You might think the pepperpot recipe is all about hot pepper, but it’s more! Experience the rich and delicious flavors of traditional pepperpot with this authentic recipe. This Caribbean recipe from Antigua is perfect for chilly days, warming you up from the inside out.
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Made with hearty ingredients like beef, potatoes, and peppers, pepperpot is sure to become a family favorite, spicing up your dinner routine. Learn how to make this classic Caribbean dish with our easy-to-follow recipe.
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Origins of Pepperpot
Pepperpot is originally from Antigua and Guyana. This Caribbean sauce is rich in;
- Meat
- Herbs
- Vegetables
- hot pepper
- Aromatics
- and cloves.
Traditionally, in Guyana, pepperpot is prepared for breakfast with bread on Christmas morning. However, you can prepare and eat this unique recipe at any time. As Guyana’s national dish, pepperpot is unique for its black cassareep sauce, specially prepared from cassava root.
In Antigua, pepperpot is mostly made of vegetables such as;
- Okra
- Eggplants
- Spinach
- Papaya
- bell peppers
- Onions
- and diverse meats.
How to Prepare Pepperpot
Ingredients
- Lentils
- 1 lb of okra
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 lb of riblets
- 5 garlic cloves
- 5 scotch bonnet
- 1 pack of spinach
- 2 onions, chopped
- 1 tbsp of kosher salt
- 1 cabbage, chopped
- 5 Eggplants, chopped
- 1 lb of turkey, smoked
- 2 seasoning Maggi cubes
- 4 table squash, chopped
- ½ cup of celery, chopped
- 1 green papaya, chopped
- 1 kilo of pigtails, chopped
- 1 kilo of chicken, chopped
- Vegetable seasoning cube
- ¼ cup of seasoning pepper
- A handful of thyme, chopped
- 2 bell green peppers, chopped
- 2 handful of pumpkin, chopped
Ingredients for Dumplings
- ½ cup of all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp of butter
- ¼ cup of cornmeal
- ¼ cup of water
Instructions
- Wash the meats thoroughly in a large bowl—pigtails and riplets—and put them to boil until tender. Add the turkey, chicken, garlic, and salt to taste. Allow it to boil.
- Pour a cup of lentils into 2 cups of boiling water in a large pot; add green papaya and pumpkin, including the okra, eggplants, and squash.
- Add the seasoning peppers, celery, thyme, onions, and green bell peppers to the vegetable pot. Allow them to boil for 10 minutes.
- Add the spinach and stir. Allow the vegetables to boil for another 5 minutes.
- Add the vegetable seasoning cube and stir it gently in the vegetable pot.
- Use a masher spoon to gently mash the vegetables in the pot.
- Mix the ingredients for the dumplings until smooth. Mold small balls into the meat pot.
- Add black pepper and butter to the vegetables.
- Transfer the cooked meat, turkey, and chicken to the vegetable pot. Add just a little of the meat broth to the vegetable pot.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with cornmeal or boiled rice.
Instructions for Preparing Guyanese Pepperpot Recipe
Part 1
- In a bowl, mix the below ingredients, divide into three equal parts, and set aside.
- ½ cup of brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper
- ¼ tablespoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon of granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon of ground black peppers
- 2 tablespoons of dried thyme.
- Season 1 lb of oxtail with one part of the mixture in step one and ½ cup of Guyanese cassareep. Allow it to marinate for an hour. Season and set aside.
- Season 1 lb of cow heel and beef with the rest of the mixture in step one. Marinate and cook with enough water until tender.
Part 2
4. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large pot under a high heat. Sauté 1 chopped onion and 3 minced pieces of fresh garlic. Brown the seasoned beef in the oil until browned. Add 4 cinnamon sticks, 1 tablespoon of whole cloves, and 2 wiri wiri peppers to the beef and stir. You can use scotch bonnet peppers in place of the wiri wiri peppers.
5. Add 1 liter of water to the browned beef and let it simmer on low heat.
6. In a pressure cooker, brown the oxtail in 2 tablespoons of oil, add chopped onion and 3 chopped garlic. Add 4 cups of water to the oxtail and pressure cook for 30 minutes.
7. Pressure the cow feet using the same process as in step six. You can also choose to cook the meats together; however, cook the cow heel on medium heat for 40 minutes before adding the beef and oxtail if you have a big pressure cooker.
8. When the meat is cooked, add them together. Add ¼ cup of cassareep and ¼ cup of brown sugar, and allow them to cook on high heat for 10 minutes. Lower the heat and let it simmer for an hour to two hours. You’ll have a thick brown sauce.
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9. Serve with local plait bread.
Tips for Serving and Storing Pepperpot
- For Antiguan pepperpot, you can use as many types of vegetables as you can. However, always include the basics as listed above.
- You can store the rest of the pepperpot stews in an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for a few days. Due to their vegetable nature, it’s best to consume them within a few days.
- You can also choose to ignore the dumplings.
- You can use any part of the pork or beef chuck if you don’t have pigtails.
- You can also use habanero peppers.
- For Guyanese pepperpot, you can store it for weeks without it going bad because of the cassareep. You can store them in the refrigerator to prevent molasses or on the stove, but heat them at least once daily.
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Nutritional Value of Antiguan Pepperpot
Spinach
Spinach, especially baby spinach, has a lot of antioxidants and Vitamin K. These nutrients are good for bones, skin, and eyes. These leafy greens are also rich in potassium, which helps lower your blood pressure.
The high amount of lutein in spinach helps protect your eyes from eye diseases such as cataracts. Lutein also helps with cognitive reasoning, clarity of thought, and verbal fluency.
Papaya
Papaya has various nutrients, such as Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins fight against heart disease and boost the immune system. It also has high fiber which helps reduce cholesterol levels and aid digestion.
Celery
Celery is high in antioxidants, vitamins, potassium, and minerals. The fiber content helps with digestion and weight loss. The antioxidants in celery help fight free radicals that entertain cancer cells. It also has compounds such as phthalide, which relaxes the artery walls to help normal blood flow.
Video credit: The Benjamin Sisters
These two fabulous sisters are devoted to our Antiguan adventures and sharing their experiences using YouTube
Antiguan Pepperpot
Equipment
Ingredients
- Lentils
- 1 lb of okra
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 lb of riblets
- 5 garlic cloves
- 5 scotch bonnet
- 1 pack of spinach
- 2 onions chopped
- 1 tbsp of kosher salt
- 1 cabbage chopped
- 5 Eggplants chopped
- 1 lb of turkey smoked
- 2 seasoning Maggi cubes
- 4 table squash chopped
- ½ cup of celery chopped
- 1 green papaya chopped
- 1 kilo of pigtails chopped
- 1 kilo of chicken chopped
- Vegetable seasoning cube
- ¼ cup of seasoning pepper
- A handful of thyme chopped
- 2 bell green peppers chopped
- 2 handful of pumpkin chopped
Instructions
- Wash the meats thoroughly in a large bowl—pigtails and riplets—and put them to boil until tender. Add the turkey, chicken, garlic, and salt to taste. Allow it to boil.
- Pour a cup of lentils into 2 cups of boiling water in a large pot; add green papaya and pumpkin, including the okra, eggplants, and squash.
- Add the seasoning peppers, celery, thyme, onions, and green bell peppers to the vegetable pot. Allow them to boil for 10 minutes.
- Add the spinach and stir. Allow the vegetables to boil for another 5 minutes.
- Add the vegetable seasoning cube and stir it gently in the vegetable pot.
- Use a masher spoon to gently mash the vegetables in the pot.
- Mix the ingredients for the dumplings until smooth. Mold small balls into the meat pot.
- Add black pepper and butter to the vegetables.
- Transfer the cooked meat, turkey, and chicken to the vegetable pot. Add just a little of the meat broth to the vegetable pot.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with cornmeal or boiled rice.
Video
Nutrition
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