Cuban Creole Ajiaco Served Hot in a Bowl

 

Cuban Creole Ajiaco

A flavorful broth full of Cuban tradition and roots

🥘 Main Ingredients:

  • ½ hen
  • 1 lb of pork meat
  • 1 lb of flank steak
  • 1 lb of pork shoulder
  • ½ lb of dried beef (tasajo, ideally from Montevideo)
  • 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (or pork lard)
  • 2 tablespoons of salt (adjust to taste)
  • 1 large whole onion
  • 1 whole green bell pepper
  • 1 lb of sweet potato
  • 1 lb of cassava (yuca)
  • 1 ear of corn
  • 2 green plantains
  • 2 ripe plantains
  • ½ lb of white malanga
  • ½ lb of yellow malanga
  • ½ lb of yam
  • 1 lb of pumpkin (squash)
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 small can of tomato sauce
  • 2 lemons
  • Ground white pepper
  • Cumin
  • A bunch of fresh cilantro
  • 6 liters of water

 

 

🥩 Cooking the Meats:

Lightly boil the dried beef to remove excess salt. Cut the hen into pieces and cook it in water until tender. Reserve the broth. Then, in a large pot, sauté the onion, bell pepper, and garlic in oil. Add the tomato sauce and stir well.

🔥 Adding the Meats:

Add the flank steak and pork cuts to the sautéed mixture. Season with salt, cumin, and white pepper. Then add the hen pieces and dried beef, and pour in the reserved broth. Simmer while skimming off any foam or impurities from the surface. Once the meats are tender, remove and debone them.

🥔 Adding the Root Vegetables:

Cut all the root vegetables except the plantains, and slice the corn into rounds. Add the hardest vegetables first: yellow malanga, cassava, and corn. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Add the green plantains with lemon juice to preserve the color of the broth. Then add the white malanga and pumpkin along with a bunch of cilantro.

🍌 Final Touch:

After 15 minutes, add the ripe plantain and the rest of the lemon juice. Return all the meats to the pot, adjust the salt, and cook for 10 more minutes. The result will be a rich, hearty broth packed with Creole flavor.

ℹ️ Additional Information:

  • Servings: 10 portions
  • Preparation time: 1 hour
  • Cooking time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Stews and Broths
  • Cuisine: Cuban

💡 Chef’s Tip:

This ajiaco is perfect for family gatherings or special occasions. Serve hot with an extra squeeze of lemon and a few slices of white bread. No one will be able to resist this Cuban classic!

Have you already tried making your Cuban Creole Ajiaco? Tell us how it turned out, which ingredients you used, or if you have a family version of your own. Leave your comment below!

🏷️ Tags: cuban ajiaco, cuban cuisine, traditional recipes, cuban root vegetables, cuban soups, typical cuban dishes

For the Spanish recipe, visit: Ajiaco Criollo Cubano: Magnífica Fusión de Sabores y Tradiciones en un Solo Plato.