Name: Sancocho de gallina or beef ribs from San Luis de Palenque
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 35 min
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 2.2 kg bone-in gallina criolla, cleaned and jointed into large pieces; Or 2.0 kg bone-in beef short ribs, in place of the hen; use the separate timing below; 650 g yuca, peeled and cut into 5 cm pieces; 2 medium green plantains (about 600 g peeled), cut into thick pieces; 500 g papa pastusa, peeled and quartered; 500 g ahuyama flesh, peeled and cut into large chunks; 2 medium firm green topocho (about 400 g peeled), cut into thick pieces; 180 g scallions, trimmed and divided; 6 garlic cloves, lightly crushed; 20 g cilantro, stems and leaves separated; 14 g fine salt to start, then more to taste; 2 g ground cumin; 1 g ground black pepper; 4.5 L water, plus hot water if needed; Lime wedges, optional; Avocado, optional

A wide bowl of Llanos gallina sancocho on a rustic countryside table.

Yield 8 servings

Active preparation about 35 minutes

Passive preparation none

Cooking about 2 hours; the hen or rib tenderness determines the finish

Total time about 2 hours 35 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Sancocho de gallina or beef ribs from San Luis de Palenque

The Colombian Ministry of Culture’s recipe inventory records a sancocho from San Luis de Palenque made with gallina or beef ribs. It names a combination that gives this version its regional character: green plantain, yuca, papa pastusa, ahuyama and topocho. A Casanare tourism listing also identifies sancocho de gallina criolla as a featured dish in the municipality. The inventory does not supply measured quantities or a full method, so the recipe below is a practical home-scale interpretation rather than a claim to reproduce a single household’s formula.

Choose one meat for the pot. A mature hen gives the broth body as it cooks and is the primary version used for the nutrition estimate. Beef short ribs are a documented alternative, but they need their own simmer and have a different fat and nutrition profile. Do not combine both meats: their cooking times and the character of their broths differ.

The vegetables are cut in large pieces and added in stages. Yuca, green plantain and topocho can take a long simmer; papa pastusa and ahuyama soften faster and go in later. A gentle bubble keeps the pieces intact and leaves the broth clear enough to ladle. The finished soup should be hearty, with a bowl containing meat, several vegetables and enough broth to bring them together.

Ingredients

Meat — choose one

2.2 kg bone-in gallina criolla, cleaned and jointed into large pieces
Or 2.0 kg bone-in beef short ribs, in place of the hen; use the separate timing below

Vegetables and broth

650 g yuca, peeled and cut into 5 cm pieces
2 medium green plantains (about 600 g peeled), cut into thick pieces
500 g papa pastusa, peeled and quartered
500 g ahuyama flesh, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 medium firm green topocho (about 400 g peeled), cut into thick pieces
180 g scallions, trimmed and divided
6 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
20 g cilantro, stems and leaves separated
14 g fine salt to start, then more to taste
2 g ground cumin
1 g ground black pepper
4.5 L water, plus hot water if needed

To serve

Lime wedges, optional
Avocado, optional

Method

Prepare the meat and aromatics Keep the raw meat chilled until you are ready to cook. Do not wash raw poultry. Pat the hen dry and season it with about half the measured salt. If using ribs, pat them dry instead. Cut the scallions in half: leave one half in long pieces for the broth and finely chop the rest for finishing. Keep the cilantro stems separate from the leaves.
Simmer the meat until nearly tender Place the chosen meat in the pot with the water, long scallion pieces, garlic, cilantro stems, cumin, pepper and remaining starting salt. Bring just to a boil, skim any foam, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cover partly. Simmer hen for about 75–100 minutes, depending on its age and size. Beef ribs usually need about 90–120 minutes. Add hot water if the meat is no longer mostly covered. The hen should be starting to soften; ribs should be approaching fork-tenderness before the vegetables go in.
Add the firm vegetables Add the yuca, green plantain and topocho. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Keep the pot at a gentle bubble rather than a rolling boil. These pieces should be beginning to soften but still feel firm in the center when tested with a knife.
Finish with papa pastusa and ahuyama Add the papa pastusa and ahuyama. Simmer for 20–25 minutes, until the yuca and potato are tender and the pumpkin yields to a fork but still holds large pieces. Check the meat: hen must reach at least 74°C in the thickest part without touching bone. Ribs should be thoroughly cooked and tender; if they need more time, lift out the cooked vegetables and continue simmering the ribs, then return the vegetables to warm through. Taste the broth and adjust salt.
Finish and serve Remove the long scallion pieces and cilantro stems if desired. Stir in the chopped scallion and cilantro leaves. Serve each bowl with a generous piece of the chosen meat, several kinds of vegetables and plenty of broth. Offer lime and avocado at the table.

Practical guidance

Practical

Full recipe heading

Llanos soup with hen, yuca, plantain, papa pastusa, ahuyama and topocho

Excerpt

This Casanare-style sancocho pairs a slowly simmered hen with five generous vegetables. The Ministry of Culture inventory records either hen or beef ribs and names green plantain, yuca, papa pastusa, ahuyama and topocho. This home version develops the hen option and explains how to cook the ribs separately.

Practical guidance

Choosing between hen and ribs The title reflects the two meats named in the municipal inventory. This complete formula is written around hen. A mature gallina criolla can take longer than a young chicken, so use tenderness and the thermometer rather than the clock alone. For the beef-rib version, start with the same broth aromatics and vegetable quantities, simmer the ribs until tender before adding vegetables, and expect a richer broth. The nutrition figures below apply only to the hen version. Keeping the vegetables intact Large, fairly even cuts help the pieces finish together. Add yuca, green plantain and topocho first; add the potato and ahuyama later. If the soup boils hard, the softer vegetables can break down before the meat is ready. Keep a kettle of hot water nearby so you can maintain the broth level without stopping the simmer. Serving and storing Serve the sancocho as a full meal. If offering rice or another side, keep it separate from the pot so diners can choose. Cool leftovers quickly in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. Keep them at or below 4°C and use within 3–4 days. Reheat until steaming throughout and at least 74°C. Remove bones carefully before storing meat for children.

Allergens and food safety

Allergens: No major allergen is intentionally included in the listed recipe. Check packaged seasonings and optional accompaniments, and prevent cross-contact. Food safety: Keep raw meat at or below 4°C and separate from ready-to-eat food. Do not wash raw poultry. Cook hen to at least 74°C at its thickest point. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, keep at or below 4°C for 3–4 days and reheat to 74°C. Beef ribs are a separate option; cook them thoroughly until tender and use a thermometer.

Final notes

At the table: Give each bowl meat, a mix of the five vegetables and enough broth to make it a substantial serving. For the best texture: Let the chosen meat soften first, add the firm roots and plantain next, and finish with papa pastusa and ahuyama.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: one-eighth of the hen version with vegetables and broth; optional sides excluded
Energy: about 615 kcal
Carbohydrate: about 76 g
Protein: about 38 g
Fat: about 15 g
Fibre: about 9 g
Sodium: about 730 mg

Sancocho de gallina or beef ribs from San Luis de Palenque

Ingredients

Meat — choose one

Vegetables and broth

To serve

Method

Practical

Full recipe heading

Excerpt

Practical guidance

Allergens and food safety

Final notes

Nutrition per serving

Colombian National Dishes

El sancocho de gallina criolla from Recetor

Lechona Tamareña from Támara

Sancocho de Gallina de Ginebra