In the cool mountains of central Colombia, a curious paradox simmers. Ask most locals in Boyaca — a region known for its rugged landscapes and humble agricultural traditions — whether they enjoy cocido boyacense, and chances are eight out of 10 will shrug. For a dish that carries the name of the region, it’s surprisingly underappreciated, so cocido boyacense turns into a forgotten feast from the highlands of Colombia.
Even more surprising: Finding a restaurant that serves it is a challenge. In the land of ancestral flavors, this iconic stew of meats and native tubers has quietly disappeared from most menus.
Yet those who have tasted a well-prepared cocido boyacense know it deserves far more recognition. Deeply earthy, richly textured, and uniquely Colombian, it’s one of the most distinctive dishes in the Andean highlands — thanks, in part, to an unassuming root vegetable called cubio, or Andean turnip, which gives the stew its characteristic tang and color.
Colombia’s cocido boyacense: A forgotten feast from the highlands
Cocido boyacense is a culinary reflection of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense, a high plateau stretching across Colombia’s Andes. Born during colonial times, the dish fuses two culinary worlds: native ingredients such as potatoes, maize, and fava beans meet Old World additions such as pork and beef, brought by the Spanish in the 16th century.
Traditionally cooked over a wood fire and served in rustic clay pots, the stew was once reserved for special occasions — harvest festivals, family gatherings, and celebrations in the chilly highlands. Like many heritage dishes, it evolved from necessity: a way to transform the simple bounty of the land into a comforting, nourishing meal.
At its heart, cocido boyacense is a slow-cooked symphony of meats, tubers, and grains — a Colombian adaptation of European stews such as Madrid’s cocido madrileño, but infused with native ingredients and flavors found nowhere else.
How to prepare cocido boyacense
Ingredients (Serves 6 to 8)
Meats
500 g (1 lb) pork ribs.
250 g (½ lb) pork skin or bacon.
500 g (1 lb) beef (flank or rib cuts).
1 longaniza or Boyacense-style sausage (optional but traditional).
Salt to taste.
Tubers and grains
6 sabanera potatoes, peeled and halved.
6 criolla (yellow) potatoes, unpeeled.
10 cubios (Andean turnips), cut into large chunks.
10 ibias (oca roots), cut into medium pieces.
2 cups rubas or chuguas (small pink Andean tubers).
3 tender corn cobs, cut into sections.
1 cup fresh fava beans.
3 arracachas (white roots similar to parsnips), peeled and sliced.
1 cup green peas.
Aromatics and seasonings
3 crushed garlic cloves.
1 long green onion (or ½ regular onion, chopped).
1 sprig of cilantro or guasca (optional, for aroma).
6 ripe tomatoes.
Salt and pepper to taste.
3 to 4 liters (12 to 16 cups) of water.
Preparation
- Prepare the meats
Wash all meats thoroughly and cut into medium pieces.
In a large clay or cast-iron pot, place the tougher cuts first — beef ribs and pork bones — and add enough water to cover them. Season lightly with salt. Add the garlic, onion, and, if desired, a sprig of guasca or cilantro.
Cook over medium heat for 40 to 50 minutes, skimming off any foam that forms on top. - Add the dense vegetables
Add the arracacha, which takes longer to soften.
Cook for 20 minutes, until tender but not mushy. - Add the medium tubers
Add the cubios, ibias, rubas, and sabanera potatoes.
Continue cooking for 15 to 20 minutes, ensuring the pieces remain whole and firm. - Add the legumes and criolla potatoes
Add the fava beans, peas, and criolla (yellow) potatoes.
Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, until everything is tender and the broth thickens slightly thanks to the potato starch. - Finish with the sausage
Add the longaniza sausage in slices and cook for 5 minutes more, just enough for it to release its flavor into the stew.
Serving the dish
Serve the cocido steaming hot in traditional clay bowls, ideally with a side of white rice, Boyacense-style chili (ají boyacense), and corn arepas (arepas de maíz pelao or arepitas boyacenses).
For those who wish to honor true Boyaca tradition, accompany it with a glass of aguardiente or homemade corn chicha, both local favorites.
Secrets of the cocido boyacense flavor
The secret lies in not over-stirring — each ingredient should keep its own texture and character, although some cooks like the cubios to dissolve in the stew.
Cooking over a wood fire imparts a smoky, authentic taste impossible to replicate on a stove.
Adding a bit of bone or beef stock at the start deepens the stew’s rich, rustic flavor.
The “guiso” or “hogao” (finely chopped spring onions and tomatoes) with a bit of cumming, black pepper, and salt to taste is usually simmered before hand and then added to the stew mid-way. This adds this umami flavor to the preparation.
A dish worth rediscovering
In a region where tradition often yields to modern convenience, cocido boyacense stands as a culinary time capsule. It’s more than a stew; it’s a story of the Andean highlands — a reflection of a people who have long cooked with patience, simplicity, and heart. Perhaps it’s time Boyaca’s own residents fell back in love with their forgotten feast.