Guyanese pepperpot is a slow-cooked meat stew flavored with cassareep, cinnamon, cloves, and other spices.
Cassareep, a thick sauce made from bitter cassava juice, gives pepperpot its dark color, distinctive flavor, and preservative qualities. Beef is common, and some versions include pork, cow’s foot, or other meats. The stew is traditionally simmered for many hours.
Pepperpot is widely regarded as Guyana’s national dish and is strongly associated with Christmas and other special occasions. A traditional pot could be kept going by reheating it and adding fresh ingredients, because cassareep helped preserve the cooked meat.
The dish has Indigenous South American roots, particularly through the use of cassava and cassareep, while its later history reflects Guyana’s diverse cultural influences. It is different from Caribbean pepperpot soups that use leafy greens or okra and may have no cassareep at all.