Easy Venezuelan Sancocho
This delicious and easy to make Venezuelan Sancocho is filled with vegetables, starches and hearty beef! Perfect Sunday dish to enjoy with family and friends.
Servings 6 servings
Calories 353kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ½ - 2 lb Hind Shank
- 2 small onions, divided (one halved + one diced)
- ½ bell pepper, halved
- 8 garlic cloves, divided (4 wholes + 4 minced)
- 1 leek, separated (dark green leaves and light part)
- 8 cups beef or vegetable stock
- ½ cup mini red sweet peppers, thinly diced
- ½ cup scallions, sliced
- 2 ears of corn, cleaned and sliced into 4 parts each (you can use frozen if fresh is not available)
- ½ lb Cassaba (Yuca in Spanish) , cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ lb Yautia (Ocumo in Spanish) , cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ lb White Yam (Ñame in Spanish) , cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ lb Butternut Squash (Auyama in Spanish) , cut into 1-inch pieces
- Salt and black pepper to taste (I added 1 teaspoon of salt)
- Cilantro leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Add hind shank, 1 halved small onion, halved bell pepper, 4 whole garlic cloves, the dark green leaves of the leek, and stock to a large stockpot. Cook for 45-60 minutes until the meat is fork-tender. NOTE: the meat can take a bit longer to be fork-tender; that is okay, just add more cooking time if necessary.
- When the meat is tender, remove the big pieces of vegetables and bones. Discard.
- Add diced onion, 2 minced garlic, mini sweet peppers, sliced leeks (light green part), scallions, yucca, and corn; Mix and simmer covered over medium heat for 5- 8 minutes, until the yucca is starting to soften. NOTE: the yuca can take a bit longer to start softening; that is okay, just add more cooking time if necessary.
- Add yautia, white yam, and butternut squash. Mix to combine. Simmer covered over medium heat for 5 – 6 minutes, until all the root vegetables are tender. NOTE: Do not cook too much, or they will fall apart.
- Taste and add salt to your taste, if necessary. Add cilantro and the remaining 2 minced garlic cloves. Mix and let simmer for 2 more minutes.
- Serve hot in large soup bowls, dividing the meat and vegetables evenly. Add a squish of lime juice and/or hot sauce, if desired. Serve along with arepas and or casabe (cassava bread).
Video
Notes
STORE: You can store Sancocho leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I recommend removing the corn from the soup so there's no risk that it ferments.
FREEZE: Let it cool completely, and then place it in an airtight container. Freeze sancocho for up to a month. I recommend removing the corn from the soup so there's no risk that it ferments.
Root Vegetables: I buy root vegetables (casaba, yautia, and white yam) in my local Asian store.
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Please note that nutritional information is a rough estimate, and it can vary depending on the products used.
Nutrition
Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 1333mg | Potassium: 1160mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 5493IU | Vitamin C: 61mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 3mg