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Steam rises from a hole in the earth, carrying the aromas of charred shellfish, smoked pork fat, and corn husks as nalca leaves hold heat underground—this is curanto in its most ancient form. Originating in the Chiloé archipelago off southern Chile, curanto began as a pit-cooking method among indigenous Mapuche peoples, later adapted by Spanish settlers into a communal feast. The traditional earth oven (also called pulmay in pot form) showcases resourcefulness: layering meats, shellfish, potatoes, and local milcao bread, allowing residual heat to cook everything evenly. Curanto represents Chiloé's isolation and maritime identity, using what the islands provide—cold-water shellfish, fog-resistant potatoes, smoked meats—transformed through earth and time into something profound.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat a little oil over medium heat.
Brown the pork ribs, chicken pieces, chorizo, and beef short ribs in batches. Set aside.
In the same pot, add a little more oil if needed and sauté the chopped onion until translucent.
Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
Return all the browned meat to the pot.
Add the chicken or beef broth, paprika, ground cumin, dried oregano, ground black pepper, and salt.
Stir well, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 1 hour.
Add the potatoes, corn, and clams (if using) to the pot.
Stir gently and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes.
Add the cabbage wedges on top of the simmering mixture. Cover and cook for an additional 20 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender and the flavors are well combined.
Adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
Garnish with fresh parsley.
Serve the Curanto hot with some crusty bread or over rice if desired.
Curanto is Chiloé island's signature cooking method: a pit lined with hot stones layers shellfish, smoked pork, potatoes, and potato-flour bread (milcao) together, then covers everything with nalca leaves and earth. The residual heat steams ingredients to tenderness in roughly 45 minutes. When made indoors, this pot version is called pulmay.
Curanto originated with the Mapuche peoples of the Chiloé archipelago, an earth-cooking method suited to the foggy, rainy island climate where wood fires are difficult to maintain. Spanish colonizers adopted the technique, and it remains central to Chiloé identity and regional fiestas.
Cold-water shellfish (clams, mussels), smoked pork ribs, chicken, chorizo, potatoes, corn on the cob, milcao (a dense potato-flour bread), and onion. Dried seaweed or nalca plant leaves wrap and insulate the layers. There is no broth—steam from vegetables and meat cooks everything.
If using a home oven instead of a pit, build layers carefully: potatoes first, then meats, then milcao and corn on top. Cover tightly with foil to trap steam. Cook at 350°F for about 1.5 hours. The success depends on proper sealing and steady, moderate heat.
Curanto is a complete meal—serve with crusty bread to soak up the broth created from vegetable and meat juices, plus pebre (a fresh salsa) on the side. A simple green salad cuts the richness perfectly.