Dominican Sancocho
4.3
(8)
Ingredients
Makes 10 to 12 servings
Preparation
Step 1
Cook longaniza (if using) with 1/2 cup water in a 12-inch heavy skillet, covered, over medium heat, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides and water has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces, then transfer to an 8-quart pot.
Step 2
Cook bacon in skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, then transfer to pot with a slotted spoon, reserving fat in skillet.
Step 3
Meanwhile, cut meat from beef shank into 1 1/2-inch pieces, reserving bone. Pat beef, pork, and chicken dry, putting them in separate bowls. Toss meat in each bowl with 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Step 4
Heat fat in skillet over medium-high heat until hot, then add beef and bone in 1 layer and brown, turning occasionally, about 7 minutes. Transfer to pot with slotted spoon. Brown pork and chicken in separate batches in same manner, transferring to pot.
Step 5
Add onion, peppers, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to skillet and sauté until softened. Add 1 cup water and boil, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 1 minute. Transfer vegetable mixture to pot. Add cilantro stems, oregano, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and remaining 3 quarts water to pot and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam, then simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
Step 6
While meat simmers, cut ends from plantains with a sharp small knife, then cut a lengthwise slit through peel. Beginning at slit, pry off peel, then cut plantains crosswise into 1-inch-thick pieces.
Step 7
Trim ends from yuca and cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces, then peel, removing waxy brown skin and pinkish layer underneath. Quarter lengthwise and cut out coarse center fiber.
Step 8
Peel ñame and yautía, then cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces and keep in a bowl of cold water.
Step 9
Seed and peel calabaza, then cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces.
Step 10
Add plantain and yuca to tender meat in pot and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Drain ñame and yautía and add to pot along with calabaza, then simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes. Remove and discard beef and chicken bones.
Step 11
Add corn and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until corn is tender and all root vegetables are very tender (yuca should be translucent), 10 to 15 minutes. Sancocho broth should be slightly thickened from root vegetables; thin with additional water if necessary. Stir in juice and reheat, then season with salt and pepper.
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Reviews (8)
Back to TopI agree 100% with EEVEGA recipes wich is the real recipes. there is not bacon in sncocho.
omka1
Larence, MA
1/13/2016
The recipe is very good, but every Dominican will say that only his or her grandmother's sancocho is truly exceptional, and thus 4-fork worthy. I live in Europe so I can't always find all ingredients. That's fine. I've often substituted mild chorizo for longaniza, sometimes I've omitted the yautía or the ñame and compensated with a little bit of batata (sweet potato). I don't use red bell peppers, but more savory red or green peppers. And the secret for "sancocho umami"... taste, taste, taste, seasoning as you go.
Anonymous
Geneva, Switzerland
3/1/2011
This is a true symbol of our nation, it really shows our traditional cooking.
gonzalezberges
Dominican Republic
9/17/2010
Sancocho is one of the Dominican Symbols, and it resembles the mix of cultures that defined our own (meats from spain, root vegetables from the local Tainos and Africa). My suggestions to the cook from Merion and others: Dont substitute ingredients (if longaniza isnt available, just ommit it. If you do find it, fry it well instead of boiling, and reserve to add at the end). Keep beef, pork and chicken. Before seasoning, 'wash' meats with the seville oranges (sour oranges). Instead of seasoning meats with just salt, you have two options. Either season all meats with salt, pepper, cilantro, red onion, cubanela pepper, garlic, and oregano (If you can also find 'wide' cilantro, also called culantro, recao, long coriander or "cilantro ancho", add 2 or 3 leaves). Season meats with all of these, chopped up. The other option is to process all these ingredients and season meats with this 'paste'. (I do it this way, but some say that Sancocho shouldn't have green bits, removing the wilted stems of cilantro and others at the end. I don't mind it, and I think it contrasts fine). Also, I've never heard of using bacon, nor red bell pepper. Steps after seasoning: Use one big pot for everything. Remove excess seasonings from meat (reserve) and Sautee all meats (separate) in big pot with a little oil and sugar (for color), transferring each to a separate bowl to catch juices, and reserve). Add remainig seasonings to pot with enough water to cover a little more than half of pot. When it boils, add meats with juices, reserved longaniza, and half the calabaza (the calabaza will give it some color and will thicken liquid a little). Then add plantain, yuca, and the rest of root veggies... Some add lime, sour orange juice or vinegar at the end, when roots are very tender. I leave this option for each guest, when served. Good luck and "buen provecho".. wow, I'm soo hungry!
eevega
Dominican Republic
1/14/2009
This is a geat alternative to plain-jane stew. Some of the ingredients are hard to find, so I made a few adjustments (I know, I know) but it seems to come out very well all the same. I used chicken stock instead of water, and instead of all the root vegetables mentioned I used sweet potato, russet potato, butternut squash, and a can of corn. I also found that this lacks a little punch when prepared as directed, so I added 3 chopped chipotle pepppers (canned in adobo sauce) as well as the sauce from the can. I also added 1/2 jar of green sofrito, a cilantro cooking sauce usually in or near the goya section in the grocery store. Enjoy!
woodstockcook
1/8/2009
this stew sounds great; I am going to the market for the ingredients, but where do I get the longaniza sausage or what sausage do I substitute for it? What is yautia and name (no nyas on my keyboard.) Everything else is manageable. Hurry and answer, I can't wait to try it.
Anonymous
Merion, PA
1/4/2009
I am a Dominican/American raised in the States, and now am living in the Dom. Rep. This recipe is great, once all the meats and veggies get stewing and the flavors mix together it is incredible, especially with our great dominican beer PRESIDENTE. As they say here in the Dom Rep A good plate of sanchocho can relive the dead.
lisettemcf
santo domingo, dominican republic
10/23/2008
Great recipe! As a Dominican I am quite familiar with this dish and the recipe is exactly how we do it, maybe even a little better. It may sound a little difficult or unfamiliar because of some of the ingredients but the dish is very very delicsious and worth the time and effort. I do it once a month. We love it.
Ilianexy
New York
3/12/2008
