Well, this is the first recipe I post here so if it's unclear please let me know. Also I tend to eyeball this recipe now; I tried my best to test this but if you think this is too bland (or too spicy) please let me know so I can recheck my recipe.
Sancocho is a delicious stew that it seems every hispanic culture has a version of. My version comes from my Dominican family where Sancocho is not a meal, it's an event. When I cooked my first pot a few years ago I had six family members in the kitchen with me clicking their tongues and telling me when I need more salt or when I cut the pieces too big. The task of cooking this every year around the holidays has been officially passed to me by my grandma. I've since tweaked the recipe...but don't tell her that.
Sancocho
Takes two hours and feeds 8 people
1lb cubed beef stew meat
1lb of boneless pork chops
1lb of mild sausage
3lbs of chicken (I use a whole chicken, deboned)
Cut all the meat into bite size pieces.
3 tablespoons of oil.
2 tablespoons of oregano
5 tablespoons of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
2 tablespoons sour orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium size onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 green bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons of white vinegar
2 tablets of chicken bouillon
A dash of Worcestershire sauce (English)
4 large plaintains, peeled and cut into 1-inch thick pieces (leave one whole)
2lbs of malanga peeled and cut into 1-inch thick pieces
1lb of white yam (taro) peeled and cut into 1-inch thick pieces
2lbs of yucca (cassava) peeled and cut into 1-inch thick pieces
1lb of sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch thick pieces
½ lb of Spanish pumpkin peeled and cut into 1-inch thick pieces
½ lb of potatoes peeled cut into 1-inch thick pieces
A gallon of water (seriously)
A pot that’s large enough to cook that bratty neighbourhood kid that won’t stay off your lawn (kidding...
) I use a 12qt stockpot.
Method
Place beef in a large bowl and mix with the cilantro, parsley, celery, onions, oregano, garlic, vinegar, sour orange juice, lemon juice, bell pepper, black pepper, and salt. Marinate for at least half an hour.
Heat oil in large stockpot. Add in beef with marinade. Cover and let simmer over medium heat until meat is browned and onions are translucent. Add in the pork and cook for 15 minutes. Add in the sausage and cook for 15 minutes. Add in the chicken and cook for another 15 minutes. Make sure to keep adding tablespoons of water and keep stirring to keep meat from sticking to bottom of pot.
Add ½ of the gallon of water and bring to a boil. Add in the cut plantains, yam, yucca, and malanga. Lower heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. Add in the rest of the ingredients and simmer until everything is fork tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Finely grate the last plantain into the soup to thicken broth. Simmer for additional ten minutes or until soup is thick.
Serve hot with white rice and/or bread and a lemon quarter.
Notes:
When stirring this soup use a large spoon and stir gently.
If stew begins to dry add more water. You can substitute some of the water for beef stock for a richer flavor.
In the freezer section of my local supermarket I found a sancocho mix; it was all the root veggies already cut and peeled in two pound bags. I’m not sure if everyone will have this but check. You may also be able to find frozen bags of individual veggies like yucca or plantains. These are great when you’re pressed for time, just don’t feel like doing all that peeling, or live somewhere tropical veggies are usually not imported to.
This is a great stew for using what you have on hand. In fact, it’s commonly cooked with seven meats. I’ve had this with lamb, goat, etc but I usually stick to the three basics (beef, chicken, and pork) because I almost always have those in my freezer. The same attitude applies to the vegetables. One family I know always adds corn on the cob and squash; try whatever you have on hand.
Sancocho is a delicious stew that it seems every hispanic culture has a version of. My version comes from my Dominican family where Sancocho is not a meal, it's an event. When I cooked my first pot a few years ago I had six family members in the kitchen with me clicking their tongues and telling me when I need more salt or when I cut the pieces too big. The task of cooking this every year around the holidays has been officially passed to me by my grandma. I've since tweaked the recipe...but don't tell her that.
Sancocho
Takes two hours and feeds 8 people
1lb cubed beef stew meat
1lb of boneless pork chops
1lb of mild sausage
3lbs of chicken (I use a whole chicken, deboned)
Cut all the meat into bite size pieces.
3 tablespoons of oil.
2 tablespoons of oregano
5 tablespoons of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
2 tablespoons sour orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium size onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 green bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons of white vinegar
2 tablets of chicken bouillon
A dash of Worcestershire sauce (English)
4 large plaintains, peeled and cut into 1-inch thick pieces (leave one whole)
2lbs of malanga peeled and cut into 1-inch thick pieces
1lb of white yam (taro) peeled and cut into 1-inch thick pieces
2lbs of yucca (cassava) peeled and cut into 1-inch thick pieces
1lb of sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch thick pieces
½ lb of Spanish pumpkin peeled and cut into 1-inch thick pieces
½ lb of potatoes peeled cut into 1-inch thick pieces
A gallon of water (seriously)
A pot that’s large enough to cook that bratty neighbourhood kid that won’t stay off your lawn (kidding...
) I use a 12qt stockpot. Method
Place beef in a large bowl and mix with the cilantro, parsley, celery, onions, oregano, garlic, vinegar, sour orange juice, lemon juice, bell pepper, black pepper, and salt. Marinate for at least half an hour.
Heat oil in large stockpot. Add in beef with marinade. Cover and let simmer over medium heat until meat is browned and onions are translucent. Add in the pork and cook for 15 minutes. Add in the sausage and cook for 15 minutes. Add in the chicken and cook for another 15 minutes. Make sure to keep adding tablespoons of water and keep stirring to keep meat from sticking to bottom of pot.
Add ½ of the gallon of water and bring to a boil. Add in the cut plantains, yam, yucca, and malanga. Lower heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. Add in the rest of the ingredients and simmer until everything is fork tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Finely grate the last plantain into the soup to thicken broth. Simmer for additional ten minutes or until soup is thick.
Serve hot with white rice and/or bread and a lemon quarter.
Notes:
When stirring this soup use a large spoon and stir gently.
If stew begins to dry add more water. You can substitute some of the water for beef stock for a richer flavor.
In the freezer section of my local supermarket I found a sancocho mix; it was all the root veggies already cut and peeled in two pound bags. I’m not sure if everyone will have this but check. You may also be able to find frozen bags of individual veggies like yucca or plantains. These are great when you’re pressed for time, just don’t feel like doing all that peeling, or live somewhere tropical veggies are usually not imported to.
This is a great stew for using what you have on hand. In fact, it’s commonly cooked with seven meats. I’ve had this with lamb, goat, etc but I usually stick to the three basics (beef, chicken, and pork) because I almost always have those in my freezer. The same attitude applies to the vegetables. One family I know always adds corn on the cob and squash; try whatever you have on hand.
