Introduction: Mexican Carne Guisada (Beef Stew)

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About: aka "OJ"

Mexican Carne Guisada (Beef Stew) made with Stew Beef. This is a simple recipe (minimal ingredients) that I perfected during my high school years. My parents were anti spices at that time due to acid reflux issues. So no pepper, cumin, beef bullion, or "Mexican Carne Guisada" MSG additive in this recipe. Super good in flavor as is though.

Ingredients

1) 1.5 lbs Beef for Stews

2) 2 large white onions

3) 2 large tomatoess

4) 1 Tablespoon Crushed Garlic

5) 1 Tablespoon Salt

6) 1 Tablespoon Granulated Onion

7) 2 cups of water

8) 1 cup of Mexican Salsa https://www.instructables.com/id/Mexican-Microwave-...

9) 1 TBSP Olive oil or vegetable oil.

Step 1: Gather Cooking Gear

1) 4 Quart cooking pan

2) Cooking spoon

3) Large cutting board

4) Sharp knife

Step 2: Meat Selection

For this recipe I used two packs (0.75lbs) of Beef for Stew or 1.5 lbs total.

Step 3: Cut the Meat Down to a Edible Size

Cut all the meat down to 1/2 inch cubes. This will make sure all the meat cooks evenly. If you don't cut the meat down to the same size, the final dish will have overcooked pieces along with under cooked pieces that will be hard to chew. Trust me - you don't want to serve that to your family.

Step 4: Browning the Meat

Turn the heat on high and let the pan come up to temperature. Add 1 TBSP of olive or vegetable oil to the pan. Then add all the cubed meat to the pan and spread out evenly. There will be plenty of liquid coming out of the meat at this point, so keep it browning/cooking until the liquid evaporates. Do not add any salt at this point as it will make the meat tough.

Step 5: Add Crushed Garlic

Add 1 TBSP of crushed garlic while the meat is cooking.

Step 6: Onions

While the meat is cooking. Peel and cut two onions in half.

Step 7: Onion Slicing

Slice all the onions into long 1/4 thick slivers.

Step 8: Dice Tomatoes

Cube two large tomatoes to roughly 1/2 inch cubes.

Step 9: Add Onions

After all the liquid in the pan has evaporated and the meat has started to brown, add all the onions to meat. Cook until the onions are translucent.

Step 10: Add Salt

After the onions are translucent. Add salt to taste. I added 1TBSP of salt to the meat onion mixture. It can be adjusted to your taste.

Step 11: Add Tomatoes to Mixture

Add all the diced tomatoes into the mixture.

Step 12: Add Granulated Onion

Add 1 TBSP of granulated onion to the mixture. This will give the final resulting gravy good rich flavor and adds a little thickness to the final dish.

Step 13: Add Water to the Mixture

Add enough water to the pan to barely reach the top of the mixture.

Step 14: Add Mexican Salsa

Add enough Mexican Salsa to suit your taste. This will provide the only heat/spicy-ness to the mixture. This is the link to the salsa I used for this dish: https://www.instructables.com/id/Mexican-Microwave-...

Step 15: Cover and Simmer

Using the spoon, thoroughly combine the mixture with all the ingredients. The goal is to make the mixture look the same through out. Bring the mixture to a boil. Then lower the heat and let it simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender. Check the mixture every 30 minutes to make sure the mixture does not run out of liquid. If it is running low on liquid or sticking, add more water to the mixture to keep the liquid level to the top of the mixture. If the mixture is running out of liquid too frequently, your flame may be too high.

Step 16: Finished Carne Guisada

Once done, the meat should be nice and tender and the gravy should be a little thick. Serve with rice, beans, and corn tortillas. I like to put the extra hot sauce bowl on the table to allow guest to increase the heat to suit their individual taste.