Puerto Rican Sancocho – Beef and Root Vegetable Stew
Tender beef, sofrito, green plantain and traditional root vegetables are slowly simmered in a rich broth to create a comforting Puerto Rican sancocho.
Equipment
- 10-quart stockpot or large Dutch oven
- Large mixing bowl
- Cutting board
- Sharp chef’s knife
- Vegetable peeler
- Wooden spoon
- Tongs
- Ladle
- Kitchen thermometer
Ingredients
SEASONED BEEF
- 2½ pounds 1.13 kg boneless beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 1½ teaspoons adobo seasoning with pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
FOR BROWNING AND THE STEW BASE
- 3 tablespoons 45 ml olive oil, divided
- ⅓ cup 80 g Puerto Rican sofrito
- 3 garlic cloves finely minced
- ½ cup 115 g tomato sauce
- 1 packet sazón with coriander and annatto approximately 1½ teaspoons
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 cups 1.9 liters low-sodium beef broth
- Up to 2 cups 480 ml hot water, only if needed
ROOT VEGETABLES
- 12 ounces 340 g peeled yuca, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 12 ounces 340 g peeled white yautía or malanga, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 1 large green plantain peeled and cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 2 medium Yukon Gold or russet potatoes approximately 1 pound or 450 g, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 1 pound 450 g peeled calabaza, kabocha squash or butternut squash, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 large carrots approximately 8 ounces or 225 g, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 ears of corn husks removed and each ear cut into 3 pieces
FOR FINISHING
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro or culantro roughly chopped
- Salt only if needed after tasting
OPTIONAL FOR SERVING
- Cooked white rice
- Sliced avocado
- Puerto Rican pique or hot sauce
Instructions
SEASON THE BEEF
- Pat the beef dry with paper towels and place it in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the adobo, oregano, black pepper and lime juice. Toss until every piece is evenly seasoned.
- Cover and let the beef rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- While the beef rests, peel and cut all the root vegetables. Keep the yuca, yautía, plantain and potatoes covered with cold water to prevent discoloration. Drain them well before cooking.
BROWN THE BEEF
- Remove the beef from the refrigerator. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 10-quart stockpot or large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Working in two or three batches, add the beef in a single layer. Do not overcrowd the pot.
- Brown each batch for approximately 5–6 minutes, turning the pieces so several sides develop a deep brown color. The beef will not be fully cooked at this stage.
- Transfer the browned beef to a clean plate. Add a small portion of the remaining tablespoon of oil between batches if the bottom of the pot becomes dry.
PREPARE THE STEW BASE
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add any remaining olive oil and the sofrito.
- Cook the sofrito for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping the browned flavor from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the tomato sauce and sazón. Cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously.
- Return the browned beef and any collected juices to the pot.
- Add the bay leaves and 8 cups of low-sodium beef broth.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the broth to a gentle boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and maintain a gentle simmer for 60 minutes. Stir approximately every 20 minutes.
ADD THE FIRM VEGETABLES
- After the beef has simmered for 60 minutes, add the corn, yuca, yautía, green plantain and carrots.
- If the ingredients are not mostly covered with liquid, add enough hot water to cover them. Do not add more than 2 cups unless absolutely necessary.
- Return the stew to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
ADD THE POTATOES AND CALABAZA
- Add the potatoes and calabaza. Stir carefully so the vegetables remain intact.
- Cover and simmer gently for another 20–25 minutes, or until the beef is fork-tender and all the vegetables can be easily pierced with a fork.
- The beef must reach a minimum internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). However, beef chuck will need the full simmering time to become properly tender.
- If the broth is thinner than desired, remove the lid and simmer for 5 minutes. For a naturally thicker broth, mash two or three pieces of softened calabaza against the side of the pot and stir them into the liquid.
- Remove and discard the bay leaves.
- Stir in the chopped cilantro or culantro.
- Taste the broth before adding salt. Add only a small amount if needed.
SERVE
- Ladle the hot sancocho into deep bowls, making sure each portion contains beef, broth, corn and a mixture of root vegetables.
- Serve by itself or with cooked white rice, sliced avocado or Puerto Rican pique on the side.
Notes
• Puerto Rican sancocho varies between families. Some versions use pork, chicken, beef with bones or a combination of meats.
• Beef chuck provides the best balance of tenderness, flavor and availability for this version.
• Yautía and malanga are related root vegetables and may be labeled differently between Latin American markets. Either can be used here.
• Fresh or frozen peeled yuca can be used. Remove any tough, string-like center from the cooked yuca before serving.
• Calabaza is a Caribbean pumpkin. Kabocha squash is the closest widely available substitute, while butternut squash also works.
• A packaged frozen sancocho vegetable mix can replace the individual root vegetables. Use approximately the same total weight.
• Do not substitute ripe yellow plantain for the green plantain unless you specifically want a sweeter family variation.
• The stew is ready when the beef is fork-tender and the vegetables are cooked through without completely falling apart.
• Sancocho naturally thickens while resting. Add a little broth or water when reheating if necessary.
• Cool leftovers in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours.
• Refrigerated sancocho can be stored for 3–4 days.
• Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C).