Best Mexican Cocido Recipe (Caldo de Res)

Cocido de res Cocido recipe Cocido soup Caldo de res Caldo de res recipe Caldo de res mexicano Mexican beef soup

Best Mexican Cocido Recipe (Caldo de Res)

This cocido recipe has been in my family forever. It's made with bone-in beef and lots of vegetables, creating a deliciously nourishing soup.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 4

Course Soup

Cuisine Mexican

Servings

Calories 232 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

2 pounds beef shank (chamorro)
2 pounds beef shank knuckle (soup bones)
2 pounds beef short ribs (costillas)
3 tablespoons salt (or to taste, you'll have to taste the broth throughout the cooking process)
2 onions (halved)
1 garlic head
2 pounds carrots (I get the extra large ones at the Mexican grocery store)
4 corn cobs
2 pounds potatoes (I like to use baby potatoes, but any potatoes will work)
3 chayote squash (about 2½ pounds)
3 zucchini (about 1½ - 2 pounds)
1 head cabbage (cut into ¼ths or ⅛ths)

GARNISHES

chopped onion
limes
chopped serrano peppers (or my spicy red salsa with japonés chile)

Instructions

Prepare meat. Cut meat into large chunks. I like to cut the short ribs between each bone and cut around the shank bone. Large chunks are preferred because everything cooks down in size.
Generously salt meat (I like to do this the night before).
Add meat to a large 16-quart pot with 2 large onions (halved) and one head of garlic. I like to cut off the top of the garlic so it releases its flavor while the meat cooks.
Add 10-12 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of salt. You will most likely have to adjust salt later on in the cooking process. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook on high for 1 hour. After about 1 hour, taste and adjust for salt, if necessary (I added an additional tablespoon). Next, cover and reduce to lowest heat setting and cook for an additional 1-2 hours until meat is tender. Total cook time for meat should be between 2.5 and 3 hours.
While the meat cooks, be sure to remove the foam that gathers on the top with a slotted spoon. I like to keep a large glass measuring cup on my counter near the pot to discard the foam. Before adding vegetables, taste broth once more and adjust for salt.
Before adding vegetables, taste broth and adjust for salt if necessary.
Prepare vegetables. In the meantime, prepare your vegetables. Cut chayote squash into fourths, lengthwise. Cut carrots into 1-inch rounds. Cut zucchini into 1-inch rounds. Cut corn cobs into 2-inch rounds. If using baby potatoes, leave them whole. If using any other type of large potato, cut into fourths (be sure to peel them if using Russet potatoes because they have thick skin). Cut cabbage into fourths or eights for easy serving.
Add vegetables. Once the meat is tender, add carrots, potatoes, and corn. Your harder vegetables take longer to cook. Check after 20-30 minutes.
Next, add your chayote squash and cook 15 minutes or until tender.
About 10 minutes before serving, add zucchini and cabbage. These cook quickly and you don’t want them to get mushy, which is why you wait until the very end to add them.
Serve and enjoy. Serve hot with plenty of broth, alongside flour tortillas with butter (or with mashed avocado). Top with freshly chopped onion and serrano peppers and a sprinkle of lime juice, if desired.
NOTE: I typically I serve my cocido with a lot more broth, but wanted to highlight the variety of vegetables in the photos.

Nutrition

Calories: 232kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 19gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.002gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 1417mgPotassium: 1005mgFiber: 6gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 9645IUVitamin C: 46mgCalcium: 73mgIron: 3mg

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