Sancocho Dominicano (Dominican Stew)

  • Total time - 150 minutes
  • Active preparation - 45 minutes
  • Note - Long, slow cooking is key to achieving the stew's thickness and tenderizing the meat/tubers.
  • Servings: 6
  • Country: Dominican Republic
A rich and thick bowl of Sancocho full of meat, corn, and various root vegetables, served with slices of avocado and rice.

Sancocho is a dish reserved for special occasions. The thick consistency is achieved by the starch released from the tubers and by the pumpkin (auyama), which dissolves during cooking.

Traditionally, a minimum of 3, but often 7 types of meat are used (e.g., beef, pork, chicken, goat, smoked sausage, smoked bones/ribs). The meat should always be marinated and seared first.

Ingredients

I. Meat and Marinade

  • 300 g Beef (stewing cut, cubed)
  • 300 g Pork (shoulder/leg, cubed, possibly smoked ribs)
  • 300 g Chicken (boneless thighs, or bone-in pieces)
  • 0.5 cups Lime juice/vinegar (to wash the meat)
  • 3 Tbsp Sofrito/Sazón (Dominican seasoning), minced garlic, oregano
  • 2 Tbsp Vegetable oil
  • 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste

II. Tubers and Vegetables

  • 3 liters (or as needed) Water / Broth (beef/chicken)
  • 300 g Yuca (cassava), peeled, cut into chunks
  • 2 pcs (medium) Plantain (green), peeled, cut into chunks
  • 300 g Auyama (Pumpkin, e.g., Butternut), peeled, part chopped, part for melting
  • 2 pcs (large) Potatoes/Sweet Potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks
  • 2 cobs Corn (on the cob), cut into wheels
  • 0.5 bunch Cilantro, fresh

III. For Seasoning and Serving

  • 1 to taste Salt, black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp (just before serving) Lime juice
  • 1 as a side White Rice (Arroz Blanco)
  • 1 for garnish Avocado

Instructions

Step 1: Marinating and Searing the Meat

Wash, pat dry, and 'clean' the meats (beef, pork, chicken) with lime juice/vinegar. Rinse thoroughly.

Marinate the meat in a mixture of Sofrito/Sazón, minced garlic, and oregano for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

In a large pot (ideally a caldero), heat the oil and sear the meat in batches over medium-high heat until golden brown. Set aside.

Add the tomato paste to the pot, sauté for 1 minute, and return the meat.

Step 2: Cooking the Meat and Tubers

Pour water or broth over the meat (about 3 liters) so the meat is fully submerged and there's room in the pot for the vegetables. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the yuca, plantains, and corn. Plantain should be cut into chunks and soaked in cold water before adding (often scored three times and then broken apart).

Also add most of the chopped Auyama (pumpkin) and the remaining Sofrito/Sazón. Cook for about 60 minutes, or until the tubers are almost tender. It is okay if the pumpkin begins to dissolve, as this thickens the soup.

Step 3: Finishing the Sancocho

Add the potatoes/sweet potatoes. Cook for another 15-20 minutes until all the tubers are soft and the stew is thick. Check the thickness: if it is too thin, mash a few pieces of yuca/pumpkin on the side of the pot and mix into the liquid.

Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped cilantro and lime juice. Add these two ingredients at the very end to prevent them from losing flavor.

Simmer for 5 minutes.

Step 4: Serving

Serve the Sancocho hot, poured into deep bowls. It should be so thick that a spoon can almost stand up in it.

Traditionally served with a bowl of white rice (Arroz Blanco) and slices of avocado, which are added to the top of the stew.