Crock Pot Carne Guisada (Mexican Beef Stew)
This hearty Crock Pot Carne Guisada is a classic Mexican beef stew slow-cooked to tender perfection. Bursting with rich flavors from cumin, chili, and fresh herbs, this dish is a go-to for easy dinner recipes, high protein recipes dinner, and healthy summer meals that warm you up any time of year.
Ingredients
- – 900 g 2 lbs beef chuck or braising steak, cut into cubes
- – 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- – 1 tsp brown sugar
- – 2 tsp ground cumin
- – 1 tsp mild chili powder
- – ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- – 1 tsp salt
- – ½ tsp black pepper
- – 2 tbsp olive oil
- – 1 large onion finely diced
- – 4 garlic cloves minced
- – 1 green bell pepper diced
- – 2 tbsp tomato paste
- – 2 large tomatoes diced (or 400 g / 14 oz can crushed tomatoes)
- – ½ cup beef broth or 1 beef stock cube dissolved in water
- – 1 bay leaf
- – 2 sprigs fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried oregano
- – Fresh cilantro/coriander for serving
Instructions
- Toss beef cubes with flour, brown sugar, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the beef cubes on all sides, working in batches if needed. Transfer browned beef to the slow cooker.
- In the same skillet, sauté onion, garlic, and green bell pepper until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and beef broth. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits.
- Pour the mixture over the beef in the slow cooker. Add bay leaf and oregano.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until beef is tender.
- Remove bay leaf before serving. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
- Serve hot with rice, warm tortillas, or crusty bread.
Notes
– For deeper flavor, marinate beef with spices overnight before cooking.
– Adjust cayenne pepper to control heat level.
– Substitute chicken or vegetable broth for a lighter stew.
– Adjust cayenne pepper to control heat level.
– Substitute chicken or vegetable broth for a lighter stew.