whole peppers if you prefer mild heat (or leave them in for more spice). Serve with fresh crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

Variations

• •

  Add cow heel for extra gelatin richness and a silkier sauce.

• •

  Chicken Pepperpot: use bone-in chicken pieces for a quicker (1 hour) version.

• •

  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 up to 5 days. Traditionally reboiled each day to preserve. Can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions