Ajiaco Cubano
User Reviews
4.9
Ajiaco Cubano
Description
Ajiaco Cubano blends multiple meats—pork, chicken, and tasajo beef jerky—to build a deep, savory base. The tasajo is soaked overnight, then cooked together with other meats in water to develop tenderness and flavor. Separately, bacon is fried and combined with tomato sauce, onion, garlic, and chili pepper to create a spicy, aromatic component. This mixture is then spiced with cumin, oregano, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper. Finally, a combination of starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes, yam, cassava, malanga, pumpkin, semi-ripe and ripe plantains, and corn on the cob is added to the broth to simmer until tender, adding body and sweetness to the stew.
The stew yields tender meats and soft vegetables immersed in a flavorful broth, enriched by the bacon-infused tomato sauce. The use of tasajo introduces a unique cured beef taste, and the variety of root vegetables contributes contrasting textures and natural sweetness.
Serve Ajiaco Cubano as a main dish that fills the appetite with balanced meat and vegetable components. Its complex layering of flavors makes it suitable for a family meal or traditional Cuban gatherings. The recipe’s stepwise cooking ensures each ingredient is properly cooked and the stew achieves depth without overwhelming the palate.
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork cubed
- 1/2 lb tasajo beef jerky, dry cured beef from Latin America
- 1 chicken cubed, small
- 3 oz Bacon chopped
- 6 cups water
- 1 lb sweet potato
- 1/2 lb yam diced
- 1 lb cassava diced
- 1 piece pumpkin diced
- 1 lb malanga diced
- 1 plantain diced, semi-ripe
- 2 plantain diced, ripe
- 2 corn on the cob chopped, tender
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 Chili pepper chopped, large
- 4 garlic chopped, large cloves
- 2 lemon juiced, plural
- 2 tablespoons lard
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1-2 bay leaves whole
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste, freshly ground
Instructions
- We recommend preparing the tasajo the night before so it's ready by the time you want to get the soup started. Just the tasajo into medium-sized pieces and soak it in water for 12 hours.
- Once the jerky is done soaking, drain it and combine with the diced chicken in a large pan over medium heat. Pour in 6 cups (1 ½ liters) of water and simmer for about 1 hour.
- Next add the pork and continue simmering for another hour. Make sure you skim the foam that forms on the surface of the water as the meat is cooking.
- Meanwhile, in a frying pan, heat up the lard and fry the bacon. Add in the tomato sauce, onion, garlic and chili pepper and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
- Then it's time to add in the spices (cumin, bay leaf, oregano, salt and pepper) and simmer for another 5 minutes. Turn off the flame and discard the bay leaf.
- When all the meats have become tender add the chopped vegetables to the meat pot (sweet potatoes, yam, cassava, malanga, corn slices and semi-ripe plantains), leaving the ripe plantains and pumpkin for later. Simmer for about 1 hour or until all the vegetables have softened.
- Now it's time to add the diced pumpkin and ripe plantain and cook until tender (about 30 minutes or so). Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- If you prefer a thicker broth, take out some of the vegetables, mash them and stir them back into the pot.
- Serve at the table in a large soup tureen along with lime slices so each guest can adjust the taste to their liking.
Enjoy!
Notes
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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