Carne Guisada (Stewed Beef) is slow cooked beef stew meat with herbs, spices and vegetables for a flavorful and aromatic dish. The meat is so tender that it melts in your mouth and the sauce is thick due to lightly coating the stew meat in flour. It is usually served over white rice for a complete meal.
Stew meat is cuts of beef, mainly from chuck or round, with lots of tough connective tissues, which requires long cooking time for the stew meat to become super tender. When referring to stew meat, we understand that the meat is cut into cubes or chunks and mostly used for stewed dishes like our Carne Guisada. When you add our tropical condiments to this dish, you are definitely taking it to another level in terms of flavor and aroma.
Coating the Stew Beef!
This is 2 pounds of beef stew meat, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 1-inch cubes, and then rinsed.
In a bowl, add ½ cup of all-purpose flour and place several chunks of stew meat and lightly coat with flour. We normally do not coat the stew meat with flour. However, I find that it provides a much better flavor and serves as a thickener to the sauce.
Note: Another method to coat the meat is to add flour into a large bag with stew meat and shake the bag until the meat is coated with flour.
With your hands, shake off any excess flour.
Place in bowl and continue this process until all the stew meat is completely coated with flour.
We just finished coating the beef stew meat lightly with flour.
Browning the Stew Meat!
In a 4-quart saucepan (caldero), heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the stew meat in heated oil and brown thoroughly, turning the meat to sear on all sides.
Note: The flour will help thicken the sauce and add deeper flavor when simmering. You can brown the stew meat in batches if you prefer.
Continue turning the stew meat to brown on all sides.
We just completed browning (searing) the stew meat.
Adding the Condiments to the Stewed Beef!
In saucepan, place 4 ajies dulces (sweet peppers), seeded and cut in halves.
Click on the link to find another alternative for our (ajies dulces) Sweet Peppers.
Continue with 1 green bell pepper, chopped; 2 medium onions, chopped; 3 minced garlic cloves;
3 culantro leaves (recao), chopped; and
Click on the link to find another alternative for our (recao) Culantro.
Lastly, 2 cups water; 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 3 sprigs of chopped cilantro; ½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves; 1 cup tomato sauce; 2 bay leaves; 1 teaspoon lite salt or to taste; 10 pimiento-stuffed green olives and 1 tablespoon capers.
Stir all the ingredients and bring the liquid to a boil.
Simmering the Stewed Beef!
The liquid is boiling; therefore, reduce heat to a slow simmer.
Cover saucepan with lid and simmer for 30 minutes.
Cooking the Vegetables for Stewed Beef!
The stew meat has been simmering for 30 minutes with all the herbs, spices and vegetables. The sauce is starting to thicken. At this point, add 1 cup of carrots, cut into ½-inch slices;
3 medium potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks; and 1 can (8.5 ounces) green peas with liquid.
Note: I purchase the can of green peas with no salt added. You can drain the liquid from can if that is your preference.
Stir well. If you noticed, I did not use any seasoning envelopes with coriander and annatto. However, the stewed beef looks nice and colorful without the seasoning envelopes.
Note: Seasoning envelopes are mainly used to add flavor and color to our dish.
Cover saucepan with lid and continue simmering for 30 more minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
The Stewed Beef (Carne Guisada) is Ready!
The Stewed Beef (Carne Guisada) has been simmering for a total of 1 hour. The sauce is thick with a deep rich color.
The stew meat and vegetables are definitely coated with a thick and creamy sauce. The vegetables and meat are also tender and the dish itself is not soupy with the right thick consistency. However, if you prefer a thicker sauce, then continue simmering without lid until the sauce thickens to your liking.
Note: The sauce will become thicker the next day.
The Carne Guisada (Stewed Beef) is served over white rice for a complete meal.
Click on the button below to watch my YouTube video on How to Prepare Carne Guisada (Stewed Beef)!
Recipe and Nutritional Facts!
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. Please refer to our Nutritional Facts Disclaimer for more information.
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Stewed Beef (Carne Guisada)
- Prep Time: 35 Minutes
- Cook Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 Servings 1x
Description
Stewed Beef is slow cooked to tenderize the meat that is coated with flour for a thick and creamy sauce. This meal is served over white rice.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef stew meat, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons extra virgen olive oil
- 4 ajíes dulces (sweet peppers) cut in halves
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 3 culantro leaves (recao), chopped
- 2 cups water
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 sprigs of chopped cilantro
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon lite salt or to taste
- 10 pimiento-stuffed green olives
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 1 cup of carrots, cut into ½-inch slices
- 3 medium potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 can (8.5 ounces) green peas with liquid
Instructions
- Rinsed meat and lightly coat with flour.
- Heat oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat.
- Brown meat (sear) on all sides.
- Add the remaining ingredients, except for the carrots, potatoes and green peas.
- Stir all the ingredients and bring the liquid to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a simmer and cover saucepan with lid. Simmer for 30 minutes.
- Place the carrots, potatoes and green peas into saucepan. Continue simmering for 30 more minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
- Serve over white rice.
Notes
The can of green peas that I purchase does not contain any salt. In addition, you can drain the liquid from can if that is your preference.
The nutritional facts do not include white rice.
- Category: Beef
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Keywords: Stewed Beef, Carne Guisada
