What cassareep means
Cassareep is a thick, black, glossy syrup made from the juice of grated cassava root, which is boiled down for a long time with sugar and spices such as cinnamon and cloves until it becomes dark, sticky and concentrated. It comes from the cooking of the Indigenous peoples of Guyana and the surrounding region, and it is now an essential ingredient in Guyanese and some other Caribbean cooking. Its flavour is bittersweet, rich and slightly smoky, with hints of molasses, caramel and spice. Cassareep is best known as the key ingredient in Guyanese pepperpot, a slow-cooked stew of beef, pork, mutton or oxtail with chillies, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, thyme and sugar, traditionally made for Christmas morning and eaten with bread.
The cassareep gives the stew its dark colour, deep flavour and characteristic taste. It was traditionally valued for helping preserve meat, and pepperpot was sometimes kept going for long periods, with fresh meat and cassareep added regularly. Cassareep is also used in other stews, marinades and sauces and to darken and flavour dishes, in a similar way to browning sauce. It is usually bought in bottles from Caribbean shops, as making it at home is a long process.
It should not be confused with Caribbean browning, which is made from burnt sugar. You will see cassareep in Guyanese and Caribbean recipes.