Carne Guisada
Mexican beef stew. Heavy on the cumin. Spicy and flavorful.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 1 hr 30 min
- Yield
- 10 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 3 small Roma tomatoes (chopped)
- 1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 2 medium jalapeños
- 2 tsp cumin seeds (toasted)
- 3 lbs chuck roast (cut into 1" cubes)
- 3 tsp kosher salt (to taste)
- 1/4 C all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil (plus more as needed)
- 4 C water (hot)
- 3 Tbsp beef bouillon
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano (Mexican, if you can find it.)
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp hot chili powder
- 1/4 C masa harina
Instructions
- 1
Start by grabbing your food processor or blender. Into it, toss the cilantro, chopped tomatoes, onions, garlic cloves, jalapenos, and cumin seeds. Blend until you have a smooth mixture. This is your flavorful base. Once it’s smooth, set it aside for now.
- 2
Take your cubed beef and sprinkle some salt over it. Then, give each piece a nice coating of all-purpose flour. This will help the beef get a beautiful sear and also thicken the stew later on.
- 3
Heat up a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pour in just enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom. While it’s heating up, dissolve your beef bouillon in the hot water and keep it nearby. Once the oil is shimmering, it’s ready for the beef. Place the beef cubes in a single layer in the pot—don’t crowd them, or they won’t brown properly. Sear them on all sides just until they’re browned; you’re not cooking them all the way through, just giving them some color. Do this in batches if necessary, adding more oil between batches as needed.
- 4
Once all your beef is browned, return it all to the pot. Pour in the blended aromatics and sprinkle in the oregano, paprika, and chili powder. Stir everything together until the beef is well coated. Then, pour in your beef broth, give it a good stir, and taste the mixture. Adjust the salt and other spices if necessary.
- 5
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot with a lid and let the stew simmer for about 90 minutes. Stir it occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom.
- 6
After 90 minutes, check the beef for tenderness. It should be soft enough that it gives just a bit of resistance when you press it with the back of a spoon. If it’s still tough, let it simmer for another 15 minutes and check again.
- 7
In a small bowl, whisk a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid into the Maseca corn flour to make a thick paste—this will prevent lumps. Once smooth, stir this paste back into the stew to thicken it. Cover the pot and let it cook for an additional 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes to ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom.
- 8
After this final simmer, your Carne Guisada should be thick, rich, and ready to enjoy. Give it a taste one last time and adjust any seasonings if needed. Dassit!