Dominican Sancocho
Sancocho is a rich, hearty stew packed with meats, root vegetables, and deep flavor that only comes from cooking low and slow. This is the kind of pot that brings everybody to the kitchen, and once you make it, you officially unlock Tía-level cooking.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
2 lbs chuck beef
2 lbs chicken thighs
4 smoked pork chops
3 plátanos
Yuca
Yautía
Auyama
1 red onion
Bell pepper
Celery
6 tbsp sofrito
6 tbsp garlic paste
4 tbsp ranchero seasoning
4 tbsp adobo
4 tbsp oil
1 tbsp sugar
2–3 bouillon cubes
Cilantro
Recao
Corn
Lime or vinegar
Water
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prep the Vegetables
Peel yuca, plátano, yautía, and auyama.
Keep them in water to prevent browning.
2. Season the meats:
In a bowl, combine:
Chuck beef
chicken thighs
smoked pork chops
Garlic paste
Adobo
Sofrito
Ranchero seasoning
Mix well.
3. Start the stew
In a large pot, heat oil with sugar until slightly caramelized.
Add beef first with 3 cups of water. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.
4. Add remaining meats:
Add chicken and smoked pork chops with another 3 cups of water.
Add bell pepper and celery. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
5. Add the vegetables:
Add all root vegetables and cover with additional water.
Add whole onion, cilantro, and recao (tie together for easy removal).
Cover and cook for 30 minutes until everything is tender.
6. Build the body:
Remove large pieces of vegetables and blend into a puree.
Return puree to the pot to thicken the broth.
7. Finish
Taste and adjust salt with chicken bouillon cubes as needed.
Add lime juice or vinegar for acidity.
Add corn and cook for another 10 minutes.
Serve hot with white rice and avocado on the side.
Notes from My Kitchen
This is a process, not a rush meal.
The flavor within this sancocho builds in layers.
