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Puerto Rican Sancocho

4

190 min

Puerto Rican Sancocho

Puerto Rican Sancocho Photo 1

Category

Beef Recipes

Time

190 min

Serving

12 persons

Calories

424

Rating

4.00★ (9)

Cuisine

Spanish
Author: Victoria Bailey
This is my mom's sancocho recipe. The mix of vegetables and herbs in this Puerto Rican comfort stew was influenced by Spanish Canary Island ancestors of some Puerto Rican families. The soup was adjusted to the vegetables available in Puerto Rico by the addition of corn and pumpkin. In the Canary Islands of the 1700s, corn was only fed to farm animals! In Puerto Rico, some cooks now add ginger root, chile pepper, cumin, and other ingredients,В but I believe it destroys the original rich, natural vegetable taste. Similar sancocho recipes were passed on to other Spanish colonies such as Columbia. Serve hot with bread to soak up the delicious flavor.

Ingredients

  • olive oil: 3 Tbsp
  • onion: 1 piece (chopped)
  • garlic: 5 clove (chopped)
  • cilantro: 3 sprigs (chopped, fresh)
  • ground white pepper: 0.25 tsp
  • oregano: 1 pinch (dried)
  • salt: 0 piece (to taste)
  • beef stew meat: 1.5 pound (cut into small pieces)
  • water: 2 quarts (or as needed)
  • tomato sauce: 0.5 can (6.5 ounce can)
  • beef bouillon: 2 cubes
  • green beans: 1 cup (fresh; cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces, chopped)
  • carrots: 2 piece (sliced)
  • celery: 0.33333 cup (chopped)
  • large chayote squash: 1 piece (peeled, cored, and sliced lengthwise)
  • small white beans: 1 can (15.5 ounce can, drained)
  • cabbage: 0.5 head (chopped)
  • green banana, peeled and sliced into 3/4-inch pieces: 1 piece
  • yellow plantain, peeled and: 1 piece (cut into 1-inch pieces)
  • large llautias (yautias), peeled and quartered: 5 piece
  • potatoes, peeled and quartered: 6 piece
  • pumpkin: 0.5 cup (peeled; chopped)
  • corn, sliced into 6 pieces each: 2 ears (fresh)
  • green bell pepper: 0.33333 cup (chopped)

Metric Conversion

Stages of cooking

Puerto Rican Sancocho Photo 21
Puerto Rican Sancocho Photo 32
Puerto Rican Sancocho Photo 43
Puerto Rican Sancocho Photo 54
  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add onion, garlic, cilantro, white pepper, oregano, and salt. Cook and stir until onion is browned and very tender, about 20 minutes. Add stew meat; cook and stir until meat is browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes.
    Puerto Rican Sancocho Photo 2
  2. Pour enough water over meat mixture to fill the pot 3/4 full. Add tomato sauce and beef bouillon.
    Puerto Rican Sancocho Photo 3
  3. Stir in the remaining ingredients, one at a time, cooking slightly after each addition in the following order: green beans, carrots, celery, chayote squash, white beans, cabbage, green banana, yellow plantain, llautias, potatoes, pumpkin, corn, and green bell pepper.
    Puerto Rican Sancocho Photo 4
  4. Cook until all the vegetables are tender and stew has formed a rich broth, 2 to 3 hours. Add more water or salt if needed.
    Puerto Rican Sancocho Photo 5

History of the Puerto Rican Sancocho: Puerto Rican Sancocho is a comforting stew, which has its roots in the ancestral heritage of Spanish Canary Islands. The dish was adjusted to include local vegetables like corn and pumpkin to make it perfect for the Puerto Rican palate. Over time, the recipe has undergone various modifications with the addition of ginger root, cumin, and other ingredients. But the original version has a delicious natural taste, which makes it a favorite in Puerto Rican households.

Tips and Tricks for Puerto Rican Sancocho Recipe: To make the perfect Puerto Rican Sancocho, it is essential to keep a few key points in mind. Firstly, the onions and garlic should be cooked till they are browned and tender, as it enhances the flavor. Secondly, the beef should be cut into small pieces and cooked till it is browned on all sides. Thirdly, each vegetable should be added one at a time and cooked slightly, so that each flavor blends in perfectly. Lastly, the stew should be cooked until the vegetables are tender and the broth has formed a rich taste.

Tips for presenting the dish: Puerto Rican Sancocho can be presented in a variety of ways depending on the occasion. It can be served with bread or rice to soak up the delicious flavor, and garnished with fresh cilantro leaves. To make it more filling, you can also add some root vegetables like yam, sweet potato, or cassava. The stew can be served in a large pot, or individual soup bowls, and is perfect for a cozy family dinner or a weekend get-together with friends.

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