Sancocho
A thick, hearty stew of meats, root vegetables, plantains and corn simmered with herbs. It is shared at family gatherings across Latin America.
Sancocho de espinazo de cerdo: Daguerreroa, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Where it comes from
Sancocho is a beloved stew in the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Panama and other Latin American countries. Each country has its own version, from chicken-only to several meats.
Explore the cuisine of Dominican Republic, Colombia, Panama.
Recipe
Make Sancocho at home
Ingredients
- 2 lb (900 g) chicken or beef pieces
- 8 cups water or stock
- 2 green plantains, chunked
- 1 lb yuca, peeled and chunked
- 1 lb potatoes or yams
- 2 ears corn, cut in rounds
- 1 onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1 tsp oregano
- Lime and rice to serve
How it's made
- Season the meat with garlic, oregano and salt.
- Brown it in a large pot, then add water and bring to a boil.
- Simmer 40 minutes.
- Add the yuca, plantains and potatoes and cook 20 minutes.
- Add the corn and cilantro and cook 10 more minutes until everything is tender.
- Serve with rice, avocado and lime.
Variations
- Dominican style: several meats and tubers.
- Colombian style: with chicken and corn.
- Panamanian style: chicken with culantro.
Cook’s tip: Add starchy vegetables in order of cooking time so nothing turns to mush.
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About this page
Description and method written by Intercontinental Chef. Home-style method; quantities are a starting point, so adjust to taste.
Photo credit
- Sancocho de espinazo de cerdo: Daguerreroa, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)