True Dominican Sancocho (Meat and Vegetable Stew)

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This version of sancocho (Dominican meat and vegetable stew) has been simplified a bit. The original recipe is often made with seven kinds of meat and served on special occasions or holidays. My fiancé is from the Dominican Republic, and his mother has made some amazing food for me — the first time she made sancocho, I fell in love with it. Don't be afraid to use more types of meat than I use in this recipe. This filling stew is great by itself or served over rice in the traditional way. It tastes even better the next day!

Submitted by porchia
Updated on December 1, 2023
3
Prep Time:
10 mins
Cook Time:
2 hrs 30 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs 40 mins
Servings:
12
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 12 servings

  • ¼ cup dried oregano

  • 5 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 teaspoons salt, divided

  • 1 pound bone-in beef chuck

  • 1 pound bone-in pork loin roast

  • 5 chicken drumsticks, or more to taste

  • 2 large lemons, juiced

  • 2 large onions, quartered

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1 tablespoon vinegar

  • ½ cup vegetable oil

  • 1 ¼ gallons water, or as needed

  • 1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth

  • 1 (10.5 ounce) can beef consomme

  • 4 beef bouillon cubes, divided

  • 1 ½ pounds Spanish pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

  • 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

  • 1 pound eddeos, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

  • ½ pound yuca (cassava) roots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

  • ½ pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

  • 2 green plantains, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

  • 2 ears corn on the cob, cut into quarters

  • 3 stalks celery, diced

  • 2 large carrots, chopped, or more to taste

  • 1 large green bell pepper, diced

  • 1 bunch cilantro, chopped

  • 1 pinch adobo seasoning (Optional)

Directions

  1. Mash oregano, garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl until well combined.

  2. Mix beef, pork, chicken, and lemon juice together in a large bowl; drain 1/2 of the liquid. Mix in onions, mashed garlic mixture, 2 tablespoons oil, and vinegar.

  3. Heat 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meat mixture in three batches and cook until browned on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes per batch.

  4. Transfer browned meats to an 8-quart Dutch oven. Pour in 1/2 of the water, then add chicken broth, beef consommé, 2 bouillon cubes, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until meats are more than halfway cooked through, about 40 minutes.

  5. Add pumpkin, sweet potatoes, eddeos, yuca, potatoes, plantains, corn, celery, carrots, bell pepper, cilantro, remaining bouillon cubes, and adobo seasoning to the Dutch oven. Increase the heat to medium and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring in remaining water as needed in gradual increments to replace evaporated liquid, until root vegetables are soft and liquid has thickened, 1 to 2 hours.

  6. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, transfer beef, pork, and chicken to a cutting board. Let cool slightly, then remove bones and chop or shred meat. Return meat to the stew and finish cooking.

Recipe Tips

Chop and dice all vegetables to a uniform size while you are cooking the meat in batches.

You can use either bone-in or boneless beef, pork, and chicken. If using boneless, cut meats to roughly the same size. You can add batatas as an extra starch vegetable or use it instead of the eddeos.

Chicken bouillon cubes can be used instead of beef, and one large bitter orange can be used instead of two medium lemons.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

497 Calories
23g Fat
54g Carbs
24g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 12
Calories 497
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 23g 29%
Saturated Fat 5g 27%
Cholesterol 60mg 20%
Sodium 1090mg 47%
Total Carbohydrate 54g 19%
Dietary Fiber 8g 29%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 24g 47%
Vitamin C 59mg 65%
Calcium 137mg 11%
Iron 4mg 21%
Potassium 1198mg 25%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.