Caldo de Costilla (Colombian Beef Rib Soup)
Published March 30, 2022
- Total Time
- About 3½ hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1bunch cilantro, leaves and fine stems
- 8scallions
- 1yellow onion, skin removed, halved pole to pole
- 5 to 6medium cloves garlic, lightly smashed
- 1teaspoon whole cumin seeds
- 3 to 4pounds beef short ribs, oxtail or beef shins
- Salt
- 1pound firm, nonstarchy potatoes, such as red bliss or Yukon Gold
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
1667 calories; 144 grams fat; 63 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 65 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 28 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 61 grams protein; 1358 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Reserve a small handful of cilantro and 5 scallions. To a large stockpot or Dutch oven, add the split onion, the garlic cloves, the cumin seeds and the beef. Cover with water by 2 inches (3 to 4 quarts total).
- Step 2
Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce heat to maintain a very bare simmer. Using a ladle, skim off and discard any solid scum that has collected on the surface. Roughly chop the remaining cilantro and scallions, and add them to the pot. Cover and cook until the beef is tender and a skewer or knife shows no resistance when poked through the meat, 2½ to 3 hours.
- Step 3
Using tongs or a skimmer, remove the meat with the bones to a large plate and set aside.
- Step 4
Set a fine mesh strainer in a large bowl and strain the broth. Discard the solids. Scrub out the pot, then return the broth to it and season to taste with salt. (It should taste quite salty.) Proceed immediately to the next step, or return the beef to the broth and refrigerate in sealed containers for up to a week before continuing (or adapting into one of the alternate serving methods, see Note).
- Step 5
Peel the potatoes, halve or quarter them lengthwise, then cut crosswise into ⅓- to ½-inch-thick slices and add them to the broth. Simmer the potato slices in the broth until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Return the beef to the broth.
- Step 6
Roughly chop the reserved cilantro and scallions, and add to the broth. Serve immediately.
- After chilling at the end of Step 4, the beef and broth can be adapted into other dishes. For instance:
- • A simple take on pozole verde: Reheat a couple quarts of the broth and beef with 1 (30-ounce) can drained hominy and a big pinch of dried oregano. Serve with sliced cabbage, diced yellow onion, thinly sliced radish, lime wedges and tortillas or tostadas.
- • Faux pho: Simmer a couple quarts of broth with whole star anise, a cinnamon stick, a small handful of coriander seeds and some sliced ginger for 15 minutes. Strain broth. Add braised beef, some sugar, a dash of fish sauce and cooked pho noodles. Serve with basil and cilantro leaves, fresh bean sprouts, sliced onion, lime wedges and chiles.
- • Easy beef-barley soup: Simmer a couple of quarts of broth with ½ cup each of finely diced carrots, celery, onion and pearled barley until vegetables and barley are tender. Add some braised beef (deboned and shredded, if you prefer), a good grind of black pepper and a handful of minced fresh parsley leaves.
Private Notes
Comments
Simple for sure, but still a special-occasion meal if you factor in the cost of short ribs or oxtail these days. Where I am, they run at least $12 a pound, so that is some mighty expensive soup.
I made this using neck bones (all I could find at a decent price). I would advise adding the cumin seeds when adding the scallions and cilantro, since they're so light they floated up with the scum and it was impossible to avoid scooping them out. There was a sort of thinness to the broth, I can definitely see it as a base that other things should be added to
Another note: After straining the soup it should be chilled so the fat can be removed. I followed the instructions and chilled it after cooking the potatoes and adding back in the beef, and it's impossible to skim the fat off with so many solids in there. Chill, then skim and cook potatoes
I make this recipe about once every month. I absolutely only use short ribs which run about $10 a pound for me. I use about 4 to 6 ribs but then I also use a pound or two of short rib meat without the bone cause I like it very meaty. I also cook with just the stems of the cilantro tied with a string and reserve the tops of the cilantro for serving. I also smashed the garlic and cut the onions and leave the skin on because everything gets strained anyway, and who knows, maybe garlic skin and onion skin are good for us? After about three hours of very low cooking all the meat gets pulled out and put on a plate and put in the refrigerator and the broth gets strained and also put in the refrigerator. When everything‘s chilled, I cut the meat off the bones skim off whatever I want off the broth and rebuild a soup with potatoes that I’ve cooked separately. Instead of salt, I use a tablespoon or two of beef flavored better than bullion. This helps round up the flavor and give it even a meteor flavor - lol meatier.
I was so disappointed in the flavor I went back to the recipe to see what I left out. Turns out I didn't forget anything. I will not be making this again.
I grew up in Colombia and this is a wonderful pick-me up soup! So simple and satisfying. My mother suggested me to only add the cilantro bunch during the cook, but at the end only top with green onions (the broth already has a lot of cilantro flavor already). I also used boneless short ribs and the result is much better (absent the price difference). The cumin seeds should be added after you scoop out the scum.