Chilean Ajiaco — the leftover-steak soup eaten after Independence Day
Traditional Chilean ajiaco: leftover grilled beef soup with potatoes, onion, egg and cilantro. Ready in 1 hour, 4 servings.
Chilean ajiaco is a hearty soup made with the grilled beef left over from the day before, potatoes cut into strips, fried onion, oregano, paprika-style ají de color and one egg per person poached right in the hot broth. It serves 4 and is ready in 1 hour (20 minutes of prep plus 40 of cooking). It is the traditional dish of September 19th, the day after the Chilean Independence Day barbecue, and should not be confused with the Colombian chicken ajiaco.
Instructions
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Cut the grilled beef into strips
Take the 500 g of grilled beef left over from the day before and cut it into thin one-centimeter strips, following the grain of the meat. If you have no leftovers, cook a lean cut of beef on a hot griddle or skillet until browned outside and still juicy inside, then slice it the same way. Set the meat aside on a plate while you make the sofrito.
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Sauté the onion, garlic and ají de color
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sauté for 5-6 minutes until translucent and soft. Stir in the chopped garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Lower the heat, add the tablespoon of ají de color and stir quickly for 20-30 seconds: the paprika should release its color into the oil without burning, because a scorched paprika turns the whole broth bitter.
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Brown the meat with oregano and cumin
Raise the heat to medium-high and add the beef strips to the pot along with the dried oregano and the half teaspoon of cumin. Sauté for 2-3 minutes so the meat takes on the flavor of the sofrito and the spices blend in. Watch the cumin: half a teaspoon is plenty, since too much overpowers and masks the flavor of the beef.
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Add the broth and potatoes
Pour 1.5 liters of hot beef broth (or hot water) over the meat. Add the potatoes cut into thick strips or wedges and stir. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower to medium to keep a gentle simmer.
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Cook 25-30 minutes until the potato is tender
Simmer over medium heat for 25-30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender but still hold together when pierced with a fork. Do not cut them too thin or overboil them, or they fall apart and cloud the broth. Taste and adjust the liquid if too much has evaporated, adding a little more hot broth.
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Poach the eggs in the hot broth
With the broth at a gentle boil, crack the 4 eggs one by one directly onto the surface, spread around the pot. Cover and let cook for 3-4 minutes without stirring, so the white sets around the yolk without scattering. A common mistake is stirring the moment the egg goes in: that breaks it into threads. If you prefer, poach them in a submerged ladle or use halved hard-boiled eggs.
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Adjust the salt and serve with cilantro
Taste the broth and adjust the salt and pepper to taste, remembering that the beef broth already adds salt. Serve immediately in deep bowls, placing one egg per portion, and finish with plenty of fresh chopped cilantro. Serve with Chilean kneaded bread (pan amasado) and pebre for the full Chilean experience.
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Foodtastico Tip
Keep the broth with the meat for up to 3 days refrigerated in an airtight container; add the potato and egg only when you reheat so the potato does not turn mealy nor the egg overcook. To freeze, do it for up to 2 months without potato or egg and add them fresh when serving.
Nutrition information
| Calories | 420 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 32 g |
| Carbs | 28 g |
| Sugars | 4 g |
| Fat | 19 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
Values per serving (1 of 4).
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Chilean ajiaco and Colombian ajiaco?
They are different dishes that share a name. Chilean ajiaco is a soup of leftover grilled beef with potatoes in strips, fried onion and an egg poached in the broth. Colombian (Bogotá) ajiaco is a chicken soup with criolla potatoes, guascas herb, cream and capers. They are not interchangeable: the main ingredient, the aromatics and the texture all differ.
What meat do I use if I have no barbecue leftovers?
Use a lean cut of beef cooked on a hot griddle or skillet until browned outside. The smoky note that charcoal-grilled meat brings is made up for by frying the ají de color well in the oil, which gives color and a toasted base to the broth. Cut the meat into thin strips just as if it were barbecue leftovers.
Why is ajiaco eaten on September 19th?
It is the Chilean tradition of using up the meat left over from the September 18th Independence Day barbecue. The next day, the 19th, that meat becomes a comforting soup that stretches far and wastes nothing. Beyond the date, ajiaco is a classic winter soup and a reset dish after any celebration with a barbecue.
Can you freeze ajiaco?
Yes, for up to 2 months, but it is best to freeze only the broth with the meat, without the egg or potato, to keep the best texture. Frozen potato tends to turn mealy when thawed, and the egg always sets better freshly made. When reheating, add fresh potato and poach the eggs at that moment.
Should the egg be raw, poached or hard-boiled?
Traditionally the egg is cracked raw straight into the pot or the bowl, and the boiling broth sets it in a few minutes, leaving the yolk semi-liquid. If you want more control, you can poach them separately and add them when serving, or use hard-boiled eggs cut in half. Either way, count one egg per serving.
Is 'ajiaco a la chilena' a different recipe?
No, it is exactly the same preparation. The phrase 'a la chilena' (Chilean style) only serves to distinguish it from Colombian ajiaco, which is very different despite the shared name. When someone searches for 'ajiaco a la chilena' they mean this soup of grilled beef, potatoes and egg.
How do you reheat ajiaco and how long does it keep in the fridge?
It keeps 2-3 days in a covered container in the fridge. Reheat it gently until it boils for a couple of minutes, and add the egg and cilantro just before serving, not earlier: reheated egg turns rubbery and cilantro loses its aroma. If the potato starch thickened the broth, loosen it with a splash of hot water.
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