Puchero Santafereño: Bogotá-Style Beef, Chicken, and Pork Stew

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• A true Bogotá family-style feast: one pot, many textures, and a clean, aromatic broth.
• Balanced plate in every bowl: tender beef, chicken, and pork with sweet corn, creamy potatoes, yuca, and arracacha.
• Make-ahead friendly: broth tastes even better the next day, and ají keeps well.
• Simple, honest ingredients with precise timing so every vegetable is perfectly cooked.

Grocery List

• Produce: White onion, scallions, garlic, cilantro, potatoes, yuca (cassava), arracacha (apio criollo), green plantain, green cabbage, fresh corn on the cob, limes, hot chiles (aji/serrano).
• Dairy: None.
• Pantry: Long-grain white rice, white vinegar, kosher salt, black pepper, ground cumin, bay leaves, neutral oil.

Full Ingredients

Broth and Meats

• 1.5 lb (680 g) beef shank (ossobuco) or bone-in short ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1.25 lb (570 g) pork ribs or pork shoulder in 2-inch chunks
• 1.5 lb (680 g) bone-in chicken thighs and/or drumsticks (4–6 pieces)
• 1 large white onion, halved
• 4 scallions, tied into a bundle
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 packed cup cilantro stems (reserve leaves for garnish)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2.5 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 16 cups (3.8 L) cold water

Vegetables and Starches

• 1 lb (450 g) potatoes (white or yellow), peeled and halved
• 1 lb (450 g) yuca (cassava), peeled, woody core removed, cut into 2-inch batons
• 0.75 lb (340 g) arracacha (apio criollo), peeled and cut into thick chunks
• 1 large green plantain, peeled and cut into 1.5–2 inch chunks
• 1/2 small head green cabbage (about 12 oz/340 g), cut into 6 wedges, core intact
• 3 ears fresh corn, shucked and cut crosswise into thirds

For Serving

• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
• Lime wedges
• Kosher salt to finish

Ají Santafereño

• 2/3 cup hot water
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 4 scallions, very finely chopped
• 1–2 fresh hot chiles (aji/serrano), seeded and minced (to taste)
• 2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, more to taste

White Rice

• 2 cups (380 g) long-grain white rice, rinsed until water runs clear
• 3 cups (710 ml) water
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep meats and aromatics

Pat the beef, pork, and chicken dry. In an 8-quart heavy pot, add the meats, halved onion, scallion bundle, smashed garlic, cilantro stems, bay leaves, cumin, black pepper, and 2.5 tsp kosher salt. Pour in 16 cups (3.8 L) cold water to cover by at least 1 inch.

Step 2: Build the broth and start the simmer

Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Immediately reduce to a gentle simmer (tiny, steady bubbles). Skim off foam and excess fat during the first 10 minutes for a clear broth. Continue simmering beef and pork for 45 minutes, partially covered.

Step 3: Add chicken and continue simmering

Add the chicken pieces to the pot, return to a gentle simmer, and cook 25 minutes. Maintain low, steady heat to keep the broth clear and meats tender.

Step 4: Add the tough starches (yuca and plantain)

Stir in the yuca and plantain. Simmer for 20 minutes. Yuca should turn translucent at the edges and be tender when pierced; plantain will soften but hold its shape.

Step 5: Add potatoes, arracacha, and corn

Add potatoes, arracacha, and corn segments. Simmer 15–18 minutes until potatoes are just tender and arracacha is creamy but not falling apart. Taste the broth and add salt as needed.

Step 6: Finish with cabbage

Nestle in the cabbage wedges and simmer 8 minutes, until crisp-tender. Remove the onion halves, scallion bundle, cilantro stems, and bay leaves. Skim any visible fat. Keep warm on the lowest heat.

Step 7: Make the ají and cook the rice

For the ají: Combine hot water, vinegar, lime juice, scallions, minced chile, cilantro, and salt. Stir and let stand at least 15 minutes to bloom flavors. For the rice: In a medium saucepan, combine rinsed rice, 3 cups water, oil, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stir once, cover, reduce to low, and cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat and rest, covered, 10 minutes; fluff with a fork.

Step 8: Serve Bogotá-style

Ladle hot broth into wide bowls, then arrange pieces of beef, pork, and chicken with portions of potato, yuca, arracacha, plantain, cabbage, and corn. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and offer lime wedges. Serve ají on the side for spooning into the broth, and white rice alongside.

Pro Tips

• Keep the simmer gentle; a rolling boil can cloud the broth and toughen meats.
• Cut vegetables into large, even chunks so they cook at similar rates and hold their shape.
• Remove the woody core from yuca to avoid stringy bites.
• Salt in layers: initial seasoning, mid-cook tasting, and a final adjustment before serving.
• For an even clearer broth, chill overnight and lift off the solidified fat before reheating.

Variations

• No arracacha available: substitute 1:1 with parsnip or a mix of parsnip and celery root for similar sweetness and creaminess.
• Lighter version: use skinless chicken and lean beef (bottom round), and skim fat more aggressively.
• Herb-forward: finish with chopped parsley and a few mint leaves for a bright, Bogotá-in-spring vibe.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Cool completely and refrigerate broth, meats, and vegetables together for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months (store rice and ají separately). Ají keeps 5–7 days in the refrigerator and actually improves after day 1. Cooked rice keeps 4 days refrigerated; reheat covered with a splash of water. The stew tastes even better the next day as flavors meld.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate for 1/8 of recipe with 1/2 cup cooked rice: 720 calories; 28 g fat; 77 g carbohydrates; 36 g protein; 7 g fiber; 950 mg sodium.