CARNE GUISADA | Why This Beef Stew Tastes So Good
Carne Guisada: a delicious Mexican beef stew!
Things to know:
What is carne guisada made of?
Carne guisada is a savory Mexican beef stew made from tender, slow-cooked chunks of beef (usually chuck roast) simmered in a rich, spiced gravy with ingredients like onions, garlic, tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, and oregano, often thickened with flour and served with tortillas, rice, or beans. Variations include adding potatoes, bell peppers, or cilantro for extra flavor.
What is the difference between carne asada and carne guisada?
Carne Asada is marinated beef, typically skirt or flank steak, grilled and sliced, offering a smoky, charred flavor, while Carne Guisada is a hearty, slow-cooked beef stew (using tougher cuts like chuck) simmered in a rich gravy with vegetables, resulting in a tender, saucy dish perfect for tacos or bowls. The key difference lies in the cooking method: Asada means grilled, and Guisada means stewed, leading to vastly different textures and flavor profiles.
What are some common sides for carne guisada?
Typical side dishes for this Carne Guisada are rice, beans, potato salad or macaroni salad!
Where was carne guisada invented?
Carne guisada (stewed meat) is a beloved Latin dish with roots in Puerto Rico, featuring tender beef in a rich gravy, but it’s adapted across Latin America and the Caribbean, including significant variations in Mexico and the Dominican Republic, often served with rice or in tacos. The key differences lie in regional ingredients, with Puerto Rican versions using sofrito and potatoes, Dominican styles often featuring falda (skirt steak) and tostones, and Tex-Mex versions thickening with flour for taco fillings.
What is the secret to a good beef stew?
A good beef stew is defined by tender, flavorful beef (like chuck), a rich, deep broth from searing and slow simmering, and a balanced mix of hearty vegetables, with the key being patience for low-and-slow cooking to break down connective tissues, creating a comforting, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Ingredients
2-3 pounds beef top sirloin steak or any type of stew meat, cut into 1-inch chunks (we used beef blade roast)
2 T pork lard or vegetable oil
1/2 large white onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
6 garlic cloves
1/2 t black peppercorns
2 t cumin seeds
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
2 fire roasted Hatch green chiles slightly toasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped (1 serrano pepper is more traditional and will give you more heat if that is your desire)
1 1/2 cups beef broth (we used 3/4 cup beef broth and 3/4 cup Smokey Chipotle broth from Better than Bouillon)
1/2 t Mexican oregano (regular is fine)
1/2 t smoked paprika
1 t chili powder (we used chipotle chili powder)
1/2 t salt
1/2 cup beer (we used Modelo)
1. Dredge the cubed meat in flour, coating well.
2. In a heavy, deep-sided skillet or Dutch oven, add the lard or oil and heat over medium heat. Add the beef and brown thoroughly, stirring often.
3. While the beef is browning, in a small sauté pan, toast the cumin seeds and then add them to a molcajete or mortar and pestle. Use the same pan to toast the serrano pepper if you are going the traditional route.
4. In a molcajete that already has the comino, add the garlic, and black peppercorns. Grind into a paste.
5. Add 1/2 cup of beer and stir, this is to make sure you remove all the paste from the molcajete and set aside.
6. Once the beef is browned, add the paste and liquid from molcajete to the pot.
7. Add the salt, paprika, oregano, chili powder, onion, tomatoes, bell pepper, cilantro, and chiles to the pot and saute for 3 to 4 minutes.
8. Add beef broth, bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 1 1/2 hours, or until the beef is tender and the mixture has cooked down to a thick sauce. Stir every 20 minutes.
9. This can be served over rice, mashed potatoes, or just in a flour tortilla. ENJOY!
For the Cilantro-Lime Rice
Ingredients
2 cups uncooked rice cooked per manufacturer’s instructions
1/2 cup fresh cilantro plus extra for garnish
2 T fresh lime juice
2 t lime zest
Salt and Pepper
1. Prepare your rice by, combining cooked rice, cilantro, lime juice, lime zest and a dash of salt and pepper.
Equipment used:
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