Mexican Carne Guisada

Tender chunks of beef simmered in a rich, savory chili gravy — classic carne guisada served with fluffy Mexican rice and warm flour tortillas. Pure comfort, homemade style

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Yield: 4–6 servings

Ingredients:

For the Carne Guisada:

* 2 lbs beef chuck or stew meat, cut into chunks

* 2 tablespoons oil

* 1/2 medium onion, chopped

* 2 cloves garlic, minced

* 2 tablespoons flour

* 2 tablespoons chili powder

* 1 teaspoon ground cumin

* 1/2 teaspoon oregano

* Salt and black pepper, to taste

* 1 cup beef broth

* 1 cup water

* 1 small tomato, finely chopped or 1/2 cup tomato sauce

* 1 jalapeño or serrano pepper (whole or sliced, optional)

For Serving:

* Mexican rice

* Warm flour tortillas

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

2. Add beef chunks, season with salt and pepper, and brown on all sides.

3. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic.

4. Sprinkle flour over the beef and stir well to coat.

5. Add chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Stir until fragrant.

6. Pour in beef broth, water, and tomato. Add jalapeño if using.

7. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 1–1½ hours until beef is fork-tender and gravy is thick.

8. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove pepper if used whole.

9. Serve hot with Mexican rice and flour tortillas.

Pro Tip:

For deeper flavor, let the guisada rest 15 minutes before serving — the gravy thickens and the spices bloom beautifully