Hervido de Res
Also: Sancocho de res (regional), Sopa de res, Hervido
A Venezuelan beef-rib broth simmered with chunks of starchy root vegetables and corn on the cob, eaten as a hearty Sunday family soup.
Identity criteria
- 1Built on bone-in beef (typically ribs/shank) simmered for a clear, rich broth
- 2Loaded with large chunks of tropical root vegetables (yuca, ñame, ocumo, potato)
- 3Pieces of corn on the cob are simmered whole in the pot
- 4Served as a brothy soup with substantial solid pieces, not a thick stew
- 5A communal weekend/Sunday dish in Venezuelan home cooking
Components
Root vegetables (yuca, ñame, ocumo, potato)essentialChunky, multiple roots typical
Corn on the cob (mazorca)essential
Auyama (squash), plantainoptional
Bone-in beef (ribs/shank)essentialBones give the broth its body
Onion, garlic, cilantro, ají dulceessentialThe Venezuelan aromatic base
Clear beef brothessential
Salt, pepperessential
Technique
- Long bone-in simmer
- Slow simmering of bone-in beef extracts gelatin and flavor for a deeply savory broth
- Staggered addition of vegetables
- Roots and corn are added by cooking time so each stays intact, giving the dish its chunky character
Form & serving
- Served
- In a deep bowl with broth and large solid pieces
- Temperature
- hot
- Portion
- shared
- Pairs with
- White rice on the side · Arepas · Lime wedges · Hot pepper sauce
Character
Flavour
Texture
clear rich broth with tender beef and soft chunky roots
Eaten
A communal Sunday or weekend family main in Venezuela, ladled hot and shared from a big pot.
When
all-year
Variations & related
Regional variations
- Sancocho de res · Venezuela / wider region
Closely related thicker version; names overlap regionally
- Hervido de gallina/pescado · Venezuela
Same template made with hen or fish instead of beef
Related dishes
- sibling Sancocho
Part of the same Caribbean/South American root-and-meat broth tradition
- pairs-with Arepa
Commonly eaten alongside in Venezuela
Substitutions
Bone-in beef → Boneless beefadmissible
Works but yields a thinner, less gelatinous broth
Tropical roots (yuca, ñame, ocumo) → Only potatoinadmissible
Loses the distinctive mix of tropical starches that define the dish
Corn on the cob → Cut corn kernelsinadmissible
Whole mazorca pieces are part of the dish's identity and presentation
Common mistakes
- Boiling hard and clouding the broth instead of a gentle simmer
- Adding all vegetables at once, turning roots to mush
- Making it as thick as a stew rather than a brothy soup
Provenance
A Venezuelan member of the broad Latin American sancocho/hervido family of brothy meat-and-root soups; a beloved Sunday family staple.
Claimed by: Venezuela
References
- 1.Venezuelan home-cooking tradition
- 2.Latin American soup references
Confidence: high