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Traditional Tejano Carne Guisada from The Food Charlatan
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4.94 from 33 votes

Carne Guisada (Stew Meat for Tacos)

This is an easy Tejano version of the classic Carne Guisada (Stewed Beef), a recipe that has been passed down for several generations. Made on the stove or in the slow cooker, this meat is perfect for tacos, burrito bowls, salad, etc. Or pick it all out of the pot with your fingers, I'm not gonna judge. 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time2 hours 40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 236kcal
Author: The Food Charlatan

Ingredients

  • salt and pepper
  • oil
  • 2-3 pounds cheap steak or roast chopped into bite size pieces*
  • 1 large onion chopped well
  • 3 cups water
  • 8 ounces tomato sauce
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons beef bullion good quality
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin

Instructions

Stovetop Instructions:

  • Heat a large, high-sided skillet (or a wide-bottomed pot), over medium high heat.
  • Salt and pepper the beef chunks.
  • Add about a tablespoon of oil to the pan and swirl. It should start to shimmer if the pan is hot enough.
  • Add 1/3 of the seasoned meat to the pan. Place the pieces of meat so that they are not touching each other (You don't want them to steam--see photos). Turn the pieces with tongs to brown all sides. Remove to a plate and repeat 2 more batches, adding more oil as necessary.
  • Remove the final batch of meat, then add the onions to the pan, adding more oil first if there is none left.
  • Saute the onions over medium heat for 5-8 minutes, or until mostly cooked through. Do your best to scrape up the browned bits.
  • Return the meat to the pan. Add the water, tomato sauce, garlic powder, salt**, beef bullion, pepper, and cumin.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. You want there to be some movement. If the mixture is completely still, turn it up a little. I had my burner set just below medium.
  • Simmer for 2-3 hours, or until the meat is tender and the gravy has thickened. Stir occasionally.
  • To serve authentically, put the meat, some rice, cheese, and guacamole in a warm flour tortilla.
  • It's important to note that this is not a shredded beef recipe; "Carne Guisada" literally means "Stewed Beef" so you want it to be just like beef stew, but without any veggies.

Slow Cooker Instructions:

  • Don't add 3 cups of water! Read on:
  • Brown the meat and saute the onion as instructed above. Add the meat and onion to a crock pot. In a glass measuring bowl, measure out 1/4 cup HOT water. Add the beef bouillon and dissolve. Add the tomato sauce, garlic powder, salt**, pepper, and cumin to the measuring cup. Stir and combine, then pour over the meat in the crock pot, stirring to coat.
  • Cook on low for 6-7 hours.
  • Remove the lid for the last half hour of cook time, and turn the heat up to high. This is to burn off some of the excess liquid. If it's at a consistency you like, you can skip that step.
  • It's important to note that this is not a shredded beef recipe; "Carne Guisada" literally means "Stewed Beef" so you want it to be just like beef stew, but without any veggies.

Notes

*I always buy the pre-chopped stew meat that they have ready to go at most grocery stores.
**If you salted the meat liberally in the first step, then you will need more like 1/2 teaspoon. Start low, you can always add more later.
Source: my sister Laura’s husband Adam’s paternal grandmother, who came from a long line of Tejanos.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Potassium: 714mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 167IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 3mg