Carne Guisada
So, this Carne Guisada—it’s basically like wrapping yourself in a warm blanket of pure flavor. You’ve got chunks of beef simmering for hours with bell pepper, onion, garlic, and tomatoes until everything just melts together into this rich, hearty sauce. The smell alone will have everyone in the house poking their heads into the kitchen, asking when it’s ready! And when it finally is? Serve it up with some fluffy rice and warm tortillas, because trust me, you’ll want to scoop up every last bit. This isn’t just dinner—it’s that kind of soul-satisfying, cozy meal that everyone loves.
Servings
Ingredients
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 medium onion
- 3 large cloves of garlic
- 2 large tomatoes
- 3 pounds boneless beef shoulder roast or stew meat works great, too
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 heaping tablespoon of lard you can substitute with vegetable or olive oil, but lard adds that authentic flavor
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Grab a large pan for the stovetop and add in your lard (or oil if that’s what you’re using). Set the heat to medium and let it warm up.
- Cut the beef shoulder roast into 1-inch cubes and toss those into the pan. Roughly chop the tomatoes and add them right on top of the meat.
- Take your bell pepper, remove the seeds, and give it a rough chop. Add that in as well.
- Slice up the onion and throw it into the pan. Then chop the garlic cloves finely and sprinkle them over everything.
- Now, add the ground cumin, salt, and pepper to the mix.
- Give everything a good stir, making sure the spices coat all those ingredients. This is where the magic begins, and trust me—the aroma will be amazing!
- Cover the pan with a lid, turn the heat down to low, and let it cook gently for about 3 hours. Give it a stir every now and then to keep everything cooking evenly.
- About 30 minutes before it’s done, mix the flour with 1/2 cup of water until smooth, then pour it into the pan. Stir it well to thicken up that delicious sauce.
- By this point, the veggies should have cooked down, melting into a flavorful sauce that coats the beef perfectly.
- Let it all simmer on low for another 20–30 minutes, and that’s it! Serve this flavorful Carne Guisada with warm tortillas and some fluffy Mexican rice, and dig into a meal that’s all about comfort and tradition.
Notes
You might notice in the photos that this Carne Guisada includes potatoes, carrots, and olives. While this recipe stays true to my family’s simpler, traditional version, you can absolutely add those ingredients if you’d like to bulk it up! Just toss in chopped potatoes, carrots, and a handful of olives during the last hour of cooking—they’ll soak up all the rich, savory flavors. It’s a slightly heartier twist inspired by other variations of Carne Guisada!
Want to make this gluten-free? Super easy. Just swap out the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free one (or even a little cornstarch works). Mix it with water the same way to get that sauce to thicken up nicely. And just double-check your spices, so you’re sure there’s no hidden gluten. Boom—same cozy, delicious flavor, just gluten-free. It’s one of those easy tweaks that keep everyone happy, so you can dig in without a second thought!