Cuchuco de Trigo con Espinazo de Cerdo: Colombian Wheat and Pork Spine Soup
Cuchuco de Trigo con Espinazo de Cerdo is a rich, incredibly nutritious, and thick soup wildly popular in the Boyacá region of Colombia. Made with cracked wheat (cuchuco) and meaty pork spine, it is the ultimate heavy meal designed to keep you full and energized all day.
The secret to this 1-hour and 35-minute recipe is cooking the cracked wheat alongside the pork spine from the very beginning to extract all the rich collagen and flavor. Afterward, layering in three different types of legumes and potatoes builds an unmistakably thick, hearty texture that is iconic to Andean highlands cuisine.
Cuchuco de Trigo con Espinazo de Cerdo (Wheat & Pork Spine Soup)
A hearty, energy-packed Andean soup! Thickened with cracked wheat and loaded with pork spine, tender fava beans, peas, and yellow potatoes.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Meaty pork spine Espinazo de cerdo bien carnudo
- 14 cups Water
- 1/2 lb Wheat cuchuco Cuchuco de trigo / cracked wheat
- 4 tablespoons Wheat flour
- 1/2 lb Sabanera potatoes Firm red potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 lb Small Criolla potatoes Yellow Andean potatoes
- 1/2 lb Fresh green peas Arvejas verdes
- 1/4 lb Tender whole fava beans Habas tiernas
- 3 Scallion stalks Green onions, chopped
- 5 Cabbage leaves Chopped
- 3 Garlic cloves Crushed
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Build the base: The very first step is to place the whole pork spine in a large pot with the 14 cups of water. Add the wheat cuchuco, the chopped scallions, and the crushed garlic cloves. Let everything cook uncovered over high heat for 45 minutes.
- First vegetable layer: After 45 minutes, carefully remove the entire pork spine from the broth and set it aside. To the boiling broth, add the chopped sabanera potatoes, the green peas, and the fava beans. Let this simmer for 15 minutes.
- Second vegetable layer and meat: Next, add the whole criolla potatoes, the chopped cabbage leaves, salt, and black pepper to taste. Mix the 4 tablespoons of wheat flour into a little cold water to dissolve it, and stir it into the soup to thicken it. Cut the reserved pork spine into 8 individual portions and return them to the pot.
- Final simmer: Cover the pot and let the entire soup simmer on low heat for exactly 20 minutes so the flavors meld and the criolla potatoes soften without completely dissolving.
- Serve: Remove from the heat and serve this magnificent, thick soup hot!
Video
Notes
- Soup and Main Course in One: This recipe is famously known as a “sopa y seco” (soup and dry dish) all in one. Traditionally, the large piece of pork spine is fished out of the soup bowl and eaten separately on a side plate alongside white rice and fresh salad!
- Nutritional Powerhouse: The pork spine isn’t just for flavor; it is a massive source of essential minerals like phosphorus, selenium, sodium, potassium, copper, zinc, iron, and magnesium. It also provides a heavy dose of B-complex vitamins (B6, B12, thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid), which are highly beneficial for the healthy growth and development of both children and adults.
You may also be interested
Rondón (Rundown): Traditional Colombian Island Seafood Stew
Sancocho trifásico: Traditional Colombian Three-Meat Soup
Sancocho vallenato: Traditional Colombian Beef Rib and Root Vegetable Soup
Sancocho de Guandú: Traditional Colombian Pigeon Pea Soup