Horacio Cambeiro · CC BY-SA 3.0Locro
A stew of hulled white corn with beef and vegetables, slow-cooked in a big pot.
What it is
The base is locro, cracked and hulled white corn, soaked and then simmered for a long time with beef or short ribs, onion, bell pepper, squash and seasonings until the kernels are tender and the broth thickens. Locro karai adds several meats; there is also a simpler white locro. It is a big-pot dish: it stretches, it fills you up and it is made for sharing, especially in winter and at community meals.
Ingredients
History
Corn is the backbone of Paraguayan cooking, used ground, boiled or fermented; locro pairs that American grain with Creole meats. In Paraguay the word refers both to the type of corn and to the stew, and it is the main ingredient of the jopara eaten on October 1.
Did you know…?
The same locro corn, treated with ash lye, is used to make mazamorra, or kaguyjy.
When
Winter, community soup kitchens and shared meals.
Where
Neighborhood eateries, markets and patron-saint festivals.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 1 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.