Carne Guisada | Mexican-Style Beef Stew
Comforting Carne Guisada is a Tex Mex beef stew that is full of melt-in-your-mouth beef chunks and spices all in a savory gravy. The sauce is deep and velvety, it's the perfect balance of flavor and spiciness from the jalapenos and seranos. Serve with tortillas for scooping up the flavorful beef and rich gravy.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 3-4 pounds chuck roast or top round or stew meat, cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 large onion small dice
- 1 large jalapeño pepper finely diced
- 1 large serrano pepper finely diced
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 can diced tomatoes or two large diced tomatoes
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth
- 1 cup water
- for serving: rice, beans, chopped cilantro, diced onions, cheese, salsa, or hot sauce
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven or a large soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium high heat. While the oil is heating pat dry the meat with paper towels. Then sprinkle the salt and pepper all over the beef cubes. Add in the beef and make sure to brown every side.
- Pull the beef from the pot and put into a bowl. To the pot, add the last tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Once hot, add in the chopped onion, jalapeño, and serrano. Stir occasionally and cook until soft, about 12 minutes.
- Push veggies to the side. To the other side of the pot, add in the butter and allow it to melt. Add in the flour and whisk together. While whisking constantly, add in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Let it cook for 1 minute.
- Add the beef broth in slowly a little at a time while stirring to dissolve the roux into a sauce. Once all of the broth has been added, mix in the onion and peppers. Stir back in the cooked beef, half of the cilantro, tomatoes, bay leaf and water.
- Bring everything up to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover with a lid partially and simmer for 2 1/2 hours hours, stirring every 30 minutes so nothing burns on the bottom. For tender beef cubes: After 2½ hours, uncover the pot and simmer for an additional 30 minutes to thicken the gravy and finish cooking the meat. Total cook time: 3 hours. For more stringy, shredded-style beef: Continue simmering partially covered for another hour, then uncover for the last 30 minutes to reduce the sauce and achieve a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Total cook time: 4 hours
Notes
- Avoid lean cuts of beef, like sirloin, they can dry out in the cooking process.
- Replace the water with a dark beer like Dos Equis Amber or Modelo Negra for a deeper flavor.
- The leftover stew will last 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.