Puerto Rican Sancocho

Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 150 min
Servings: 12
Yield: 12 servings

Description

This sancocho recipe is a Puerto Rican beef stew loaded with many delicious vegetables and makes for a warm and comforting meal for cold days.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
3 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 pinch dried oregano
salt to taste
1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into small pieces
2 quarts water, or as needed
1/2 (6 1/2 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 cubes beef bouillon
1 cup chopped fresh green beans, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup chopped celery
1 large chayote squash - peeled, cored, and sliced lengthwise
1 (15 1/2 ounce) can small white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 head cabbage, chopped
1 green banana, peeled and sliced into 3/4-inch pieces
1 yellow plantain, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
5 large llautias (yautias), peeled and quartered
6 potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup chopped peeled pumpkin
2 ears fresh corn, sliced into 6 pieces each
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper

Directions

1 Gather all ingredients.
2 Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add onion, garlic, cilantro, white pepper, oregano, and salt. Cook and stir until onion is browned and very tender, about 20 minutes.
3 Add stew meat; cook and stir until meat is browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes.
4 Pour enough water over meat mixture to fill the pot 3/4 full. Add tomato sauce and beef bouillon.
5 Stir in the remaining ingredients, one at a time, cooking slightly after each addition in the following order: green beans, carrots, celery, chayote squash, white beans, cabbage, green banana, yellow plantain, llautias, potatoes, pumpkin, corn, and green bell pepper.
6 Cook until all the vegetables are tender and stew has formed a rich broth, 2 to 3 hours. Add more water or salt if needed.