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Kelvin Fernandez

meat arepas
S4E5 Mexican/Latin · 2015
Where to find them
● @chefkelvin

Arepas are Venezuelan and Colombian architecture — the masa has to be the right hydration, the griddle has to be the right temperature, and the internal structure has to support the filling without becoming a bag. Kelvin Fernandez, who now runs Las Lap Rum Bar in New York and spent years as executive chef at La Marina before that, has been building that architecture long enough to understand where it fails.

Fernandez's masa runs at 65% hydration — wetter than the bag instructions, drier than instinct suggests — and is mixed three minutes before forming, which gives the precooked cornmeal time to fully hydrate and prevents cracking during the griddle stage. He cooks the arepas on a cast-iron comal at medium-high for four minutes per side to establish the crust, then finishes them in a 375°F oven for eight minutes, which sets the interior without burning the exterior. The filling goes in immediately after the cut, while the arepa is still hot enough to warm the ingredients on contact.

Bobby Flay has a long and distinguished history of cooking things on a grill. An arepa is not a thing you grill when you could use a comal, and the difference shows up in the crust.

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meat arepas

25 min Prep
50 min Cook
4 Serves
Ingredients
  • 1.5 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 cups pre-cooked arepa flour (harina de maíz precocida)
  • 1.75 cups warm beef broth
  • 0.75 tsp salt, divided
  • 1 medium yellow onion, quartered
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp sofrito
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 0.25 cup diced roasted piquillo peppers
  • 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Vegetable oil for frying arepas
Instructions
  1. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Season beef cubes with 0.25 tsp salt and black pepper. Working in batches, sear beef for 3-4 minutes per side until deep brown crust forms; set aside.
  2. Reduce heat to medium, add minced garlic and sofrito to pot, sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Add quartered onion, return beef to pot, add 1.5 cups beef broth and ground cumin. Bring to simmer, reduce heat to low, cover and braise for 35-40 minutes until beef is tender and shreds easily with a fork.
  3. While beef braises, prepare arepa dough: combine arepa flour with 0.5 tsp salt in a large bowl. Slowly add 1.75 cups warm beef broth, mixing with a wooden spoon until dough reaches soft, pliable consistency (similar to soft mashed potatoes). Let rest 5 minutes.
  4. Remove beef from braise, shred using two forks, then return to pot. Stir in diced piquillo peppers and cilantro. Simmer uncovered for 2-3 minutes to reduce liquid slightly; the filling should be moist but not soupy.
  5. Form arepa dough: wet your hands lightly, scoop 3 tbsp dough into palm, create shallow well in center, add 2 tbsp shredded beef filling, fold edges over filling and gently shape into 3-inch thick disc. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
  6. Heat 0.5 inch vegetable oil in a deep skillet to 325°F (measured with thermometer). Working in batches, fry arepas for 4-5 minutes per side until golden-brown crust forms and interior is cooked through. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate.
  7. Serve warm arepas whole or split horizontally, optionally adding additional shredded beef, avocado, or queso fresco on the side.
Inspired by Kelvin Fernandez’s winning meat arepas. This is a plausible recreation, not the chef’s original recipe.
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