Platter of Puchero
(click to enlarge)

Puchero - Argentine


Argentina   -   Puchero
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 6 #
****
5-1/2 hrs
Most		 Puchero is a stew popular in Spain and many Spanish speaking countries, differently made. This Argentine version is a large and somewhat elaborate party platter - see History.

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Beef (1)
Chicken (2)
Calf Foot (opt. 4)
Sausages (3)
-- Aromatics
Onion
Garlic
Celery
-- Root Vegies
Sweet Potato, white
Sweet Potato, orange
Potato, white (5)
Carrots
Turnip
-- Vegies
Tomatoes
Ears Corn (6)
Kabocha Squash
-- Seasonings
Parsley sprig
Bay Leaf
Salt
Pepper, black
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Oil
Water

You can start cooking this recipe in a 5 quart pot through step 15, but from 16 on you'll need a 8 quart pot.

Prep:   -   (1-1/2 hrs)
  1. Cut BEEF into chunks about 3/4 on a side and 2 to 2-1/2 inches long.
  2. Cut CHICKEN into chunks a little larger than the Beef.
  3. Quarter ONION lengthwise, then slice crosswise fairly thin. Crush GARLIC and chop small. Cut CELERY crosswise fairly thin. Mix all.
  4. Peel SWEET POTATOES, and POTATOES Cut into pieces a bit larger than the Beef. Mix and hold in cool water until needed.
  5. Cut CARROTS into about 1 inch lengths. Add to Potatoes.
  6. Peel TURNIP and cut into pieces a bit narrower than the Sweet Potatoes. Add to Potatoes.
  7. Scald TOMATOES 1 minute in boiling water. Peel, core and dice about 3/4 inch.
  8. Shuck CORN and cut cobs as desired - see Corn. Add to Tomatoes.
  9. Peel KABOCHA (not strictly necessary) and cut into wedges. Cut wedges into bite sized chunks. Add to Tomatoes.
  10. Cut SAUSAGE into 1-1/2 to 2 inch lengths, and cut lengthwise into sticks similar in size to the Beef.
Run:   -   (4 hrs)
  1. Place Beef in a pot with water to cover well. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, then pour out in a clean sink. Clean the pot and rinse the beef well to remove the crud. Set aside.
  2. In the pot, heat 2 T Oil. Stir in Aromatics mix and fry stirring until Onions are translucent.
  3. Add Beef to the pot, along with Calf Foot (if using), Parsley, and Bay Leaves. Add enough Water to just cover. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for about 1-1/2 hours, or until Beef is almost tender enough.
  4. Stir in Chicken, bring back to a boil and simmer another 30 minutes, or until meats are tender.
  5. Strain Broth. Pick out all chunks of Meats and dispose of the debris. Set Meats aside. At this point the meats can be bagged and refrigerated overnight.
  6. Defat Broth using your Gravy Separator.
  7. Clean the pot and pour in the Broth. Drain Root Vegies mix and stir into the pot. Add water if needed. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered until roots are almost tender, about 30 minutes.
  8. Stir in Vegies mix, Sausages, Salt, and Pepper. Bring back to a boil and simmer covered until Kabocha is tender but not falling apart, about 15 minutes.
  9. Stir in Meats and add some Water if needed, it doesn't have to cover everything. Bring just to a boil.
  10. remove all solids to a platter and keep warm. (or see Serving).
  11. Serve hot, with some Broth (see Broth). Provide Bread and Condiments, commonly Salt, Vinegar, Olive Oil, and Prepared Mustard.
NOTES:

  1. Beef:

      Brisket or Chuck can be used. Round would take longer to cook.

  2. Chicken:

      This is generally thighs or leg joints or wing joints, bone in. Breast has less flavor and a less pleasing texture, but can be used. For buffet service I usually remove bones to make it easier for folks standing around holding a dish. If using bone-in joints, put in earlier than shown here, after about 1 hour.

  3. Sausages:

      Argentine sausages are not commonly available in North America, but you can use some other smoked sausage that doesn't have a lot of chili in it. The photo example was with Kielbasa, quartered lengthwise due to its size.

  4. Calf Foot:

      This is traditional, but often left out, some claiming unavailability, but they are widely available here in Southern California, generally pre-cut into pieces. The Calf Foot is for the Broth and is not served.

  5. Potatoes:

      White Rose is a good choice here. Avoid Yukon Gold type potatoes as they turn to mush if cooked just a little long. For details see our Potatoes page.

  6. Corn:

      Argentine corn has larger kernels and is much less sweet than ours - but we have to use what we can get. It is usually cut into 2 inch lengths before adding to the stew. Serving buffet style, I've noticed my guests avoid whole chunks of corn on the cob. They are difficult to deal with in a buffet party context. I slice the cobs much shorter, 1 inch or a little more and cut the slices in half to make it convenient to eat them with one hand.

  7. Broth:

      The Broth should always be well strained and defatted, using your gravy separator. Many serve the broth separate, either as is or made into a light soup with some other ingredients, particularly rice. Some boil it down a bit to be more sauce-like. Some thicken it with flour and pour it over the solids.

  8. Do Ahead:

      This is a complex dish, so it's best to do most of it the previous day. Take care that nothing is overcooked.
    1. Cut the Meats and cook them by the instructions through step 15 (defating Broth).
    2. Let the Meats cool, bag and refrigerate.
    3. Cut the Root Vegies to size, bag and refrigerate.
    4. Cut the Vegies items, bag and refrigerate.
    5. On serving day, just pick up from step 16. This will take about an hour.
      You could cut that down by also cooking the Root Vegies the day before and refrigerating.

  9. Serving:

      Traditionally, the solid ingredients are served on a platter (no calf head required), and the broth is served separately. Some serve Solids in a large bowl with a fair amount of broth. Some serve the meat and vegetables in separate bowls, and a third bowl for a soup made from the broth. I usually prepare this recipe for buffet service. I make it as given in Do Ahead, place solids in a Electric Skillet set to "Keep Warm", add a fair amount of broth, and cover until guests are ready.

  10. History:

      Puchero originated as a Spanish stew, and is very popular in many Spanish speaking countries, particularly Spain, the Philippines, Mexico, and Argentina. It is made quite differently in each country. In Argentina, it was once very different indeed, a specialty of nightclubs. Imagine a whole calf head on a platter, surrounded by piles of sliced beef, chicken joints, sausages, corn on the cob, various root vegetables, and "pumpkin" (similar to kabocha). Today, it's often a stew, more similar to those of other countries, with complexity and mode of presentation variable to suit the occasion.
  11. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste

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