How To Peel And Cook Yuca

Updated December 28, 2017

Chef

Maria Baez Kijac

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Cookbook

The South American Table: The Flavor and Soul of Authentic Home Cooking from Patagonia to Rio De Janeiro, With 450 Recipes

Published by Harvard Common Press

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This image courtesy of Joseph DeLeo

Editor's Note: It's one thing to eat yuca, but it's another thing to prepare it! If you'd like to add yuca to your side dish recipe repertoire, then you'll want to take a look at this guide on How To Peel And Cook Yuca. You'll only need two ingredients and just a little bit of prep work, and you'll soon be cooking yuca like a pro. If you'd like some culinary inspiration, then you'll want to check out the author's recipe for Yuca and Beef Patties to get started in cooking with this unique and starchy vegetable. You'll definitely want to start cooking with this plant today!

Yuca is a staple in many South American homes, especially in the coastal towns of the Andes and the tropics. Often it is used as a substitute for potatoes.

Serves4

CostInexpensive

Easy

Total Timeunder 1 hour

Kid FriendlyYes

One Pot MealYes

OccasionCasual Dinner Party, Family Get Together

Recipe CourseSide Dish, Vegetable

Five Ingredients or LessYes

Taste and TextureChewy

Type of DishVegetable

Ingredients

1 pound trimmed fresh yuca or frozen yuca
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions

If using fresh yuca, you need to buy about 1½ pounds because of the trimming that has to be done. To peel, cut crosswise into 2- to 3-inch pieces. With a sharp paring knife, cut lengthwise through the bark and the pink skin under the bark. Place the knife under the skin to loosen it and pull off the skin and bark. Rinse the yuca and place in cold water so it doesn’t discolor.
To cook, place fresh or frozen yuca in a 4-quart saucepan. Add salted cold water to cover by 2 inches and the lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. At this time, start testing with a fork; if it goes in easily, the yuca is done. The cooking time for each piece may vary.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a colander, drain, and let cool. When cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise and, using a paring knife, remove the fibrous cord in the center.