Sancocho (Puerto Rican Beef Stew)

by Meseidy on October 14, 2009

Sancocho Header

Sancocho

It has been gloomy and rainy for a week now and it doesn’t look like it’s going to let up till maybe the weekend….so says the weatherman.  What is really annoying is that it isn’t even a real rain, it’s a mist, I feel like I am in London or something.  Cold and drizzly weather like this calls for a warm hearty stew.  This particular dish has to be my favorite cold weather dish, no doubt.  The name of this dish, Sancocho, literally means stew.  In Puerto Rico when a person has spent all day under the hot sun, it is said that they are “sancochao”,  which means stewing in the blistering heat.

This stew goes back at least 400 hundered years to when the Spaniards brought African slaves over to the island.  The slaves would make a huge pot and let it stew all day and have a hearty meal ready after a long day of labor.  The tradition continued on to the poor farmers, which were call “Jibaros” and it is still here today.

Sancocho

Sancocho is made up of beef tips, beef stock and a variety of starches that are both native to the island and to Africa.  Although plantains are associated with Puerto Rican cuisine, the plantain is originally from Africa.  My favorite starch in this stew is the yucca root, which is native to Puerto Rico and was use by the native Taino Indians.   I was lucky enough to find frozen yucca at my local Asian market.  You can switch starches in and out if needed.  If you are missing something, add a little more of something else, but do not leave out the corn.  The corn is one of the best parts.  I always save my corn for the very end, it is almost like a savory dessert.  I remember when my sister and I were young we use to fight over the last piece of corn in the pot.  She is a scrappy one, but I didn’t go down without a fight.

This stew is just heaven and reminds me so much of home.  Obed was very excited to come home to a huge pot of sancocho.  It is very filling and bursting with flavor.  If you have any left, refrigerate it and save it for later.  This stew is even better the next day after it has been marinating overnight.  I think Obed and I ate from this pot for three days.  You can also freeze it and have it on hand for a cold rainy day.

To me, it’s a little piece of home in a bowl.

Sancocho Header Anatomy

Anatomy of Sancocho

Print Recipe

Sancocho (Stew) Serves 6

  • 2 Tbs olive oil
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1-1/2 lbs top round beef, cubed into 1-1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/3 cup yellow onions, chopped
  • 1/3 cup green pepper, chopped
  • 5 sprigs of cilantro, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 4 medium tomatoes, cored and chopped
  • 4 quarts beef stock
  • 1 green plantain, peeled and slice into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 yellow plantain, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 medium sweet potato, diced into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 pound butternut squash, peeled and cubed into 1-inch pieces
  • 3 medium new potatoes, peeled and quartered
  • 2 ears of yellow corn, cleaned and sliced into 6 parts each

In a preheated dutch oven or heavy pot over low-to-medium heat, combine olive oil, garlic, beef cubes, and onions, stir until beef is brown on all sides and onions begin to caramelize. Add in chopped pepper, cilantro, salt, pepper, tomatoes, and 1 quart of beef stock. Cook down until stock is reduced by half about 20 minutes.

Stir beef, then add in all the remaining vegetables and beef stock. Continue to cook until meat is tender and the vegetables are soft.

{ 42 comments… read them below or add one }

Danielle October 14, 2009 at 8:50 pm

I can’t wait to try this out!
My grandmother used to make it and I never had a chance to get the recipe!

Thank you!

Reply

Nooschi October 14, 2009 at 9:02 pm

I love this. This looks so hearty and so perfect for the weather I’ve been experiencing. I love old world recipes.

Reply

Mercedes October 15, 2009 at 2:36 am

Hearty as it is, makes me think of the way “Cocido” is made in Spain… I definitile love it more as I get older… seems that soups and stews are easier to eat with a spoon! And also they are comfort food when the weather gets chillier! Love how you introduce us you Puertorican food traditions!
Muchos besos desde España

Reply

Joan Nova October 15, 2009 at 6:09 am

I love sancocho though I thought its origin was the Dominican Republic. I guess their early histories are so similar that it’s a shared dish.

Reply

Naomi G. October 15, 2009 at 5:57 pm

Me diste donde me duele Meseidy. QUE delicia! [: It has been raining over here too (Lares, PR). I think I will be making this Sancocho tomorrow.

Reply

Mai October 20, 2009 at 7:23 pm

I made this stew over the weekend. I loved the contrast of flavors; sweet potato with new potatoes, tostones and plantains. It was delicious. I’ll definately make it again.

Reply

Ricardo November 14, 2009 at 8:24 pm

Hi Meseidy, my wife, mother, and me where wondering where is the Asian market you referred to in your “Sancocho”, as we also live in Tulsa and don’t know of any place where to get Yuca, platano, etc. I am also from Puerto Rico and got the itch to do your recipe. Love your blog.
Thanks.

Reply

Meseidy November 14, 2009 at 8:41 pm

The market is called Nam-Hai at 21st and Garnett. It is kind of scary and messy but you will find what you need. :D

Reply

Jackie June 5, 2010 at 1:00 am

Hey Meseidy, I am 22yrs old with 2 children & I grew up with comfort food like this & would love to share that with my children. I truly am grateful to have your website where I can look for my PR recipes since my grandmother has been ill & is unable to teach me. My mom cooks wonderfully hispanic for a %100 irish woman lol but nothing beats abuela’s cooking! I was just wondering if in this recipe chicken breast can be used instead of beef, because my fiancee isn’t a fan of beef? Thanks for all the wonderful recipes that bring great memories to me!

Reply

Meseidy June 5, 2010 at 9:06 am

Traditionally it is made with beef but you won’t get in trouble for making it with chicken, you could try pork also.

Reply

Nina October 15, 2011 at 2:18 am

Meseidy is right, my family has almost always made it with chicken. I think it really depends on which region of puerto rico you’re also from. In our case, my uncle Demo has a farm and raised a lot of chickens there, so there was always plenty of chicken around to be had, whereas, killing a cow every time we wanted sancocho just wasn’t as feasible (where would we get our milk, right? haha). Anyway it makes me happy to see that this recipe was featured in tastespotting, because it’s always nice to see a piece of home recognized by more cultures. Living in Canada, I’ve encountered people who don’t even know that Puerto Rico exists, or that it’s even as close as it is. Thanks Meseidy!

Reply

Maite January 5, 2011 at 8:07 pm

Love the “anatomy of Sancocho” beautiful pic

Reply

Paul May 13, 2011 at 7:21 pm

Wow! Incredible recipe!!! I just made it and it made me remember my grandma’s.
My girlfriend was impressed, hehe… And the hardest part? Looking for the ingredients at the local supermarket, specially identifying the “viandas”. I even threw some ~ame at it. Thanks for memories. thememories memor

Reply

sandy August 2, 2011 at 5:25 am

How come yucca is not in the recipe ingredients? When do I add it?

Reply

becca October 24, 2011 at 11:10 pm

i was looking to see how much yucca to add but its not in the recipe ingredients

Reply

Que Delish November 13, 2011 at 9:53 pm

:drool: que ricoooooooooo! Can’t wait to try this out as soon as I have yuca y platanos en casa!

Reply

jim January 18, 2012 at 4:40 pm

Making sancocho today for my lovely Puerto Rican wife of 30 years. Whenever I travel to PR before la playa and El Yunque is the market. The vegetables, the atmosphere are all wonderful for a country boy like me. I’m using short ribs, some cilantro from my greenhouse, yucca and plantains from the store. Ay que rico! gracias.
jim

Reply

Me January 29, 2012 at 12:32 pm

Sancocho is a Dominican dish, it should not be labeled “Puerto Rican beef stew”, that is innacurate and misleading.

Reply

margaret August 2, 2012 at 9:39 pm

Stop all your hate. PUERTO RICO WAS FIRST. All of a sudden they invented everything come on. It was first brought to us by the spaniards we made it our own, DR, later copy just as everyone else.

Reply

Kristina A September 30, 2012 at 2:04 pm

Margaret is right. I did an extensive search a few years back. It was the spaniards and when they arrived in puerto rico it was passed on. D.R has copied many other dishes of ours. Or rather “learned”. The Dominicans do envy and want to hold credit for so much. Just remembered who paved the way all latinos in this country. Give credit where credit is due;)

Reply

Maci December 6, 2012 at 5:24 am

Yet another Dominican going up against PRs…wow….I thought we’d left all that bickering behind. I guess not. anyways, The Spaniards came to PR first as PR was the first island to be discovered before the country of DR was. No need to hate, it’s Geography. Obviously Columbus came to PR first, then Hispaniola(Haiti/Dominican Republic) or was it Cuba?

Reply

nana April 1, 2013 at 8:51 pm

Sancocho is a pr dish da Dominicas do it too but its originaly from pr

Reply

Carmen January 30, 2012 at 11:25 am

Sancocho is a Puerto Rican dish as well as a typical dish in many Latin American countries, it comes from the Spanish “cocido” (from the Canary Islands). Before we had any Dominicans move to our Island, we had Sancocho in Puerto Rico…every country has its own recipe for this dish, so it is proper to call it Puerto Rican Beef Stew, because if reflects our version of sancocho. Dominicans have many different types, but that does not make this dish theirs to own up to, I guess the Canary Islands can claim to have the original sancocho…

Reply

Kwon JiWon February 10, 2012 at 8:42 pm

Hello!

I’m glad to find this blog for Puerto Rican dish.
I’m a Korean mom and my son has some Puerto Rican friends here in South Korea.
Actually, They are U.S soldiers.
I want to make this stew for them but some starch ingredients are not available here.
Is it O.K. to make it only with potatoes, sweet potatoes and pumpkins?

Do you think they will like it?

Reply

Michael February 29, 2012 at 12:21 pm

Greetings, kwon Jwon! That is great, that you are going to make a stew, for your son’s friends. I have not eaten this dish, for quite a while. I sure miss it.
I was surprised to read about a Korean mother, cooking for her son’s Puerto Rican friends. Here I am in Los Angeles, California, that has a large Korean community. I am also Puerto Rican and just love Korean food (Love Bulgogi)! I love the culture, the food, movies, dramas series, etc. I hope to visit, next year. I am not a professional cook, or a great cook, for that matter however, if you need Puerto Rican recipes, please feel free to contact me. ?????

Reply

JoAnn February 13, 2012 at 1:17 pm

My beloved “mami” passed away this past July and I never got to write down her sancocho recipe when we made it together. So thank you for this!! When “mami” made it though she always made it with a piping hot pot of white rice..then the way it was served was your bowl of sancocho in front of you and a bowl of white rice alongside..you’d scoop a spoonful of rice into the sancocho and lather it…Ay.. Yai.. Yai QUE RICO!!..sweet memories of Mami….

Reply

Abuelita SARA November 18, 2012 at 5:20 pm

joann my MOM also went home with GOd Spet and same happen to just know they are well now and this wedsite is great, GOD BLEESS!

Reply

Ray Nieves February 18, 2012 at 4:30 pm

this sancocho is great I love it . But it will never taste like ABUELA,S sancocho . LOL

Reply

Stephanie March 16, 2012 at 10:37 pm

How long do you cook it once you get all of the vegetables in? Could you use a crock pot?

Reply

EJ April 2, 2012 at 9:56 pm

Just a random question, but you talk about yucca and that is mentioned in your pic, but the recipe you posted didn’t have it as an ingredient… Where does it come in?

Reply

Janet September 23, 2012 at 1:46 pm

I noticed that as well I put in the yucca with the rest of the veggies, it turned out great, yum.

Reply

Eva June 24, 2012 at 9:05 pm

Thank you for this awesome treasure that I never learned from grandma. I will cherish this recipe.

Reply

Eva June 24, 2012 at 9:06 pm

You rock, and love the history added as well.

Reply

Sarita Otero July 4, 2012 at 12:09 pm

Looks delicious. One bowl of this and ill be sweating and dizzy. Whew.

Reply

Janet September 23, 2012 at 1:45 pm

Love this recipe! My husband is Ecuadorian and they also have their own rendition of sancocho, but he loved this one! Thank you for sharing!

Reply

Roger October 8, 2012 at 12:13 pm

I discovered this stuff during a recent trip to Puerto Rico. Delicious.
However, I have a few questions. Top round can be a little tough and dry when cooked, even in a stew. Has anyone ever tried chuck instead? Also, it takes about two hours to cook the meat. Even though the recipe calls for cooking the meat 20 minutes extra. It seems like the potatoes, and maybe other starches, would be falling apart by the time the meat is done. Thoughts? Experience?
Finally, I assume green and yellow plantains are simply the same fruit in different stages of ripeness, correct?

Reply

Maci December 6, 2012 at 5:34 am

I believe she said to cook the beef first and THEN add the vegetables…but I could be wrong. I would

Reply

Kelly October 9, 2012 at 1:32 pm

I noticed other websites & recipes call for water but this one doesnt. Are you supposed to add water or not? Also how much yuca should I add?

Reply

Moncho December 7, 2012 at 10:56 pm

God Bless You and your Blog/Website. I have finally found heaven, I’ve been in many websites trying to find real Puerto Rican cooking and I finally found it. Thanks your recipes are the greatest.

Reply

La Sirena December 30, 2012 at 9:49 am

It snowed all day in New York yesterday and what better than a flavory sancocho! I followed your recipe but also added tripe and bolitas de platanos. All I can say is Oh my God! It was amazing. Hosting a traditional friends and children holiday sleep over, this dish could not have come at a better time. After losing my mom this year and not being able to reach out to her for her sancocho recipe, yours was very close to mom’s. Thank you

Reply

Yrina March 12, 2013 at 12:14 pm

Sancocho is the most traditional Dominican stew, not Puerto Rican

Reply

Ricardo March 13, 2013 at 7:32 am

You do realize that the Spaniards came to PR first, right? You have to read history to know that. It’s traditionally a Spanish dish, but all of the islands claim it to be theirs. Fine with me, but I swear Dominicans and Puerto Ricans are always bickering over nonsense, and should enjoy the fact that our culture is the richest of all.

Reply

Leave a Comment

{ 3 trackbacks }

Previous post:

Next post: