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1
Start the pot with the ribs and aromatics
10 minutes
High heat to boil, 100°C (212°F)
Put the ribs, the 1.5 litres of water, half the salt, the pepper, the cumin, the diced white onion, the garlic and the five sliced green onions into a large pot. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then skim off the grey foam that rises with a spoon so the broth stays clear.
Skim patiently for the first few minutes: the foam is what would make the broth cloudy.
Done when: The water is at a full boil and the surface is mostly clear of foam.
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2
Simmer the ribs until tender
60 minutes
Gentle simmer, 95°C (200°F)
Lower the heat so the pot barely bubbles, put the lid on ajar and simmer for 60 minutes. Check now and then and skim any foam that appears. The ribs are ready when the meat pulls easily from the bone and a thermometer in the thickest part reads past 74°C (165°F).
Never let the pot boil hard after the first minutes: a rolling boil makes the meat tough and the broth cloudy.
Done when: The meat yields when pressed with a fork and pulls cleanly from the bone.
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3
Add the potatoes and finish seasoning
25 minutes
Gentle simmer, 95°C (200°F)
Add the quartered potatoes, the chopped half of the cilantro and the rest of the salt. Simmer for 25 minutes until the potatoes are tender all the way through when pierced with a fork and their edges have just started to soften into the broth.
Taste the broth before adding the last salt: the ribs have been seasoning it for an hour already.
Done when: A fork slides into the largest potato piece with no resistance.
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4
Blend the raw scallion and cilantro finish
5 minutes
No heat — off the heat
Scoop 60 ml of hot broth from the pot into a blender with the reserved green onion and the reserved half of the cilantro. Blend for 20 seconds until bright green and smooth, then stir the mixture into the pot off the heat. Do not boil it again, or the herbs turn dull and grey.
This raw green finish is what makes the dish a caldo de costilla rather than an ordinary beef soup — it goes in raw and off the heat so the aroma stays.
Done when: The broth turns lightly green and smells freshly of scallion and cilantro.
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5
Rest briefly and serve hot
5 minutes
Serve steaming hot, above 74°C (165°F)
Let the pot rest for 5 minutes so the flavours settle. Ladle one or two ribs, potato pieces and plenty of broth into each deep bowl, and serve at once with a warm arepa on the side.
Serve in deep bowls and eat the ribs with your hands if you like — in Colombia nobody minds.
Done when: Each bowl has meat, potato and clear green-flecked broth, steaming hot.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Ladle the ribs, potatoes and broth into deep bowls and serve steaming hot with a warm arepa, the way Bogotá eats it first thing in the morning.
Colombia
2h
