4.9 from 30 votes
Puchero
This is my version of puchero, but there are literally thousands out there. Use my recipe as a guide, not gospel.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 382 kcal
Course:
Main Course , Soup , Lunch
Cuisine:
Spanish , Mexican
Ingredients
- 4 pounds beef or venison shank, or shoulder or neck meat
- salt
SEASONINGS
- 1 teaspoon oregano, Mexican if possible
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground anise or 1 star anise (optional)
- A 2-inch piece of cinnamon (optional)
- a pinch of saffron (optional)
VEGETABLES
- 6 cloves garlic, whole and peeled
- 1 white or yellow onion, sliced
- 1 1/2 pounds potatoes, cut into chunks
- 1 pound winter squash, cut into chunks
- 2 chayotes, cut into chunks (optional)
- 4 Anaheim or poblano chiles, roasted, seeded and cut into chunks
- 3 ears of corn, cut into 1 or 2 inch rounds
- 1/2 pound green beans, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 pound cooked garbanzo beans, canned or pre-cooked
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- lime wedges to serve
Instructions
- Salt the meat well before you chop all the vegetables. When those are done, put the meat in a large pot and add about 1 gallon of water, more or less. Bring this to a boil and skim off the froth that floats to the surface. Drop the heat to a simmer and add the garlic and all the seasonings. Simmer, partially covered, for 3 hours.
- The meats should be tender by now; check after 2 hours. Remove the meats and strip off the meat, chopping it into bite-sized pieces. Discard any bones. If there is marrow in the bones, scoop it out and add it to the stew; you can break it up if you want. Add in the potatoes and onions. Let these simmer 20 minutes.
- Add the winter squash and chayotes and simmer 20 more minutes. Add the green chiles, corn, garbanzo beans and green beans and cook another 10 minutes. Add the cilantro and serve with lime wedges. A drizzle of really good olive oil is a nice touch, too.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Note that all these vegetables are optional. See the post for lots and lots of other options. Basically use a lot, and use what you have.
- Note that my meat choice is great, but you can use really any cheap cut that likes long, slow cooking. Stewing hens, wild turkeys, pork hocks and shoulder, old pheasants, shanks of really any animal, oxtail, mutton, you name it.
- The seasoning mix I use is Yucatecan, but you can use all or none of what I use and it'll fine.
- Don't like cilantro? Another very common garnish is mint. Parsley is common, too.
- Some versions of this stew add sausages, ranging from blood sausage to chorizo to butifarra. If you use sausages, add them in the last 20 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Calories
382kcal
(19%)
Carbohydrates
19g
(6%)
Protein
59g
(118%)
Fat
7g
(11%)
Saturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
2g
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
171mg
(57%)
Sodium
254mg
(11%)
Potassium
824mg
(24%)
Fiber
5g
(20%)
Sugar
4g
(8%)
Vitamin A
4248IU
(85%)
Vitamin C
17mg
(19%)
Calcium
64mg
(6%)
Iron
9mg
(50%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 12servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 382
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 382kcal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 19g | 6% |
| Protein | 59g | 118% |
| Fat | 7g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 171mg | 57% |
| Sodium | 254mg | 11% |
| Potassium | 824mg | 18% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 4248IU | 85% |
| Vitamin C | 17mg | 19% |
| Calcium | 64mg | 6% |
| Iron | 9mg | 50% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.