By Gigi
Sancocho is a meat and root-based stew that can be found in different countries all over Latin America, especially the countries bordering the Carribean Sea.
Personally, I’ve tried Panamanian chicken sancocho, Puerto Rican sancocho, and Venezuelan sancocho–they are all incredibly delicious but the Dominican sancocho just hits different.
Dominican Sancocho is almost always made with beef, chicken and pork but “Siete Carnes” or “Seven Meat” is the deluxe version prepared by many on special occasions which includes: beef, goat meat, pork sausage, pork belly, chicken or hen, pork ribs, and smoked ham. Let’s be honest though; we ain’t about to spend all our coins on all those meats so we gonna keep it simple here.
Dominicans tend to make sancocho the minute they see a gray cloud in the sky, and that comfort food reaches another level! Overall sancocho is made for special occasions due to the many ingredients it contains, but it is also a tradition to eat it on New Year’s Day, which I think is because it is also a good damn hungover meal.
If you are not putting a side of avocado to your sancocho, might as well cancel the entire meal! Not to be dramatic or anything, but it really sets the meal together.
Let’s start with the recipe!
Prep Time: 1 hr
Cook Time: 1 hr
Serving: 10 people
Ingredients:
1 lb beef for stews flank, chuck, or round
1 lb pork for stews belly, ribs or chump end
1 lb chicken
Juice of two limes
1 tsp cilantro or parsley chopped
1/2 tsp oregano powdered
1 tsp garlic mashed
Sazon Goya (2 or 3 packets) to taste
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp oil corn, peanut, or canola
2.5 quart water
1/2 lb yam “ñame” cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 lb West Indies pumpkin “auyama” cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 lb taro “yautia” cut into 1-inch pieces
3 unripe plantains 2 cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 lb cassava “yuca” cut into 1-inch pieces
2 corn cobs cut into 1/2-inch slices
Instructions:
1. Cut all the meat into small pieces. Coat the meat with the lime juice.
2. Place the beef in a large bowl and add the cilantro, oregano, garlic, and half a teaspoon of salt and the sazon Goya. Rub meat to cover with the spices. Marinate for at least half an hour.
- In a large pot heat the oil over medium heat, add the beef and stir (be careful with hot oil splattering). Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add a few tablespoons of water if it looks like it might burn.
- Add the pork and simmer for 15 minutes, adjust water when necessary. Simmer for another 15 minutes, adding tablespoons of water as needed to prevent it from burning.
- Add the remaining chicken and simmer for another 5 minutes, adding tablespoons of water as needed to prevent it from burning.
- Add 2 quarts of water to the pot and bring to a boil. Add the root vegetables (yam, pumpkin, taro), and the two plantains that you had previously cut. Simmer covered for 15 minutes.
- Grate, or scrape with the knife the remaining plantain to make it into a pulp, add to the pot.
- Add corn on the cob (minus the salt) and add water as it becomes necessary to maintain the same level. Stir regularly to avoid excessive sticking.
- Simmer until the last ingredients you added are cooked through.
- Season with salt to taste. Serve hot with white rice, slices of avocado and garnish with hot sauce and lime.
BUEN PROVECHO
