Carne Guisada = Mexican Beef Stew
Most of us have heard of carne asada (translation: grilled meat), but how many have heard of carne guisada? If you haven’t tried the latter, you’ve been missing out. Carne guisada is an absolutely delicious traditional Mexican beef stew. Guisada means “stewed meat in gravy,” and that’s exactly what this dish is. There are different ways to make the gravy – you can add bell peppers or potatoes to the dish. Personally, I prefer to keep it simple – tender meat and flavorful gravy. If you like beef stew and like Latin flavor, you will most definitely like this recipe for carne guisada.
“Awesome! Delicious! Easy! I doubled the recipe and froze the leftovers. I am making this again on Monday. Thanks for posting Ashley.”
Donnie
Why use an Instant Pot?
Carne guisada is typically a slow-simmered stew that can take hours to make, but I’ve been able to recreate the dish using my new pressure cooker, Instant Pot.
Those of you who have been following my blog for a while know that I had been coveting this pressure cooker for nearly a year before I bought it. It went on sale over the holidays (I bought it for about $115 – it’s only $134 right now!), and I’ve been using it several times a week ever since. It’s one of the best kitchen investments I’ve made – it can do so many things.
You can definitely make this dish in a stovetop pressure cooker or a slow cooker, but you’ll have to adjust the cooking method. For the slow cooker, cook until the meat is tender (estimate: ~6 hours).
How to Thicken the Stew:
Once the Instant Pot has finished cooking your meal, you’ll see that the stew is a bit thin. You’ll want to ladle out the liquid into a bowl and whisk a tablespoon of potato starch into the stew. I’m sure potato flour will work too. Different thickeners require different steps, so make sure to use them correctly. For example, if you use arrowroot or tapioca flour, you’ll want to mix it well with cold water and then pour that into the stew. Regardless, once it’s well mixed, pour the thick slurry back into the Instant Pot and mix well to thicken the whole stew.
We enjoy eating carne guisada with these Paleo Tortillas or corn tortillas, served with avocado slices and fresh salsa. I think the carne guisada tacos are my favorite… way better than the carne asada fajita-type meat you’re probably used to eating at Mexican restaurants. If you like spicy food, serve the carne guisada with thin slices of Serrano pepper on top!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or fat of choice
- 1 pound beef stew meat
- 1 onion diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 Serrano pepper minced
- 1 bay leaf
Spices
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon chipotle powder
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 cup beef broth or chicken stock
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon potato starch or thickener of choice optional
Instructions
- Press the sauté button on the Instant Pot, add the oil and beef cubes to the pot. Sear the meat on all sides.
- Once the meat has browned , add the onion, garlic, serrano pepper, bay leaf and spices. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in the beef broth and tomato sauce.
- Secure the lid, close the valve and cook for 35 minutes at high pressure.
- Naturally release pressure.
- Optional step: to thicken the sauce, either press sauté to reduce the liquid or ladle out some liquid into a bowl and combine it with thickener of choice. Mix well and then add the thick slurry back into the pot, and stir-well.
- Serve over cauli-rice, or in a tortilla!
Notes
- To make in a slow cooker: Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours.
Looking for more Instant Pot Recipes? Try these:
Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
Instant Pot Taco Meat
Instant Pot Saag
Instant Pot Habanero Chili
Instant Pot Dal Makhani
Goat Curry in a Hurry
Instant Pot Texas Beef Chili
Instant Pot Ground Lamb Curry
Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Liz P says
I LOVE this recipe and it has become a staple in our home. I’ve never used the Serrano pepper because I always forget to buy one at the store. I use olive oil as my base fat and add corn starch to thicken it up.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Liz, that’s great to hear! Glad you like it 🙂
Liz says
I LOVE this recipe so much. It has become a staple in our house. It comes out good EVERY-TIME. I’ve never used the Serrano, only because I never have one on hand and forget to buy one for this recipe.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how much you like this 🙂
Bill Cheek says
I have made this recipe 3 or 4 times (it is a Sunday ritual for me). I live in San Antonio, Texas and Carne Guisada is ubiquitous, and fairly pricey.
I scaled up the recipe to use 2-3 lbs of stew meat, since I make breakfast tacos every morning, and need the supply to last from Sunday to Sunday. I did tweak the recipe a little.
I generously coat the beef in flour before browning, to aid in thickening the gravy. I also use less broth — just enough to barely cover the mixture. And I cook the meal for an hour in the pressure cooker, and allow a natural release.
I am very happy that I found this recipe. Thanks
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Bill, that’s so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how much you like this recipe!
Donnie Staggs says
Awesome! Delicious! Easy! I doubled the recipe and froze the leftovers. I am making this again on Monday.
Thanks for posting Ashley.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Donnie! Happy to hear that you like this recipe so much 🙂
Patty says
This recipe reminds me of my college years in San Antonio at Mom & Pop Mexican restaurants. This recipe brings back a cherished food memory. Thank you for this! I was skeptical about 35 minutes in the pressure cooker, but it came out incredibly tender.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Patty, that’s great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how much you liked this 🙂
Jacqueline Ben says
I grew up eating carne guisada weekly and this is amazing!! My family makes it differently but I almost prefer this version more. Sometimes it’s a little spicy for my 4 year old but she loves the flavors so much she cants stop eating it. Been using this recipe for 3 years! Thanks
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Jacqueline, that’s awesome! I’m so glad you like this recipe – especially glad your little one likes it!
Victor says
I love carne guisada, but your information is wrong. Carne guisada 100% originated in Puerto Rico.