Chojín Bataneco is the signature dish of San Sebastián, Retalhuleu: a beef soup whose meat is first chojineada, that is, roasted over embers until browned and dry, which gives it a smoky flavor.
It’s made above all for the San Sebastián Mártir fair in January, and its knowledge, preparation, and social uses were declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Nation in 2023. This recipe follows the version published by INGUAT, Guatemala’s tourism institute.
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Chojín Bataneco – Guatemalan Smoked Beef Soup from Retalhuleu
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Guatemalan
Ingredients
- 2 lb beef (hueso de paloma, reyeno, and hueso de sola cuts)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
- 2 liters water
- 4 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, in chunks
- 1 yuca (cassava), in chunks
- 2 güisquiles (chayotes), in chunks
- 1 ripe güicoy (squash), in chunks
- 2 ears of corn, in pieces
- 3 sprigs mint (hierbabuena)
- 2 sprigs cilantro
- Cabbage, to taste
Preparation
- Fire-dry the meat a day ahead, roast the three cuts over embers until browned and dry. Wrap them in manila paper and set aside until the next day.
- Wash and cook the meat, wash the meat to remove the smoky taste and put it to cook in the 2 liters of water. When it boils, season with the salt, garlic, bouillon, and mint, and cook until the meat is tender.
- Add tomato, onion, and cilantro, stir in the tomatoes, onion, and cilantro.
- Add the vegetables, add the carrot, yuca, güisquil, güicoy, and corn and cook until tender. Once the soup is ready, add the cabbage to taste and serve hot.
Tips
- Fire-dry the meat a day ahead: it’s the step that gives the soup its characteristic flavor.
- For extra flavor you can add cloves, allspice, and chile cobanero.
Traditional variations
Other documented descriptions of Chojín Bataneco make the soup with potato, zamat (culantro), and green onion stalks, and serve it with white corn tamalitos wrapped in bijau or mashán leaves and chiltepe chile. These are local variations of the same dish.
In Guatemala the name chojín refers to different dishes: besides this soup from Retalhuleu, there’s radish and pork rind chojín, a cold salad, and Chojín en Recado from Suchitepéquez.
How to serve
Serve the chojín hot, with white rice and corn masa tamalitos.
Recommended pairings
- Corn masa tamalitos
- White rice
Did you know?
The word chojín comes from K’iche’; in San Sebastián it’s understood as «dried meat», after the technique of drying the meat over embers before making the soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
To roast the meat over embers until browned and dry, a day before making the soup.
In 2023 Guatemala's Ministry of Culture and Sports declared the knowledge, preparation, and social uses of Chojín Bataneco from San Sebastián, Retalhuleu, Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Nation.
White rice and corn masa tamalitos.
