Name: Sancocho de cabeza de cerdo salada (salted pork-head sancocho)
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 2 h 45 min
Total time: 3 h 20 min
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 1.2 kg commercially prepared salted pork head, from a reputable butcher; cut into 6 cm portions and prepared according to supplier directions; 4 L cold water, plus boiling water to keep the ingredients covered if needed; 20 g garlic, peeled and lightly crushed; 3 g ground cumin; 3 g ground achiote or annatto; 500 g cassava (yuca), peeled and cut into 6 cm pieces; remove a prominent woody core; 350 g green plantain, peeled and cut into 5 cm pieces; 500 g white ñame yam, peeled and cut into 5 cm pieces; 400 g green corn, about 2 ears, husked and cut into 4 cm rounds; 80 g scallions, trimmed, washed and cut into 5 cm lengths; 100 g celery, washed and cut into 4 cm pieces; 180 g carrot, peeled and cut into 4 cm chunks; 12 g fresh cilantro, washed and roughly chopped

A bowl of Colombian Caribbean salted pork-head sancocho with cassava, white yam, green plantain, corn and vegetables in amber broth.

Region San Estanislao de Kostka, Bolívar, Colombian Caribbean

Category Everyday pork soup; one-pot meal

Yield 8 portions

Prep time 35 minutes

Soaking time Follow the supplier’s directions for desalting; no extra soak otherwise

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Sancocho de cabeza de cerdo salada (salted pork-head sancocho)

A slow-simmered Caribbean Colombian soup with salted pork head, cassava, ñame, plantain, corn and herbs.

In San Estanislao de Kostka, Bolívar, community bearer Evangelina Fontalvo’s everyday sancocho de cabeza de cerdo salada is documented with salted pork head, cassava, plantain, ñame and other vegetables. The Ministry of Culture’s oral-recipe booklet adds green corn, scallion, celery, cilantro, carrot, cumin, achiote and garlic, then describes boiling and skimming the pork before adding the seasonings and “bastimento.” The source gives no quantities or timings, so this version is a measured home adaptation that keeps its ingredients and sequence clear.

The defining ingredient is salted pork head, which brings a savory, deeply flavored broth as it simmers. Buy it commercially prepared from a reputable butcher and follow the supplier’s storage, desalting and cooking directions. Salt levels vary widely, so taste the broth before adding any extra salt. This recipe does not explain how to salt-cure pork at home; curing is a separate food-preservation process that needs a validated method.

Give the pork a head start, skim the early foam, and let it simmer until the meat begins to loosen. Cassava, green plantain, ñame and corn go in next, followed by scallion, celery and carrot. These later vegetables add flavor while the roots finish cooking. The finished soup should have tender pork and roots that are soft but still recognizable. Add cilantro just before serving for a fresh herbal note.

Ingredients

Sancocho de cabeza de cerdo salada

1.2 kg commercially prepared salted pork head, from a reputable butcher; cut into 6 cm portions and prepared according to supplier directions
4 L cold water, plus boiling water to keep the ingredients covered if needed
20 g garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
3 g ground cumin
3 g ground achiote or annatto
500 g cassava (yuca), peeled and cut into 6 cm pieces; remove a prominent woody core
350 g green plantain, peeled and cut into 5 cm pieces
500 g white ñame yam, peeled and cut into 5 cm pieces
400 g green corn, about 2 ears, husked and cut into 4 cm rounds
80 g scallions, trimmed, washed and cut into 5 cm lengths
100 g celery, washed and cut into 4 cm pieces
180 g carrot, peeled and cut into 4 cm chunks
12 g fresh cilantro, washed and roughly chopped

Method

Prepare the salted pork safely Check that the pork head is a commercially prepared food product kept refrigerated. Follow the butcher’s or package instructions for desalting; do not leave it at room temperature to soak. Cut it into 6 cm portions if needed. Place the pork in a large heavy pot and cover with the cold water.
Simmer and skim Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Skim off the foam during the first 10–15 minutes. Partially cover and simmer for about 90 minutes, until the meat begins to loosen from the bone. Add boiling water as needed to keep the pork mostly covered.
Season the broth Add the garlic, cumin and achiote. Simmer for 5 minutes so the seasonings spread through the broth. Taste a spoonful before adding any salt; the cured pork may already season the pot.
Add the roots, plantain and corn Add the cassava, green plantain, ñame and corn. Keep a gentle simmer for about 35 minutes, stirring carefully once or twice from the bottom. Add the scallions, celery and carrot and cook until the roots are tender and the pork is very soft, usually another 15–25 minutes. Because pork-head portions vary in size and thickness, check the thickest edible meat with a clean thermometer and use at least 74°C as a conservative target; the meat should also be steaming throughout and tender.
Finish with cilantro and serve Stir in the cilantro. Taste the broth again and add salt only if it truly needs it. Ladle into deep bowls, dividing pork, cassava, plantain, ñame, corn and vegetables among the portions. Serve hot. If the broth has reduced too much, add a little boiling water and bring the soup back to a simmer.

Practical guidance

Practical

Nutrition per serving

These rounded estimates use generic pork and root-vegetable composition proxies divided into 8 portions. Salted pork-head curing, desalting, bone proportion and edible yield can change sodium and nutrition substantially; the actual values may differ.

Practical guidance

Buy a clearly identified product: Salted pork head is a cured meat, not a cut to cure casually at home. Choose a food-safe product from a reliable butcher or supplier and follow its label for refrigeration, desalting and cooking. If the source or handling history is unclear, do not use it. Manage salt carefully: Cured pork can release a great deal of salt into the pot. Do not salt the water at the start. Taste after the seasonings have simmered and again near the end. If the broth is too salty, dilute with boiling water and add more cassava or vegetables only if the pot has room and they can cook fully. Keep the pieces intact: A gentle simmer helps pork, cassava, plantain and ñame retain their shape. Stir from the bottom carefully, especially after the roots go in. Add the cilantro at the end so its aroma remains fresh. Check the pork at the thickest point: Pork-head pieces contain bone, skin and uneven muscle. Use a clean food thermometer in the thickest edible portion and make sure the meat is fully cooked and steaming; tenderness is also important for this braised soup. Allergens and diet: The listed ingredients do not inherently contain a major priority allergen, but check any butcher packaging or seasoning labels. This dish contains pork and is not suitable for people avoiding it.

Final notes

Keep raw pork and its juices away from ready-to-eat foods. Wash hands, knives and boards with hot soapy water after handling. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the air is hotter than 32°C; use within 3–4 days and reheat throughout to at least 74°C. Remember 1: Follow the supplier’s instructions for salted pork and taste before adding salt. Remember 2: Add the roots and corn after the pork has simmered, then finish with cilantro.

Nutrition per serving

Serving basis: 1 of 8 portions
Calories: 490 kcal
Carbohydrates: 52 g
Protein: 28 g
Fat: 20 g
Fibre: 7 g
Sodium: 1450 mg

Sancocho de cabeza de cerdo salada (salted pork-head sancocho)

Ingredients

Sancocho de cabeza de cerdo salada

Method

Practical

Nutrition per serving

Practical guidance

Final notes

Nutrition per serving

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Arroz clavado (Chocó rice with longaniza, ripe plantain and white cheese)