Guanaca or huañaca is a preparation made from toasted wheat flour and pork cooking broth, whether from head cheese, arrollado, sausages, or most commonly prietas blood sausage, which lends the dish all the seasoning of the main preparation, salt, garlic, onion, lard, and every other ingredient used.
Nutritional Information
Each serving of guanaca contains approximately 300 kcal, 30 g of carbohydrates, 15 g of fat, 10 g of protein, 5 g of fiber, 2 g of sugars, 20 mg of cholesterol, and 500 mg of sodium. (*)
(*) Values may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.
How to Make Guanaca?
When making guanaca, some versions also use beef fat dissolved in hot water and seasoned with aji de color, a variation known in central Chile by the name “catete”.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 2 liters prietas blood sausage broth
- 2 cups toasted flour
- 1 lemon
- Merken (smoked Chilean chili flakes)
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
- Divide the toasted flour among four deep bowls, ½ cup in each, and cover with the prietas cooking broth straight from the pot.
- Stir with a spoon until there are no lumps left and everything is fully moistened. The texture should be thick, like a rustic puree, so add more broth or more flour as needed.
- Serve immediately, piping hot, optionally seasoned with a bit of chili, a few drops of lemon, and garnished with fresh parsley, as an appetizer alongside the prietas as the main course.
Expert Tips
Use Freshly Strained Hot Broth
To deepen the flavor, use freshly strained broth from hot prietas, since it holds onto the juices and seasoning of the cooking process better.
Adjust the Consistency Gradually
Adjust guanaca’s consistency by adding broth little by little, it should turn out thick but smooth, avoiding a texture that’s too dry or too runny.
| Substitution | Use instead of | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Toasted corn flour or a wheat-corn blend | Toasted wheat flour | Slightly different flavor and texture |
| Pork, chicken, or beef broth | Prietas broth | Milder flavor, loses the traditional smoky note |
| Melted beef fat in hot water with aji de color | Meat broth | Traditional “catete” style version from central Chile |
| Fresh lemon juice | Plain broth | Adds a citrus counterpoint to the smoky flavor |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can it be made with another type of flour?
Yes, toasted corn flour or a wheat and corn blend can be used, though the flavor and texture will change slightly.
2. Can it be made with a different broth?
Yes, you can use pork, chicken, or beef broth, though the traditional flavor comes from prietas or arrollado broth.
3. How long does guanaca keep?
It is best eaten right away; if refrigerated, it keeps for up to 1 day, but loses texture and flavor.
4. Can guanaca be served cold?
Traditional guanaca is served hot, since the texture and flavor come through better that way; cold, it can turn firm and less pleasant.
5. Can more seasonings be added?
Yes, you can add merken, aji de color, or even a few drops of lemon to taste, always being careful not to mask the broth’s original flavor.
Did You Know?
Toasted flour has been part of traditional Mapuche cuisine for centuries and is called “mürke” in Mapudungun, historically made from corn before wheat spread throughout the Americas.
How to adapt this recipe to a vegan or vegetarian version?
How to adapt this recipe to a gluten-free version?
How to adapt this recipe to a keto (ketogenic) version?
Recommended
- Chilean Chunchules with Toasted Flour
- Chilean Prietas with Potatoes
- Chilean Ulpo Toasted Flour Drink
- Chilean Malt with Toasted Flour
