When it’s cold outside, nothing beats a hearty, satisfying bowl of stew. Carne Guisada, which translates to “stewed meat,” is a rich beef stew that will warm you from the inside out. The delicious Mexican stew relies on hands-off, low and slow cooking, where a large Dutch oven turns a less expensive cut of meat—chuck roast—into a flavorful stew. Like any classic braise, the meat becomes more tender and the flavors more concentrated with time and patience. And the beef simmered with jalapeño peppers, onions, celery, and spicy seasonings in a thick tomato paste makes for the perfect filling for burrito bowls or tacos. The aromas alone from this slow-cooked stew will make it hard to wait until serving time. This is a perfect make-ahead dish for entertaining friends and can be served as you would chili with these toppings: sour cream, store-bought salsa verde, sliced red jalapeños, or chopped green onions. Serve it in flour tortillas or spoon over rice to get more mileage out of this meal.
How to Make It
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish; toss beef with flour mixture.
Step 2
Cook beef, in batches, in hot oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes or until browned. Remove beef from Dutch oven.
Step 3
Add onion, celery, and jalapeño peppers to Dutch oven; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in any remaining flour mixture and tomato paste; cook 2 minutes. Add broth, next 3 ingredients, and beef, stirring to loosen browned bits from bottom of Dutch oven. Bring to a light boil.
Step 4
Bake, covered, at 350° for 2 1/2 hours or until meat is fork-tender. Skim fat from juices in Dutch oven. Serve with tortillas and desired toppings.
