Roraima, Brazil | Carefully Preserving the Recipe for the Traditional “Paçoca de Carne Seca” as a Cornerstone of Local Identity and Cultural Heritage

Roraima, Brazil’s northernmost, least populated, and most geographically and logistically isolated state bordering Guyana and Venezuela, characterized by dramatic “tepuis” (table - top mountains), vast Amazon rainforests, and expansive savannas is carefully preserving the recipe for the traditional “Paçoca de Carne Seca”(dried beef beef meat and cassava flour) as a cornerstone of local identity and cultural heritage. 

The “Paçoca de Carne Seca” is a traditional, savoury Brazilian  dish rooted in indigenous, colonial, and “tropeiro”(muleteer) culture. It is primarily a mix of shredded, sun - dried beef and cassava flour, often prepared in a mortar and “pilão” (pestle). 

The base consists of “carne - seca” (salted, dried beef) or “carne de sol” (sun – dried beef), combined with manioca flour (cassava flour). Additional ingredients often include onion, garlic, “manteiga de garrafa (bottled/ghee), and sometimes cilantro or green onions. 

Unlike the sweet peanut version popular elsewhere in Brazil, Roraima’s Paçoca is a savoury, artisanal, and highly durable food that reflects the region’s indigenous roots and ranching history and is prepared in an artisanal way, symbol of the local identity and cultural heritage of the region. 

Preservation of Tradition:

 •    Ingredients and Method: The traditional recipe remains unchanged, using only dried sun – dried meat (carne de sol) and toasted cassava flour. 
•    Artisanal Process: The ingredients are combined and pounded together in a large wooden mortar and pestle. 
•    Long - Lasting: The mixture is naturally preserved through dehydration, making it an ideal, high - energy food that does mot spoil easily. 
•    Cultural Significance: The  “Paçoca de Carne Seca”  recognized as a cultural and immaterial heritage of Roraima, spreading in other Brazilian regions, with practices passed through generations. 
•    Indigenous Roots: The dish originates from Tupi - Guarani techniques, where po -  çoc means “to crumble” or “to pound”. 

To celebrate and maintain this tradition, Roraima prepares the “world largest” paçoca annually during the Boa Vista Junina festival, reaching a record - breaking 1.547 kg in 2025. The preparation involves professional chefs and loyal to the most rooted tradition is served with banana. 

Link 

https://tvbrics.com/es/shows/en-el-estado-brasileno-de-roraima-se-conserva-la-receta-de-la-tradicional-pasoca/