Sancocho Trifásico: Three-Meat Colombian Stew

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• True trifásico comfort: chicken, beef, and pork layered into one rich, golden broth.
• Classic Colombian/Dominican flavors with tender yuca, sweet corn, green plantain, and potatoes.
• Balanced plate: hearty stew paired with fluffy rice, creamy avocado, and zesty ají.
• Entertaining-friendly: a generous pot that feeds a crowd beautifully.

Grocery List

• Produce: Garlic, scallions, cilantro, yuca (cassava), green plantains, corn on the cob, potatoes, limes, tomato, hot chile (serrano or ají), avocados
• Dairy: None
• Pantry: Long-grain rice, neutral oil, kosher salt, black pepper, ground cumin, dried oregano, annatto (achiote) or achiote oil, white vinegar

Full Ingredients

Meats & Broth Base

• 1.5 lb bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks (skin-on or skinless)
• 1.5 lb beef short ribs (or beef shank), cut into 2–3 inch pieces
• 1.5 lb pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks (or pork ribs, cut into sections)
• 2 tbsp neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
• 2.5 tsp kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed
• 6 scallions, whites thinly sliced and greens reserved for garnish
• 1 large bunch cilantro, stems reserved for broth (about 1 cup loosely packed) and leaves chopped for finishing (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground annatto (achiote) or 1 tbsp achiote oil
• 14 cups water or low-sodium chicken stock
• Optional: 2 bay leaves

Vegetables

• 2 lb yuca (cassava), peeled, woody core removed, cut into 2-inch batons
• 2 green plantains (about 1 lb), peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds or diagonal chunks
• 3 ears corn, husked and cut into thirds
• 1.5 lb potatoes (Yukon Gold or red), peeled if desired and cut into 1.5-inch chunks

To Finish & Serve

• 2 limes, cut into wedges (plus 1–2 tbsp juice for finishing)
• Reserved scallion greens, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
• 2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice, 3 cups water, 1 tbsp oil, 1 tsp salt
• 2 ripe avocados, sliced

Quick Ají (Table Sauce)

• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 small ripe tomato, seeded and finely diced
• 1–2 hot chiles (serrano or ají), minced (seeds to taste)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 3 tbsp white vinegar
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2–3 tbsp water to loosen

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Season the meats and prep the aromatics

Pat the chicken, beef, and pork dry. Season all over with 2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper and let sit at room temperature while you prep the vegetables (10–15 minutes). Slice the scallion whites, reserve the greens, smash the garlic, separate cilantro stems and leaves, and peel/cut the yuca, plantains, corn, and potatoes.

Step 2: Sear for depth of flavor

In a 10–12 quart heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium-high. Sear the chicken skin-side down until lightly golden, 3–4 minutes; transfer to a plate. Sear the pork and beef in batches until browned in spots, 3–4 minutes per batch. Add scallion whites and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in annatto (or achiote oil) until the pot is tinted orange, about 30 seconds.

Step 3: Build and simmer the broth

Return all meats (and juices) to the pot. Add 14 cups water or stock, cilantro stems, cumin, oregano, and optional bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat. Skim foam. Reduce to a gentle simmer at 185–195°F (85–90°C), partially cover, and cook 60–75 minutes. Tip: Remove the chicken after 35–45 minutes when tender; keep covered on a plate to prevent overcooking. Continue simmering beef and pork until nearly tender.

Step 4: Add yuca, plantains, and corn

Stir in yuca, plantain pieces, and corn sections. If the liquid no longer covers the solids by 2–3 inches, add 2–4 cups hot water. Maintain a gentle simmer (185–195°F / 85–90°C) and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally but gently so the yuca doesn’t break apart.

Step 5: Add potatoes and balance the broth

Add the potato chunks. Simmer until both potatoes and yuca are very tender and edges look slightly translucent, 15–20 minutes. Taste and season the broth with additional salt as needed. If you’d like a lightly thicker broth, mash a few yuca pieces against the pot side and stir them in.

Step 6: Return chicken and finish with herbs and lime

Return the chicken to the pot along with half of the scallion greens and half of the cilantro leaves. Simmer 5 minutes to rewarm. Turn off the heat and stir in 1–2 tbsp fresh lime juice. Let the sancocho rest 10 minutes so the flavors meld.

Step 7: Cook the rice while the stew simmers

Rinse 2 cups rice in cool water until it runs mostly clear. Combine rice with 3 cups water, 1 tbsp oil, and 1 tsp salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover, and cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat and rest 10 minutes covered; fluff with a fork.

Step 8: Make the quick ají and serve

Combine scallions, tomato, minced chile, cilantro, vinegar, lime juice, oil, salt, and 2–3 tbsp water in a small bowl. Adjust salt and acidity to taste. Ladle sancocho into warm bowls with a piece of each meat and each vegetable. Garnish with remaining cilantro and scallion greens. Serve with fluffed rice, avocado slices, lime wedges, and a spoonful of ají.

Pro Tips

• Bone-in meats deliver the deepest flavor; pull chicken early to keep it juicy while beef and pork finish.
• Score plantain peels lengthwise to make them easy to remove; always remove the woody core from yuca.
• Keep the simmer gentle (185–195°F); a rolling boil clouds the broth and breaks the yuca.
• Salt in layers: meats, broth, then final seasoning with lime for a bright finish.
• Let the pot rest 10 minutes before serving; the broth rounds out and the roots stay intact.

Variations

• Dominican-style touch: add 1 lb diced auyama (kabocha) with the potatoes and finish with 2 tbsp sour orange juice instead of some lime.
• Coastal Colombian vibe: include chunks of green banana and garnish with a spoonful of hogao (tomato-scallion sauce) at the table.
• Chicken-only sancocho: replace beef and pork with 2 additional pounds chicken; reduce simmer to 45–60 minutes total.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Refrigerate stew up to 4 days; rice up to 3 days; ají up to 7 days. For best texture, make the meat broth a day ahead, chill, and remove the fat cap; add roots and finish on serving day. Freeze stew (without potatoes) up to 3 months; thaw overnight, reheat gently, and add fresh potatoes to simmer 20 minutes before serving. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low until steaming.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values (with 3/4 cup cooked rice, 1/4 avocado, and 1 tbsp ají): 720 calories; 41 g protein; 27 g fat; 82 g carbohydrates; 9 g fiber; 980 mg sodium.