Name: Sancocho trifásico from San Estanislao with Pork, Chicken and Roots
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 2 h 10 min
Total time: 2 h 55 min
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 900 g pork ribs, cut into 5 cm pieces; 500 g boneless pork shoulder, cut into 4 cm pieces; 900 g bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks; 4500 ml water; 2 (about 500 g peeled) green plantains, peeled and cut into 4 cm pieces; 400 g yuca, peeled, woody core removed and cut into 4 cm pieces; 400 g potatoes, peeled and quartered; 400 g ñame, peeled and cut into 4 cm pieces; 400 g ahuyama, peeled, seeded and cut into 4 cm pieces; 4 ears (about 600 g prepared) corn, husked and cut into thick rounds; 180 g onion, finely chopped; 180 g tomato, finely chopped; 100 g mild sweet pepper, finely chopped; 60 g scallions, tied in a bundle; 15 g garlic, crushed; 3 g ground cumin; 14 g fine salt, divided and adjusted to taste; 1 g black pepper; 15 g cilantro, chopped

San Estanislao sancocho trifásico with pork ribs, pork shoulder, chicken, yuca, potato, ñame, ahuyama, green plantain and corn.

Yield 8 generous servings

Active preparation 45 minutes

Cooking time about 2 hours 10 minutes

Passive time none

Total time about 2 hours 55 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Sancocho trifásico from San Estanislao with Pork, Chicken and Roots

In San Estanislao de Kostka, Bolívar, the Colombian Ministry of Culture inventory records sancocho trifásico as an everyday soup. Its local description names pork ribs, hen and pork, then lists yuca, potato, ñame, ahuyama, plantain, corn and seasonings. The name points to three meat components, while the vegetables make the broth a full meal. The municipal entry gives a useful regional identity, but it is a concise description rather than a measured recipe.

This home version follows that ingredient list and makes its choices explicit: chicken pieces stand in for a mature hen, and the second pork component is boneless shoulder because the inventory does not identify cuts or quantities. A separate Ministry cookbook recipe called trifásico uses beef, pork and chicken. That is a documented variation, not the formula used here to represent San Estanislao. Household pots differ in cut, seasoning and the relative amount of roots, so this adaptation should not be read as the only local version.

The sequence is designed for a domestic stove. Pork starts first, chicken and corn follow, then the roots and vegetables are added so they finish tender but still recognizable. Cut dense roots into generous, similar pieces and keep the pot at a quiet simmer. The finished broth should taste savory and substantial, with tender meat, intact corn rounds and roots that can be lifted with a spoon rather than mashed into the liquid.

Ingredients

Meat and broth

900 g pork ribs, cut into 5 cm pieces
500 g boneless pork shoulder, cut into 4 cm pieces
900 g bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
4500 ml water

Roots and vegetables

2 (about 500 g peeled) green plantains, peeled and cut into 4 cm pieces
400 g yuca, peeled, woody core removed and cut into 4 cm pieces
400 g potatoes, peeled and quartered
400 g ñame, peeled and cut into 4 cm pieces
400 g ahuyama, peeled, seeded and cut into 4 cm pieces
4 ears (about 600 g prepared) corn, husked and cut into thick rounds

Seasoning and finish

180 g onion, finely chopped
180 g tomato, finely chopped
100 g mild sweet pepper, finely chopped
60 g scallions, tied in a bundle
15 g garlic, crushed
3 g ground cumin
14 g fine salt, divided and adjusted to taste
1 g black pepper
15 g cilantro, chopped

Method

Prepare the meat and vegetables. Keep raw pork and chicken separate from the vegetables and from clean utensils. Rinse the produce under clean running water. Peel the roots and plantains, remove the woody center from the yuca if present, and cut everything into generous pieces of similar size. Tie the scallions into a compact bundle so it can be lifted out later. Keep the prepared meat refrigerated until it goes into the pot.
Start the pork broth. Put the ribs, pork shoulder, water and scallion bundle in a heavy 10–12 L stockpot. Bring the water to a full boil, skim away the foam, then lower the heat until small bubbles rise steadily. Partially cover and simmer for about 45 minutes. The pork should begin to soften while still holding together. If the pot boils hard, lower the heat; a rolling boil can make the broth cloudy and the meat ragged.
Add the chicken and corn. Add the chicken pieces and corn and return the liquid to a gentle simmer. Cook for 25–30 minutes. Check the thickest chicken piece with a food thermometer inserted into the meat without touching bone; it must reach at least 74°C. Continue simmering if needed. The pork may need more time to become tender, so do not use its texture as a reason to remove the chicken before it has reached the safe temperature. Add a little hot water if the meat is no longer covered.
Add the roots and seasonings. Add the green plantain, yuca, ñame, potatoes and ahuyama, followed by the onion, tomato, sweet pepper, garlic, cumin, black pepper and about two-thirds of the salt. Simmer partially covered for 35–45 minutes, turning the larger pieces carefully once. Start checking after 30 minutes: a thin knife should pass through the largest root pieces without resistance, and the pork should be tender. If the roots need longer, keep the pot at a low simmer and check again every 5 minutes. Add hot water if the broth reduces too far.
Finish and serve. Lift out and discard the scallion bundle. Stir in the cilantro, taste the broth and add the remaining salt gradually. Ladle broth, all three meats, corn and several roots into each warm bowl. Serve hot. Tell diners that the ribs and chicken contain bones, and use a serving spoon to keep the meat and vegetables from breaking apart.

Practical guidance

Practical

Nutrition per serving

No major allergens are inherent in the listed ingredients. Check labels on packaged seasonings, and prevent cross-contact if serving someone with an allergy. Keep raw pork and chicken separate from ready-to-eat foods. Use a thermometer to verify that chicken reaches 74°C. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat them throughout to 74°C.

Practical guidance

Choose cuts that can simmer Ask the butcher to cut the ribs into soup pieces and select bone-in thighs and drumsticks rather than thin chicken breast. Bone-in pieces add flavor and hold together during the long simmer. Trim only thick, hard pieces of excess fat from the pork; removing every trace can leave the broth thin. The cooking time is an estimate because animal age, cut size, pot shape and stove strength vary. Tenderness cues matter more than the clock, but the chicken still needs the thermometer check. Keep the vegetable pieces intact Yuca and ñame can be denser than potato and squash. If they are especially firm, cut them slightly smaller or add them a few minutes before the softer vegetables. Keep the plantain pieces large enough to survive stirring. Use a wide spoon to turn the roots instead of stirring vigorously. If one root softens ahead of the others, lift it out temporarily and return it just before serving. Adjust the broth carefully The vegetables release starch as they cook, so the broth will gain body without being blended. If the liquid level drops, add hot water in small amounts; cold water pauses the simmer. Taste only after the ingredients have cooked and the broth has reduced, then add salt in small increments. If the broth tastes too concentrated, loosen it with hot water and simmer briefly again. Cool and reheat safely Divide leftovers among shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours rather than cooling the whole stockpot on the counter. Keep them refrigerated for 3–4 days. Reheat only what you plan to eat until steaming throughout and at least 74°C, stirring the broth so the temperature is even. The stew can be frozen, although potatoes and squash may become softer after thawing.

Final notes

Serve generously: Include broth, each of the three meats, corn and several roots in every bowl. Plan for bones: Ribs and chicken contain bones; let diners know before serving.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: 1 serving (one eighth of the pot)
Calories: 804 kcal
Carbohydrates: 88 g
Protein: 41 g
Fat: 35 g
Fibre: 10 g
Sodium: 850 mg## Allergens and food safety

Sancocho trifásico from San Estanislao with Pork, Chicken and Roots

Ingredients

Meat and broth

Roots and vegetables

Seasoning and finish

Method

Practical

Nutrition per serving

Practical guidance

Final notes

Nutrition per serving

Colombian National Dishes

Sancocho de Doña Conchita: pork, tripe and root-vegetable stew

Bishana with cuna-tumaqueño arepas: a Kamëntsá-inspired soup menu

Antioquia Sopa de Arepa (Potato Soup with Egg-Coated Arepa)