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Venezuelan Hallacas

Learn how to make at home our Traditional Holiday Venezuelan Hallacas with this traditional recipe.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 1 day
Cook Time 4 hours
Servings: 50 hallacas
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

B A N A N A L E A V E S & A S S E M B L Y
  • 5 banana leaves packs (frozen)
  • heavy duty butcher twine
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
M E A T S T E W
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp onoto (achiote seeds)
  • 1 k chicken tights
  • 1 k pork (with bone & fat)
  • 1 spanish onion, chopped
  • 1 leek, sliced and chopped
  • 4 green onions, sliced
  • 2 bell peppers, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, fresh & chopped
  • 4 cups boiled black beans
  • 4 tbsp hot sauce
  • 1/4 cup Heinz 57 sauce
  • 5 dry bay leaf
  • 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
  • red cooking wine
D O U G H
  • 1 1/2 package yellow Harina PAN
  • chicken broth
  • 1 cup achiote oil
T O P P I N G S
  • chickpeas
  • olives
  • raisins

Method
 

BANANA LEAVES
  1. Clean the banana leaves with a damp cloth and cut them carefully with scissors (careful not to break the leaf)
  2. Cut the leaves in squares of approximate 30x30cm size
MEATS
  1. One night before, in a large pot with water add your chicken with salt and liquid chicken seasoning
  2. Using KitchenAid cordless food chopper, add olive oil, garlic, onions, peppers, leeks and chop until you see a soft mix. Add it to the chicken and let it boil for 25 minutes.
  3. In a large baking tray, add your pork, salt, 57 sauce, worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaf, pepper and olive oil. Set your oven to 350 and cook the pork for 45 minutes.
  4. After both are done, cut the meats in little cubes and mix them together in a large bowl.
MEAT STEW
  1. Using a large pan, add olive oil and onoto and wait until you see the oil turning into a yellowish/orange colour.
  2. All the remaining veggies you chopped earlier (as a sofrito) to the pot followed by the meats. Cook it for 10 minutes until it is mixed.
  3. Add 57 sauce, worcestershire sauce and finish with a drizzle of red wine.
  4. To make the spicy black bean stew, just mix the pork/chicken with black beans and top with hot sauce
  5. Turn off the heat and let the mix cool overnight.
DOUGH
  1. Using all your chicken broth, add to a large bowl your achiote oil, harina PAN and broth. Mix with your hands to remove lumps and until you see a formed dough
  2. Let it rest for 5 minutes to thicken
  3. Set aside
ASSEMBLY
  1. Place a banana leaf on a flat surface and add a drizzle of oil
  2. Spread in the middle of the leaf your dough ball and press with a wooden presser until you have a flat dough
  3. Fill on top with your meat stew with a spoon
  4. Start adding the toppings of your choice: 2 olives, 6 raisins, 5 chickpeas
  5. To close the hallacas, take the top bottom edhes of the leaf and attach them together. Fold until it is completely sealed, followed by the two ends to the inside.
  6. Use a second banana leaf and repeat the same folding, to protect the hallaca.
  7. Tie the hallacas with heavy duty cooking twine, cross them two to three times (like wrapping a gift!)
COOKING
  1. Using a large pot with water, add 2 tbs of salt and let it boil
  2. Add your hallacas and let them boil for at least 30 to 35 minutes
  3. Drain them and let them rest for 5 minutes before opening them