A Taste of Costa Rica at Camp: Our Valemount Retreat Dinner
Every summer at our Valemount retreat, we spend the days out on the trail together and the evenings around the table. This year we wanted the Friday night dinner to feel like a little escape, so we brought a taste of Costa Rica to camp: a Ropa Vieja style beef, golden arroz con pollo, a rich vegan black bean and sweet potato stew, and a whole table of sides built around Salsa Lizano, the sauce that shows up in almost every Costa Rican kitchen.
So many of you asked for the recipes after dinner, so here they all are. These have been scaled down from our retreat-sized batches to serve about 6 people, perfect for a dinner party or a cozy night in.
Carne en Salsa
Costa Rican Slow-Braised Beef
This is the real Costa Rican home-cooked version of shredded beef, simpler and more rustic than the Cuban Ropa Vieja most people know. The secret is Salsa Lizano, Costa Rica's answer to Worcestershire sauce, a little sweeter and smokier. If you've ever spent time in Costa Rica, one whiff of this simmering will take you right back.
Ingredients
2.5 lbs chuck roast, cut into large chunks
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp dried oregano
1 roma tomato, diced
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup beef broth
3 tbsp Salsa Lizano
2 bay leaves
2 limes, juiced
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Method
Pat the beef dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over high heat and sear the beef in batches until deeply browned on all sides. Don't rush this step, it's where the flavour comes from. Remove and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium. Cook the onion and both peppers until softened, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Stir in cumin and oregano and cook 1 minute.
Add the diced tomato, crushed tomatoes, broth, Salsa Lizano, and bay leaves. Nestle the beef back in.
Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook on low for 3 to 3.5 hours until the beef falls apart easily. This also works beautifully in a slow cooker on low for 7 to 8 hours.
Shred the beef with two forks, discard the bay leaves, and return the meat to the pot. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to thicken.
Stir in lime juice, taste and adjust salt, and top with cilantro. Serve over rice with extra Salsa Lizano on the table.
Serves 6
Arroz con Pollo
Authentic Costa Rican Chicken and Rice
Achiote paste is what gives this dish its beautiful golden-orange colour and earthy flavour, you'll find it at any Latin grocery store. Marinating the chicken overnight makes a real difference here, so plan ahead if you can.
Ingredients
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tbsp achiote paste, dissolved in 1 tbsp warm water
2 tbsp Salsa Lizano
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
⅔ cup canned diced tomatoes
1¼ cups long grain white rice
2 cups chicken broth
⅓ cup frozen peas
1 lime, juiced
¾ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Method
Combine the achiote paste, Salsa Lizano, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper in a bowl. Toss the chicken thighs in the marinade and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or overnight for best flavour.
Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply coloured. Remove and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium. Cook the onion, both peppers, and carrot until softened, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 more minutes.
Add the diced tomatoes, scraping up any browned bits. Add the rice and stir to coat in the sofrito.
Pour in the chicken broth and nestle the chicken back in. Bring to a boil, then reduce to the lowest heat, cover tightly, and cook 25 minutes without lifting the lid.
Remove the chicken and shred. Return it to the pot with the peas, fold gently, and cook 5 more minutes.
Stir in lime juice, adjust salt, and top generously with cilantro.
Serves 6
Black Bean & Sweet Potato Stew
Vegan
This one leans into Costa Rica's Caribbean coast, where coconut milk shows up in so much of the cooking. It's hearty enough to be a main on its own and it only gets better the next day.
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
½ onion, diced
½ red bell pepper, diced
½ jalapeño, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
¾ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp smoked paprika
⅔ cup canned diced tomatoes
1 tbsp Salsa Lizano
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cubed (about 2 cups)
1 can coconut milk
1½ cups vegetable broth
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 lime, juiced
⅓ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper
Method
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion, red pepper, and jalapeño until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Stir in cumin and smoked paprika.
Add the diced tomatoes and Salsa Lizano, then the sweet potato, and stir to coat.
Pour in the coconut milk and broth. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until the sweet potato is tender.
Add the black beans and simmer 10 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir in lime juice, taste, and top with cilantro. Serve over rice.
Serves 6
Frijoles de Olla
Costa Rican Slow-Cooked Black Beans
Nearly every plate in Costa Rica comes with a scoop of beans and their broth alongside it. This is the simplest recipe of the bunch, and one of the best.
Ingredients
1½ cups dried black beans, soaked overnight
6 cups water
½ onion, whole
3 garlic cloves, whole
A handful of cilantro stems
½ green bell pepper, whole
1 tbsp Salsa Lizano
Salt, to taste
Method
Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Add to a pot or slow cooker with the water.
Add the onion, garlic, cilantro stems, and bell pepper whole, no need to chop. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours (stovetop: simmer covered 1.5 to 2 hours) until the beans are completely tender.
Remove and discard the whole vegetables and herbs. Stir in Salsa Lizano and salt to taste.
Serve in a bowl with plenty of the broth.
Serves 6 as a side
Orange Citrus Slaw
A light, no-mayo slaw that leans into citrus instead. The purple cabbage turns a beautiful pink in the dressing.
Ingredients
Dressing
1 orange, juiced
1 lime, juiced
Zest of ½ orange
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp honey or agave
½ tsp apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper
Slaw
½ head green cabbage, finely shredded
A handful of purple cabbage, finely shredded
1 carrot, grated
Small handful cilantro, chopped
2 green onions, sliced
Method
Whisk together the dressing ingredients and taste, adjusting lime or honey as needed.
Toss the shredded cabbages and carrot with the cilantro and green onions.
Pour the dressing over and toss well. Let sit 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
Serves 6
Chayote Ceviche
Chayote is a mild, crisp vegetable similar to cucumber, common across Central America. This version skips the seafood and lets citrus do the work.
Ingredients
2 chayotes, peeled, seeded, and finely diced
1 lime, juiced
Splash of orange juice
¼ red onion, finely diced
¼ sweet bell pepper, finely diced
½ carrot, finely diced
1 roma tomato, finely diced
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
Small handful cilantro, chopped
Method
Combine the chayote, lime juice, orange juice, onion, pepper, carrot, tomato, olive oil and salt in a bowl.
Toss well and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Stir in cilantro just before serving.
Serves 6 as a side
Salsa Criolla
A simple, fresh table salsa, milder than Mexican pico de gallo.
Ingredients
2 roma tomatoes, finely diced
¼ onion, finely diced
Small handful cilantro, chopped
½ lime, juiced
1 tsp olive oil
Pinch of salt
Method
Combine everything in a small bowl and let sit 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
Serves 6
Arroz con Leche
Costa Rican Rice Pudding
Creamy, warmly spiced, and best made the day before so it has time to set. A little coconut milk gives it a tropical edge.
Ingredients
⅓ cup long grain white rice
1½ cups whole milk
1 cinnamon stick
½ cup coconut milk
3 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
¼ tsp vanilla extract
Zest of ¼ orange
Pinch of salt
Ground cinnamon, for serving
Method
Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Combine with the milk and cinnamon stick in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring often.
Once the rice has absorbed most of the milk, about 15 minutes, add the coconut milk and continue cooking on low, stirring occasionally, until thick and creamy, about 15 more minutes.
Remove the cinnamon stick and stir in the condensed milk, vanilla, orange zest, and salt.
Cool, then refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve cold, dusted with cinnamon.
Serves 6
Come Taste It Yourself
If reading through these has you dreaming of Costa Rica, we would love to have you join us there in person. Our Wild & Slow retreat (January 19 to 26, 2027, at Lumira Retreat Centre in Turrialba) and Wild Terrain retreat (February 2 to 9, 2027, at Buen Camino Bike Park in San Mateo) both include incredible local food, riding, and rest, the same spirit we tried to bring to our dinner table in Valemount.
[Wild & Slow retreat - Adventure] [Wild Terrain retreat- Intermediate + biking]
We hope you make a few of these at home. And if you do, tag us, we would love to see them.
Pura vida.