Caldo de res is a beef stew with large pieces of coarse cut vegetables.  It is also called puchero and may be made with other meats or combinations of meats.  Doña Martha often makes it with chicken.  During lent, she makes it with fish (usually catfish) for meatless Fridays.  Pucheros take on many forms in various parts of Mexico.

Today Doña Martha is using corn on the cob, carrots, potatoes, squash, cabbage and cilantro. 

Also in this cornucopia you can see some long yellow chiles and tomatoes for a salsa.

Cooked cilantro goes very well with boiled potatoes and cabbage.

She also made a special salsa to go with the meat -- salsa guero.  She makes a variety of table salsas to go with various meals.  Caldo de res always gets salsa guero.

She cuts the meat into serving size pieces with the bones left in.  Some additional marrow bones are also used.

The meat is called pecho -- chest.  As often happens, common cuts of meat in Mexico are not found in the USA and many other countries.  The best substitute cut in USA would be chuck or brisket with additional bones.  The marrow bones are important and should not be omitted.

The meat, bones, salt, a whole onion and the corn are added to the cauldron of boiling water.

Mexican corn on the cob is not the same as sweet corn common in the USA.  It requires a very long cooking time.  If sweet corn is being used, it should be added later with the other vegetables. 

After the meat has boiled for 2 hours, the carrots are added.  After another 45 minutes, the rest of the vegetables are added along with one cut up tomato.

The caldo is ready after another 45 minutes -- total cooking time of 3:30.

The meat, bones and vegetables are removed from the broth for serving.  The broth is saved for tomorrow to be used as a soup with rice and any leftover veggies.

Rice, salsa guero and tortillas complete the meal.

The marrow spooned out of the large bones is delicious.