Alcapurrias Recipe (Puerto Rican Fritters)
Alcapurrias are Puerto Rico's favorite fritter. Alcapurrias are made with a puree of green bananas and yautía and stuffed with flavorful picadillo or seasoned ground beef. They are deep fried until perfectly crispy and golden brown.
PREP TIME
7 hours and 30 minutes
COOK TIME
30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
27
Serves: 8
Ingredients
Masa (Root vegetable puree)
- 6 whole6 whole6 whole Green Banana, peeled and diced
- 1 lb1 lb1 lb Yautía (Tannier), peeled and diced
- 1 Tbsp1 Tbsp1 Tbsp Puerto Rican Sofrito (click for recipe)
- 1 Tbsp1 Tbsp1 Tbsp Chicken Boullion (Better Than Boullion concentrate)
- 4 Tbsp4 Tbsp4 Tbsp Annatto oil
- 1 tsp1 tsp1 tsp Healthy Rican Adobo
- 1 tsp1 tsp1 tsp Healthy Rican Sazón
- 1 tsp1 tsp1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp1 tsp1 tsp Garlic Powder
Picadillo
- 1 lb1 lb1 lb Ground Beef
- 0.25 cup0.25 cup0.25 cup Puerto Rican Sofrito (click for recipe)
- 0.25 cup0.25 cup0.25 cup Tomato Sauce
- 1 Tbsp1 Tbsp1 Tbsp Chicken Boullion (Better Than Boullion concentrate)
- 0.5 whole0.5 whole0.5 whole Onion, diced
- 0.5 whole0.5 whole0.5 whole Red Bell Pepper, diced
- 2 Tbsp2 Tbsp2 Tbsp Green Olives
- 1 Tbsp1 Tbsp1 Tbsp Raisins, optional
- 1 tsp1 tsp1 tsp Healthy Rican Adobo
- 1 tsp1 tsp1 tsp Healthy Rican Sazón
- 0.5 tsp0.5 tsp0.5 tsp Onion Powder
- 0.5 tsp0.5 tsp0.5 tsp Garlic Powder
- 0.25 tsp0.25 tsp0.25 tsp dried Oregano
- 0.125 tsp0.125 tsp0.125 tsp Black Pepper
Oil
- 1.25 quart1.25 quart1.25 quart Canola Oil, can sub with corn oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, or peanut oil
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Process
Note, these instructions are written assuming the standard serving size, since you have modified the number of servings, these steps may need to be modified for best results
- Make the picadillo (ground beef)
- Place a skillet over medium high heat. Brown your ground beef and remove any excess fat from your skillet.
- Add sofrito, tomato sauce, onions and peppers. Add seasonings and cook for a few minutes until the vegetables become tender.
- Add olives and raisins (if using). Add a little water if the picadillo dries up. Cover and allow the picadillo to continue cooking for about 15 minutes.
- Make the masa (root vegetable puree)
- Peel and rough chop green bananas and yautía. Place in a large bowl filled with cold water.
- Place root vegetables in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add annatto oil as needed to help blend everything easily. I use the Ninja Foodi Power Blender and it works like magic! See my notes for the link!
- Add masa to a large bowl. Add remaining annatto oil, chicken bouillon, sofrito, and seasonings. Stir until well combined.
- Taste the masa and adjust seasonings accordingly. You want the masa to be well seasoned and flavorful!
- Assemble the alcapurrias (using silicone mold)
- *If you don't have a silicone mold, please see notes for traditional instructions.
- Place some masa in a silicone (chocolate bar) mold. Add enough to fill the cavity from end to end, making a small indentation down the center.
- IMPORTANT: Add some picadillo along the center making sure to keep the meat inside and away from the edges. Be sure not to overstuff the alcapurrias with meat. This is very important to prevent the alcapurrias from bursting while frying.
- Very carefully top with masa to cover the meat. Make sure the masa covers the meat all the way around. The perfect alcapurria will be sealed all the way around with no meat exposed along the edges.
- Once every cavity has been filled, wrap the silicone mold with plastic cling wrap to keep it covered or place it in a 2.5 gallon sized freezer ziplock bag. Place in the freezer to set.
- Allow the alcapurrias to freeze for about 6 hours or overnight.
- Fry the alcapurrias
- Heat oil to 325℉ in a large frying pan. You want to cook the alcapurrias in low to medium heat so they can fully cook through without burning on the outside. I find that deep frying is the best method for evenly cooked, beautifully golden brown alcapurrias.
- Deep fry the alcapurrias for about 15 minutes or until golden brown and fully cooked through.
- Allow the alcapurrias to cool on a cooling rack to prevent them from becoming soggy.
- Serve with mayo-ketchup or hot sauce and enjoy!
Notes
FAQ:
How to make annatto oil (aceite de achiote)
-
Add oil of choice (I prefer avocado or canola) to small saucepan over medium heat. Add annatto seeds.
-
Allow seeds to infuse the oil for about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat when oil starts to bubble. Be sure not to burn the annatto seeds.
-
Allow oil to cool before storing in a glass bottle.
How far ahead can I make the masa?
You can make masa for alcapurrias up to two days in advance. Just cover the surface of the masa with plastic film and be sure to lay it directly onto its surface. Refrigerate it in a tightly sealed container. The layer of plastic prevents the masa from oxidizing. I use the Ninja Foodi Power Blender and it works amazingly well when I make masa. Check it out on my amazon store.What is the best oil to fry alcapurrias in?
Canola oil is my favorite oil for frying. You can also use corn oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, or peanut oil. They all have a high smoke point making them great choices.Where can I find the silicone molds?
The silicone molds I use are for making chocolate bars (perfect size for alcapurrias!) and they are linked on my Amazon store.How long can I freeze alcapurrias?
You can freeze the uncooked alcapurrias for up to 6 months. Place them in a freezer storage bag once prepared to keep them fresh.HEALTHY RICAN DISCOUNT:
Use my code: curlsnpearlsss for 10% off your Healthy Rican order!How to make alcapurrias the traditional way (without the silicone molds)?
Start by placing a rectangular piece of wax or parchment paper on your working surface. Brush with annatto oil to prevent your alcapurria from sticking to it. Next, add about half a cup of masa and flatten it into a disc shape. Then, add about two heaping tablespoons of picadillo filling in the center of the disc. Use the paper to fold the masa completely over the filling. Then, use your hands to shape it until it’s nice and smooth. The alcapurria should look like a long cylinder. Tip: Make sure none of the meat filling is exposed or the alcapurrias will burst when frying.Add a Note
My Notes:
About This Recipe
Show nutritional information
Appetizers Coconut Free Dairy Free Egg Free Gluten Free Grain Free Nut Free Shellfish Free Sugar Alcohol Free| This is our estimate based on online research. | |
| Calories: | 1655 |
| Fat: | 155 g |
| Carbohydrates: | 4 g |
| Protein: | 15 g |
| Cholesterol: | 50 g |
| Sodium: | 640 mg |
| Fiber: | 0 g |
| Sugars: | 1 g |
| Sugar Alcohol: | 0 g |
| Calculated per serving. | |
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