Caldo de Res is a beef and vegetable soup that is is also known as cocido is perfect any time of the year! Full of flavor and veggies like zucchini, carrots, potatoes, corn, and cabbage!
This is soup is always great during the cold months, but only the real ones know you serve caldo when it’s 100 degrees outside! If you know you know!
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Best cuts of meats for caldo de res
The meat is the most important part of this recipe! You want to use a combination of beef shank bone-in, beef stew pieces or chuck cut into pieces, beef neck bone and/or beef short ribs. I use either the neck bone or short ribs, but you can use a combo of both or one or the other. I always use beef chuck/stew pieces and the bone-in shank for the best flavor.
How to ask for the meats at the Mexican butcher
- Bone-in beef shank ask for chambarete con tuetano or con con hueso
- Beef stew pieces or chuck pieces ask for diezmillo
- Beef short ribs ask for costilla de res
- Neck bone ask for cuello de res
Serve with
How to make Caldo de Res
In a large stock pot add the beef shank, chuck pieces, beef neck bones and/or short ribs to the bottom of the pot.
Fill with enough water to cover the meat, about 16 cups, cover the pot with a lid and cook on medium heat.
Once it comes to a boil, remove the impurities or brown foam that forms at the top with a spoon.
After removing the foam from the top, add your onion, garlic head, and salt.
Cover and turn down the heat to a medium-low to low. Continue to cook the meat for another 2 hours or until it is tender and easily shreds or falls apart.
After about 2-2.5 hours of cooking the meat, or until tender, pull out the head of garlic and add the carrots, jalapeño, and chayote. Continue cooking, covered.
10 minutes later, add the potatoes, corn on the cob, calabacitas or zucchinis, cabbage, and cilantro and cook for 15 minutes or unti the veggies are soft.
Turn of the heat and serve while hot and enjoy!
This is great with some rice, salsa, lime juice, and tortillas de maiz!
Recipes that pair well
Caldo de Res (Beef and Vegetable Soup)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
Caldo de Res is a beef and vegetable soup that is is also known as cocido and is a perfect soup for any time of the year!
Ingredients
For the meat:
2 pounds beef shank, bone-in
1.5 pounds chuck beef, cut into pieces
1.75 pounds of beef neck bones or beef short ribs or a combo of both
1 onion
1 head of garlic
3 tablespoons of salt to taste
Vegetable options:
1–2 Jalapeños
2 Calabacitas (mexican squash) or zucchini, cut in to 6-8 pieces
3 Potatoes, preferably yukon gold or red, washed and cut into quarters
1 Cabbage, small, cut into wedges
4–6 Carrots, cut into rounds
3–4 Corn on the cob, cut into 2–3 pieces
1–2 Chayote, cut into bite size pieces
10 Green beans, ends removed
1 bunch Cilantro or about 10 spings
Serve with:
Lime wedges
Salsa
Tortillas de maiz (corn tortillas)
Instructions
In a large stock pot add the beef shank, chuck pieces, beef neck bones and/or short ribs to the bottom of the pot.
Fill with enough water to cover the meat, about 16 cups, cover and cook over medium heat.
Once it comes to a boil, remove the impurities or brown foam that forms at the top.
After removing the foam from the top, add your onion, garlic head, and salt.
Cover and turn down the heat to a medium-low to low. Continue to cook the meat for another 2 hours or until it is tender and easily shreds or falls apart.
After about 2-2.5 hours of cooking the meat, or until tender, pull out the head of garlic and add the carrots, jalapeño, and chayote. Continue cooking, covered.
10 minutes later, add the potatoes, corn on the cob, calabacitas or zucchinis, cabbage, and cilantro and cook for 15 minutes or until the veggies are soft.
Turn off the heat and serve while hot and enjoy!
This is great with some rice, salsa, lime juice, and tortillas de maiz!
Notes
My meat took about 2.5 total hours to cook and soften.
You can add more or remove any of the above mentioned vegetables. The choice is totally yours!
The veggies you add can differ depending from person to person depending on what region or state in Mexico you are from.
Keywords: caldo de res, beef and vegetable soup, mexican soup, cocido de res
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