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Rice-with-jerked-beef and acorn squash-and-cheese or Arroz com carne seca quibebe e queijo coalho
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Rice with jerked beef, squash, and cheese

Rice with jerked beef, acorn squash, and cheese is an easy, hearty, and complete dish that can be enjoyed all year round.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 2
Author Denise Browning

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 small white onion small diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 package beef jerky (strips, not the rolls), rehydrated and shredded (see instructions below), 6.2 oz or 176 grams
  • 2 cups long-grain or whole-grain rice
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 cup acorn squash peeled, deseeded, and small cubed, pumpkin or butternut squash
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 6.5 grams ounces or 180small cubed cheese * Mexican Queso Fresco or Halloumi cheese from Cyprus
  • ¼ cup cilantro chopped, or parsley

Instructions

  • First, rehydrate the beef jerky. In a pot, boil the beef jerky for about 30 minutes or until soft. Drain well and shred in a food processor.
  • In a separate pot, over medium-high heat, sauté the onion until translucent and then the minced garlic cloves. Add the beef jerky and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the rice and brown for about 1 minute.
  • Add the broth, the tomato sauce, the squash or pumpkin, salt, and pepper. Stir. Bring to a boil, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to low. Let simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
  • Remove from the stove, fluff the rice with a fork, and mix the cubed cheese and the cilantro or parsley. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

* Recipe can be made all year round. Depending on what is in season, use acorn squash, pumpkin, or butternut squash.
* In Brazil, the cheese used to make this dish is Coalho Cheese from Northeast Brazil. Mexican Queso Fresco and Cypriot Halloumi cheeses, although not the same, are still the most suitable substitutions that are more or less readily available in the U.S. market. To desalt Halloumi cheese, simply soak in cool water for 15 minutes and then rinse. It is important to repeat this process 3 or 4 times more until the saltiness is gone. After that, just pat-dry the cheese well, and for this recipe, cube. As Mexican Queso Fresco is not preserved in brine, it can be used in the recipe as is.

** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.

Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.

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