In my world, it's always soup season. Ignore the fact that it's 100F+ here in Phoenix, it won't keep me from tucking into a hearty beef stew like this Mexican style Carne Guisada.
Guisada means stewed, so carne guisada is simply stewed beef. It's hearty, a classic Mexican comfort food and is even better the next day as leftovers. My favorite kind of dinner that allows you to cook once and enjoy it for multiple meals.
Thinks to Know Before You Make This Recipe
Type of Beef
I usually grab a package of beef stew meat, which most often comes from chuck, the shoulder. Chuck is my pick because it's affordable, it was the cheaper option at Costco, and all the tough bits cook down down into fork tender bites as it simmers. Stew meat can be a bit of a grab bag though, so if a few of your cubes come from a leaner cut, just give them more time to get tender. If you'd rather go leaner and higher in protein, sirloin works too, you'll just want to keep a closer eye so it doesn't dry out. Either way, cut your beef into even 1-inch cubes so everything cooks at the same pace.
Choose Your Spice level
This one is choose your own adventure. When I'm cooking for the whole family, I go for poblano peppers, which bring a mild, almost sweet warmth that everyone can handle. When it's just me and my husband Ryan, we love heat. I swap in jalapeños for a real kick. Use one or the other, or split the difference with one of each. The rest of the seasoning stays exactly the same.
Thickening / Flour Options
A single tablespoon of flour is all it takes to turn the broth into a smooth gravy. I usually use garbanzo flour or quinoa flour depending on what's in my pantry, and I've tested both with great results. Regular all-purpose flour works great, too, if that's what you have on hand. The trick is to stir the flour into the beef and vegetables first and let it cook for a minute before any liquid goes in, so it loses that raw flour taste and thickens evenly.
More on why I like the swaps from a nutritional perspectiv down in Joanie's Balanced Bites section.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Season the beef.
Preheat your oven to 300F. Toss the cubed beef with the salt, cumin, chile powder and black pepper until every piece is coated.
Step 2: Sear in batches.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large oven-safe Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the pan is heated, add the beef in a single layer, working in batches so you don't crowd the pan. Crowding steams the meat instead of searing it, and that deep brown crust is where so much of the flavor lives. Sear until the cubes are nicely browned on a couple of sides, then transfer them to a bowl and set aside.
Step 3: Build the base.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same pot. Toss in the onion and poblano (or jalapeño) and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes, until softened and fragrant and picking up a little color from the browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Stir in the garlic and cook one minute more, just until you can smell it.
Step 4: Add the flour.
Sprinkle in the oregano and flour, then return the seared beef and any juices to the pot. Stir until the flour disappears and lightly coats everything. This is what gives you that glossy gravy later, so let it cook for about a minute.
Step 5: Add liquid and braise.
Pour in the diced tomatoes and beef broth. Turn the heat to high and bring it to a simmer, then cover with the lid and slide the whole pot into the oven. Braise at 300F for 30 minutes with the lid on, then remove the lid and continue at 300F for about an hour longer, until the beef is fork tender and pulls apart easily without turning to mush.
Uncovering the pot allows the sauce to reduce and become more like a gravy.
Step 6: Serve.
Spoon it over rice, or scoop it up with chips or warm tortillas, and pile on the avocado and sour cream.
No Dutch oven? No problem.
If you don't have an oven-safe pot, keep everything on the stovetop. After you add the tomatoes and broth, cover and drop the heat to low for 30 minutes, then uncover and let it simmer for about an hour, until the meat is fork tender.
Joanie's Balanced Bites
Traditional Carne Guisada is already largely blood sugar friendly. It's typically thickened with regular flour. But given the small amount across an entire pot of what's otherwise full of protein and fat from the beef, it's not likely to cause a major spike.
I do sub in garbanzo flour or quinoa flour (depending on what I have on hand) since I usually have it in my pantry and it's lower carb and adds a dose of fiber. But if all you have is regular flour, that works just fine in an equal amount, too.
Where to pay attention, though, is in the accompaniments. Carne Guisada is usually served with rice, beans, tortillas or chips (or some combo of these). There's again, plenty of protein and fat in the stew to help slow glucose absorption, but keep the balance in mind. I do love enjoying this with a soft flour tortilla and it's no problem for me as long as I keep portions in check.
I also love to add cilantro for a pop of freshness, sliced jalapenos for heat and diced avocados or guac for added fiber.
Browse more ➡️ Blood Sugar-Friendly Recipes
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Carne Guisada
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Low-Carb
Description
My carne guisada is a Mexican style beef stew inspired by the flavors of my southwestern roots. Fork tender beef in a rich tomatoey broth, naturally blood sugar friendly with a choose-your-own spice level.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef stew meat (900 g), cut into 1-inch cubes if not pre-cut
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chile powder
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp olive oil (30 ml), divided
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 poblano or jalapeño peppers, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 Tbsp garbanzo or quinoa flour (8 g), or all-purpose flour
- 2 Roma tomatoes (180 g), or 1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup beef broth (240 ml)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300F.
- Toss the cubed beef with the salt, cumin, chile powder and black pepper until coated.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large oven-safe Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef in batches so the pan isn't crowded. If you crowd the pan, you won't get a good sear on the meat and it will steam instead. Transfer the seared meat to a bowl and set aside.
- Add the remaining oil to the pot. Sauté the onion and pepper for 6 to 8 minutes, until softened and fragrant. Add the garlic and cook one minute more.
- Stir in the oregano and flour, then return the beef and juices to the pot and stir until the flour coats everything.
- Add the tomatoes and beef broth. Bring to a simmer over high heat, cover. Then transfer to the preheated oven and braise at 300F for 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid so the sauce can reduce and continue braising at 300F for about 1 hour, until the beef is fork tender and pulls apart easily.
- Serve over rice or with chips or warm tortillas, topped with avocado and sour cream.
Notes
No oven-safe pot? Keep it on the stovetop. After adding the tomatoes and broth, cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes, then uncover and simmer about 1 hour more until fork tender.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 262
- Sugar: 2.9 g
- Sodium: 312.9 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Carbohydrates: 7.4 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 34.7 g
- Cholesterol: 99.7 mg
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!