Puchero de Tres Carnes
Puchero de Tres Carnes
Monday Night Comforts: Slow-Simmered Yucatecan Stews
There is the version of Mexico sold to tourists, and then there is the Yucatán of Sunday afternoons, where families gather over massive, steaming pots of Puchero de Tres Carnes. It is a chaotic collision of indigenous Mayan roots, Spanish colonialism, and Caribbean trade—a marrow-rich, multi-meat broth fortified with starchy tropical tubers and sweet plantains. Traditionally an all-day affair, this pressure cooker adaptation delivers the deeply restorative flavor your grandmother coaxed out over a wood fire, giving you back your weeknight. The real magic happens at the table with a ritual called hacer puch, where you aggressively mash the tender meat, sweet plantain, and fiery radish relish into a profoundly perfect paste.
Before you start
Macerate the salpicón de rabanitos.
In a small bowl, combine the diced radishes, red onion, chopped cilantro, habanero, orange juice, and lime juice with a heavy pinch of salt, setting aside so the acid mellows the raw onion.
Ingredients
- white onion1 med
- garlic1 med head
- black peppercorns8 whole
- allspice berries4 whole
- whole cloves2 whole
- dried Mexican oregano1/2 tsp
- cumin seeds1/2 tsp
- cinnamon stick1 small
- ground turmeric1/4 tsp
- bone-in beef shank or short ribs1 lb
- pork shoulder1 lb
- bone-in skin-on chicken thighs1 lb
- dried chickpeas1 cup
- carrots2 large
- sweet potato1 large
- chayote squash1 med
- ears of corn2 med
- ripe plantain1 large
- zucchini1 small
- green cabbage1/4 med
- fresh cilantro sprigs1/4 cup
- fresh mint sprigs1/4 cup
- radishes1 bunch
- red onion1/2 large
- fresh cilantro1/2 cup
- habanero pepper1 small
- fresh orange juice1/4 cup
- fresh lime juice2 tbsp
- kosher salt2 tsp
- fideos or broken spaghetti1 cup
- cooked white rice2 cup
Method
- 01
Char the aromatics to build a wood-fire depth.
Heat a dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and roast the onion halves and head of garlic cut-side down for 5 to 7 minutes until deeply blackened.
- 02
Toast the spices and initiate the pressure cook.
In a large electric pressure cooker, toast the peppercorns, allspice, cloves, cumin, and cinnamon stick for one minute until fragrant.
- 03
Extract the heavy marrow and tough connective tissues.
Add the charred onion, charred garlic, beef, pork, soaked chickpeas, turmeric, oregano, kosher salt, and 8 cups of water, then seal and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes.
- 04
Simmer the dense root vegetables and plantain.
Release the pressure naturally for 10 minutes, skim any heavy foam from the surface, switch to the sauté function, and nestle the chicken thighs, carrots, sweet potato, chayote, corn, and skin-on plantain into the broth to simmer for 15 minutes.
- 05
Finish with the delicate squashes and herbs.
Add the zucchini, cabbage wedges, and whole cilantro and mint sprigs, simmering for a final 5 to 7 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the root vegetables are tender.
- 06
Cook the fideos in the rendered fat.
Ladle about 2 cups of the rich, fat-laden surface broth into a small saucepan and boil the noodles until they are tender and have absorbed the savory liquid.
Notes
Leave the plantain peel on during the simmer.
This old-school grandmother trick prevents the highly sugary fruit from disintegrating and clouding your savory broth.
Hacer puch to eat it like a true Yucatecan.
Transfer the solid meats, tubers, and peeled plantain to a wide bowl, then aggressively mash them together with a fork before folding in the acidic radish relish and a spoonful of rice.