Name: Sancocho Paisa: Antioquia Beef and Pork Stew
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 1 h 50 min
Total time: 2 h 25 min
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 500 g beef chuck, cut into 3 cm pieces; 500 g boneless pork shoulder, cut into 3 cm pieces; 3,840 ml water; 30 ml neutral oil; 120 g scallions (about 4 stalks), trimmed and tied into a bundle; 10 g fresh parsley, tied into the herb bundle; 10 g fresh cilantro, tied into the herb bundle; 2 g ground cumin; 2 g ground black pepper; 0.1 g saffron threads; 12 g fine salt, divided; 2 green plantains (about 500 g peeled), peeled and broken into large pieces; 2 small unripe cooking bananas/guineos (about 250 g peeled), halved; 1 ripe plantain (about 200 g peeled), cooked separately in its peel; 2 fresh corn ears (about 400 g edible), husked and cut into 3 pieces each; 500 g potatoes, peeled and cut into 4 cm pieces; 125 g arracacha, peeled and cut into 3 cm pieces; 250 g fresh sweet yuca, peeled and cut into 4 cm pieces; 200 g carrots, peeled and grated; 150 g green cabbage (about 4 leaves), chopped; 8 g fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Wide sancocho paisa spread with broth bowl, meat and vegetable platter, and ripe plantain.

Region Antioquia, in Colombia’s Andean Paisa region

Dish type Clear-broth meat and root-vegetable stew

Yield 8 generous servings

Prep time 35 minutes active

Cook time About 1 hour 50 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Sancocho Paisa: Antioquia Beef and Pork Stew

Sancocho paisa is a generous Antioquian one-pot meal with beef and pork, corn, yuca, potatoes and plantain. This version also uses arracacha, carrot, cabbage and small green cooking bananas called guineos. The broth is served separately from the solid ingredients, so diners can take a bowl of soup and then choose meat and vegetables from a shared platter. A ripe plantain is cooked in its peel in a separate pot and served alongside.

The combination is hearty but not rigid: cuts of beef and pork, the balance of roots and plantains, and the accompaniments vary between cooks. Here, beef chuck and boneless pork shoulder are cut into 3 cm pieces so they simmer at a similar pace. The measured eight-serving version uses 3.84 litres of water, approximating the generous broth of the regional preparation. If the meat needs more time, keep it at a gentle simmer before adding the vegetables; the vegetables should not be left in the pot for the full meat-cooking time.

Add the vegetables in stages to protect their texture. Green plantain and corn start first, followed by potato, arracacha, carrot, small green bananas and cabbage. Yuca goes in last because its pieces need less time than the meat but can still take a while to soften. The ripe plantain is boiled in its peel in a second pot, then split for the platter. Rice, ají pique and avocado can be offered at the table, but they remain separate accompaniments.

Ingredients

Meat and broth

500 g beef chuck, cut into 3 cm pieces
500 g boneless pork shoulder, cut into 3 cm pieces
3,840 ml water
30 ml neutral oil
120 g scallions (about 4 stalks), trimmed and tied into a bundle
10 g fresh parsley, tied into the herb bundle
10 g fresh cilantro, tied into the herb bundle
2 g ground cumin
2 g ground black pepper
0.1 g saffron threads
12 g fine salt, divided

Vegetables and finish

2 green plantains (about 500 g peeled), peeled and broken into large pieces
2 small unripe cooking bananas/guineos (about 250 g peeled), halved
1 ripe plantain (about 200 g peeled), cooked separately in its peel
2 fresh corn ears (about 400 g edible), husked and cut into 3 pieces each
500 g potatoes, peeled and cut into 4 cm pieces
125 g arracacha, peeled and cut into 3 cm pieces
250 g fresh sweet yuca, peeled and cut into 4 cm pieces
200 g carrots, peeled and grated
150 g green cabbage (about 4 leaves), chopped
8 g fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Method

Prepare the vegetables and ripe plantain. Peel the yuca thickly, remove any hard woody core and cut it into 4 cm chunks. Peel the green plantains and break them into large pieces by hand or cut them into 5 cm sections. Peel the small guineos and halve them. Peel and cut the potatoes and arracacha; grate the carrots and chop the cabbage. Husk the corn and cut each ear into three pieces. Tie the scallions, parsley and 10 g of cilantro into a bundle. In the second saucepan, cover the ripe plantain with water and simmer it in its peel for 20–25 minutes, until a knife enters easily. Drain and set aside.
Simmer the meats. Put the beef and pork in the large pot with the water, oil, scallion-and-herb bundle, cumin, pepper, saffron and about half the salt. Bring to a boil, skim off any grey foam, then lower the heat to a steady gentle simmer. Cook uncovered or partly covered for 60–75 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the largest pieces are tender when pierced. Tougher beef may take longer. If using a thermometer, check the centre of the largest pieces; whole beef and pork cuts should reach at least 62.8°C and rest for 3 minutes. Keep the meat in the hot broth while the stew continues.
Add the green plantain and corn. Add the green plantain pieces and corn. Maintain a gentle simmer for about 15 minutes. The plantain should begin to soften at the edges while still holding its shape, and the corn should become hot and tender. Avoid a hard boil, which can break up the plantain and make the broth cloudy.
Add the first group of vegetables. Stir in the potatoes, arracacha, guineos, grated carrot, cabbage and the remaining salt. Simmer for 10 minutes, keeping the ingredients mostly submerged. The potato and arracacha will still be firm at this stage; they finish cooking after the yuca is added. Taste a spoonful of broth and adjust the salt only slightly if needed.
Finish with the yuca. Add the yuca and continue simmering for about 15 minutes, or longer if needed. Check the largest yuca, potato and arracacha pieces with a small knife: each should be soft all the way through, while the plantain and guineos remain intact. The meat should pull apart easily with a fork. If the broth gets low, add boiling water rather than cold water, then bring it back to a simmer. Lift out the scallion and herb bundle.
Arrange and serve. Drain the ripe plantain and split it lengthwise. Ladle the broth into a soup bowl or tureen. Arrange the meat, corn, roots and green plantains on a large platter, add the ripe plantain and scatter the chopped cilantro over the top. Serve broth and solids separately so everyone can build a bowl to taste. White rice, ají pique and avocado may be offered on the side.

Practical

Equipment

Use a heavy pot of at least 7 litres, a second saucepan for the ripe plantain, a sharp knife, a cutting board, a large platter, a ladle and a clean food thermometer. A roomy pot lets the meat and vegetables cook without crowding. Tie the scallions, parsley and bouquet cilantro together so you can lift them out cleanly. Keep a little boiling water nearby in case the broth reduces more than expected.

Serving, storage and safety

The traditional-style presentation keeps the broth separate from the meat and vegetables. If you prefer, you can serve everything in one deep bowl, but keep the ripe plantain as a distinct sweet element. This recipe contains no major regulated allergens as written; check packaged seasonings and prevent cross-contact for individual allergy needs. Keep raw beef and pork away from ready-to-eat foods, and wash hands, knives and boards after handling them. Simmer the meat fully and until fork-tender; check the thickest pieces with a clean thermometer if needed. Use sweet table yuca intended for cooking, peel it completely, remove the woody core and cook until soft throughout. Do not use bitter cassava that has not received appropriate processing. Cool leftovers in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. Use within 3–4 days or freeze. Reheat leftovers to 73.9°C throughout; stir the broth and bring soup back to a boil. Store broth and solids together or separately, and add a splash of water if the broth has reduced.

Helpful notes

Tender meat: Start checking the beef after an hour; some chuck pieces need longer before the vegetables go in. Vegetable timing: Keep the yuca for the final stage so it softens without making the other vegetables fall apart.

Nutrition per serving

Energy: 640 kcal
Carbohydrates: 70 g
Protein: 30 g
Fat: 28 g
Fibre: 8 g
Sodium: 750 mg
Estimate: Approximate values for one of eight servings, based on the listed ingredients and generic food-composition data. Beef and pork fat, plantain size, salt retained and broth consumed can change the totals; this is not a laboratory analysis.