The Recipe · No.761 · Seco de Cordero

Seco de Cordero, and Where to Source It

Blend the cilantro with dark beer instead of water, then fry that green puree down before the braise. Cooking it darkens the color and burns off the raw-herb grassiness, leaving a deep, savory-bitter gravy that clings to the lamb.

Ad-free · ingredients first · no 2,000-word story.

Published July 2026 · Sourcing verified 5 Jul 2026

Prep20 min
Cook1 hr 30 min
Makes4 servings
CuisinePeruvian
Cook it with
Instant PotSlow cookerOne-pot
Can you make Seco de Cordero in an air fryer? — Yes, with an insert

Not on its own — an air fryer can’t hold a pool of liquid. You can simmer it in an oven-safe dish or a silicone insert made to fit the basket, but the broth won’t reduce or brown the way it does on the stove, and that insert comes out scorching, so use oven mitts. For real depth, a pot on the stove wins.

Part One
The Ingredients — and where to get them
Lamb shoulder
Bone-in chunks with connective tissue that melts over a long braise. Pasture-raised lamb has real flavor.
1.2 kg
Source it →
Fresh cilantro
Two big bunches blended into a heavy green puree. Bought local.
2 cups
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Dark beer
A malty dark ale gives the braise its bittersweet backbone. Buy this fresh and local.
350 ml
Local / market
Aji amarillo and aji panca
Yellow chili for fruit and heat, dark panca for smoky depth. Local.
to taste
Local / market
Onion and garlic
Cooked down as the savory base before the puree. Fresh.
to taste
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One list, with a link to where to buy each one.
Part Two
The Method
  1. Sear the lambBrown the salted lamb chunks hard in oil, then set aside.
  2. Cook the baseSoften onion, garlic, and both chili pastes until dark and separating from the oil.
  3. Fry the pureeBlend the cilantro with the beer, then fry it down until it turns deep forest green.
  4. BraiseReturn the lamb with a little stock, cover, and braise low about 90 minutes, then uncover to tighten the gravy. Serve with rice and beans.
Part Three
The Toolkit

Dutch oven · Blender · Tongs

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