carne guisada - slow cooker (mexican beef stew)
I love the Carne Guisada served at my favorite Mexican restaurant. I began looking for a recipe I could make it at home. Most we tried were good but lacked something. So I made my own, taking the best parts of the 3 recipes we most liked. We prefer flour tortillas but most recipes use corn tortillas. Most had green bell peppers while I prefer red (for splash of color). All the other recipes use canned tomatoes and I prefer fresh tomatoes. And none included toppings. But green onions and cilantro are included in this dish at my local Mexican restaurant, which adds so much flavor to the dish.
Blue Ribbon Recipe
This recipe is so easy! Typically this Mexican stew is labor intensive and requires babysitting. Not this recipe, the slow cooker does all the hard work. Filled with robust flavors and fresh vegetables, this will definitely warm ya up on a cold night.
Ingredients
- 2 to 2 1/2 pounds beef stew meat (or beef chuck roast or beef bottom roast, cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 4 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon salt taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large white onion, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 large bell pepper, deseeded and chopped (any color - green, orange, yellow or red)
- 1 or 2 large fresh jalapeño peppers, deseeded and diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon chili powder (or to taste - using sparingly, as it increases in heat over time)
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano (use mexican oregano, if you can find it)
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 large tomatoes, diced
- 2 - bay leaves
- FOR SERVING (OPTIONAL SIDES AND GARNISHES)
- 1 package tortillas (corn or flour, your choice)
- 1 cup crumbled queso cotija (or other mexican cheese)
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 3 stalks green onion (scallions), sliced
How To Make carne guisada - slow cooker (mexican beef stew)
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Step 1In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over high heat. Add half of the meat in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, and sear on one side (about 5 minutes). -
Step 2Transfer to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker along with remaining un-seared meat.
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Step 3In same skillet, add 2 more teaspoons oil, onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, and garlic over medium-high heat, stirring and scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until vegetables are tender, 5 minutes.
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Step 4Add cumin, chili powder, oregano, and flour; cook 1 minute continuously stirring.
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Step 5Slowly pour broth into skillet, stirring until liquid is smooth, scraping up any bits stuck to the pan. Simmer 2 minutes.
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Step 6Transfer mixture to slow cooker, along with tomatoes and bay leaves. Taste, and add more salt and pepper, if desired.
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Step 7Cover and cook on Low heat setting for 8 to 10 hours. Alternatively, this can be prepared on a stovetop in a Dutch oven simmering over low heat for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Or it can be baked in an oven at 325°F for 3 to 4 hours.
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Step 8Served the stew immediately, with a few corn tortillas for dipping or rolling in. Garnish servings (as desired) with crumbled queso cotija, chopped cilantro, or chopped green onions, if desired.
- Last Step: Don't forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe here and on your favorite social network. Don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes!
