Overview
Sancocho de Doña Conchita: pork, tripe and root-vegetable stew
Make this Bolívar-style Colombian sancocho with pork head, tripe, green plantain, yuca, ñame and corn in a carefully seasoned broth
Colombian National Dishes
Sancocho de Doña Conchita: pork, tripe and root-vegetable stew
Make this Bolívar-style Colombian sancocho with pork head, tripe, green plantain, yuca, ñame and corn in a carefully seasoned broth
Colombian National Dishes
Ingredients
Ingredients
900 g
- butcher-prepared pork head pieces, cut into manageable portions
700 g
- commercially prepared salted pork bones, meaty pieces
450 g
- cleaned tripe (beef honeycomb tripe or pork stomach), cut into 4 cm pieces
5.5 L
- water, plus hot water as needed
5
- green plantains, peeled and cut into 5 cm chunks
900 g
- yuca, peeled, woody core removed and cut into 5 cm pieces
900 g
- ñame, peeled and cut into 5 cm pieces
4 ears (about 600 g)
- corn, husked and cut into 4 thick rounds per ear
100 g
- sweet ají or mild sweet pepper, finely chopped
80 g
- scallions, tied in a bundle
20 g
- culantro, leaves and tender stems, tied in a bundle
250 g
- cabbage, cut into 4 cm wedges
120 g
- red onion, finely chopped
6
- whole allspice berries
2 g
- achiote powder
4 g
- whole cumin seeds
0–4 g
- fine salt, only if needed after tasting
8
- lime wedges for serving
Method
Method
Method
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Prepare the ingredients safely Keep pork and tripe chilled while you wash and cut the vegetables. Use a separate board and knife for raw meat; wash hands, tools and the worktop with hot, soapy water before returning to produce. Tie the scallions and culantro in separate bundles so they can season the broth and be lifted out easily. Cut the plantain and roots to similar sizes for even cooking.
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Simmer the pork and tripe Place pork head, salted bones, tripe, allspice and 5.5 L water in a 12 L stockpot. Bring to a boil, skim the foam, then cover and lower the heat to a steady, gentle simmer. Cook for 90–120 minutes, keeping the pieces mostly submerged; add hot water if the level drops. Start checking tenderness at 90 minutes, since cut size and the product can change the timing.
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Check safety and tenderness Measure a thick piece of pork head and a piece of tripe with a clean food thermometer; pork organ and variety meats should reach at least 71°C. Continue simmering if either is below that temperature. Once both are safely cooked, keep simmering until they yield readily to a fork. This tenderness stage may take longer and is not a substitute for the thermometer reading.
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Add the vegetables in stages Add plantain, corn, yuca, ñame, scallion and culantro bundles, sweet ají, cabbage and achiote. Simmer uncovered or partly covered for 45–60 minutes, just enough to keep a gentle bubble. The yuca and ñame are ready when a thin knife slips into the centre without resistance; the plantain should be soft but still hold its shape. Add hot water if needed to keep a generous broth.
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Toast cumin and finish Warm the cumin seeds in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat for 1–2 minutes, shaking the pan, until fragrant but not dark. Crush them coarsely and stir them into the pot with the red onion for the final 10 minutes. Taste the broth before adding any salt because the bones may already season it. Remove herb bundles, ladle meat, tripe, roots, plantain, corn and broth into bowls, and serve with lime.
Practical guidance
Practical
Sancocho de Doña Conchita: pork, tripe and root-vegetable stew
This sancocho is documented in a Ministry of Culture collection from the Canal del Dique area of Bolívar and named for its recipe holder, Concepción Simarra. The recorded pot combines pork head, salted bone and mondongo with green plantain, yuca, ñame and corn. Sweet ají, scallion, culantro, cabbage, red onion, allspice, achiote and cumin build the seasoning. The name and locality are specific; this is one recorded preparation among many Colombian sancochos. The source describes a large covered pot over a three-stone wood fire and gives ingredient weights, but does not state a yield for this recipe. This practical home version scales the listed amounts into an eight-serving stockpot and uses a domestic stovetop. Its order follows the source: simmer the meats until tender, add plantain and vegetables in stages, then finish with toasted cumin and red onion. The adaptation does not attempt to recreate the open-fire setting. The original description includes salted pork bone, and a related Ministry publication explains a historical home-salting practice. Do not follow that curing process at home. Buy inspected, commercially prepared salted bones and butcher-prepared pork head pieces, plus cleaned tripe. Their salt levels and edible yields vary, so the broth is tasted before any extra salt is added. The long simmer makes the cuts tender; a food thermometer provides the separate safety check.
Nutrition per serving
Approximate estimate per serving; values vary with the salted bones, edible meat yield and portion size.
Practical guidance
Use a stockpot of at least 12 L so the ingredients can simmer without crowding and the broth does not boil over. A slotted spoon helps skim foam. Keep the thermometer probe away from bone when checking the pork, and wash it between samples. Salted bones differ by producer and may contribute a lot of sodium. Do not salt the pot at the beginning. If the broth tastes too salty, add hot water in small increments and simmer briefly; if it tastes balanced, leave out the optional salt. The cabbage and herb bundles soften into the broth; remove them before serving if you prefer a clearer bowl. Yuca, ñame and plantain soften at different rates. Cut pieces evenly and test the largest ones rather than relying on the clock. If the plantain is tender first, lift it out with a slotted spoon and return it to the pot at the end. Bones should be served visibly and diners warned to take care. Equipment notes Use a 12 L heavy stockpot, a slotted spoon, a thermometer, separate raw-meat and produce boards, a chef’s knife, and a small dry skillet. Offer the stew very hot, with lime wedges at the table. Portion a representative share of pork, tripe, roots, plantain, corn and broth into each bowl. Plain rice may be served separately if desired, but it is not part of the documented ingredient list. Cool leftovers promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours at 4°C or colder. Use within 3–4 days. Reheat only the portion needed until steaming throughout and at least 74°C; do not warm the same pot repeatedly. Food safety and allergens Keep raw meat chilled and separate from ready-to-eat foods. Cook pork variety meats to at least 71°C, refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, and reheat them to 74°C. The listed ingredients contain no major declared allergens; check product labels and cross-contact if you have an allergy.
Final notes
Safety: Check each pork piece with a thermometer before relying on its texture. Safety: Taste the broth before adding salt; the prepared bones may already be salty.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition per serving
- Serving size: 8 servings
- Calories: 820 kcal
- Carbohydrate: 140 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Fat: 20 g
- Fibre: 14 g
- Sodium: 1250 mg
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