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You are here: Home » Beef » Easy Mexican Beef Stew

Easy Mexican Beef Stew

Published: Sep 26, 2015 · Updated: Aug 27, 2019 by Mely Martínez

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This is a popular dish in the northern states of Nuevo Leon and Coahuila, and it’s very similar to the “carne guisada” dish made in the border towns of Texas. It consists of finely diced beef slow-cooked in a tomato stew. Well, pretty much everything in the recipe goes in diced, from the meat to the bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes. It is not a spicy meal, and in some border towns, the cooks add a little bit of flour to thicken the stew.

Easy Mexican Beef Stew to serve with flour tortillas

Easy Mexican Beef Stew | Mexican Recipes
In Monterrey, NL it is served with a side of rice or pinto beans (or both). This dish is also used to make the popular appetizer called “Empalmes”, and in the border towns, it is used as a filling for burritos. I will write about the “Empalmes” in a later post.

For the meat, you can use a good quality cut of meat like beef tenderloin and the stew will be ready in less time, but this is a meal that’s usually made with the cheapest cuts of meat, slow-cooked for a long time. This will render a soft meat and a really tasty dish. Some variations use poblano peppers instead of bell peppers and others add diced potatoes, a good addition to the stew.  This dish is also known as beef stew, (“Guisado de Res”)

If you’re the type of person that makes your own lunch to take to work, make yourself extra since this dish tastes even better the next day, and as a filling for burritos or tortas!

How to make Mexican Beef Stew

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS Easy Mexican Beef Stew | Ingredients

DIRECTIONS:
Easy Mexican Beef Stew | step by step instructions

  • Heat oil (or lard) in a large skillet, at medium-high. Season the meat with salt and add to the saucepan to cook. (Please check the ingredients list below)
  • While the meat is cooking, grind the garlic, peppercorns, and cumin in the molcajete (mortar). Add 2 tablespoons of water to the molcajete mixture to form a paste and add it to the meat. By the time you add this spice mixture, the meat should be releasing its juices. Cook for 5 more minutes and lower the heat and place the lid to slowly cook the meat.

Easy Mexican Beef Stew | Easier Than You Think

  • Cook the meat for about 20 minutes and before all the liquid gets dry, add the diced onion and green pepper. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes. Now, add the tomatoes, stir again, and place the lid to slowly simmer the stew.
  • After 20 minutes, check the meat for doneness; depending on the cut of meat the cooking time will vary, it has to be fork tender. Just to be safe, keep checking the stew every 10 to 15 minutes, until you see that the meat is soft.

Easy Mexican Beef Stew | Authentic Mexican Food Recipes
Season with salt a few minutes before it finishes cooking and serve with rice, pinto beans, and warm flour tortillas.

A BEEF STEW TO SERVE WITH FLOUR TORTILLAS

Mely Martínez - Mexico in my Kitchen
Mexican Beef Stew, This is a popular dish in the northern states of Nuevo Leon and Coahuila, and it’s very similar to the “carne guisada” dish made in the border towns of Texas. It consists of finely diced beef slow cooked in a tomato stew.
4.5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Course Beef
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6
Calories 217 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
  • 1 ½ pound of top round sirloin, or any other cut of meat
  • without fat. Finely diced.
  • Salt to season
  • 2 garlic cloves chopped
  • 8 peppercorns
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ large white onion diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 1 ½ pound tomatoes diced
  • Water as needed

Instructions
 

  • Heat oil (or lard) in a large skillet, at medium-high. Season the meat with salt and add to the saucepan to cook.
  • While the meat is cooking, grind the garlic, peppercorns, and cumin in the molcajete (mortar). Add 2 tablespoons of water to the molcajete mixture to form a paste and add it
  • to the meat. By the time you add this spice mixture, the meat should be releasing its juices. Cook for 5 more minutes and lower the heat and place the lid to slowly cook the meat.
  • Cook the meat for about 20 minutes and before all the liquid gets dry, add the diced onion and green pepper. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes. Now, add the tomatoes, stir again, and place the lid to slowly simmer the stew.
  • After 20 minutes, check the meat for doneness; depending on the cut of meat the cooking time will vary, it has to be fork tender. Just to be safe, keep checking the stew every 10 to 15 minutes, until you see that the meat is soft.
  • Season with salt a few minutes before it finishes cooking and serve with rice, pinto beans, and warm flour tortillas.

Notes

  • Since this type of meat is very lean, I like to cook it with lard to add flavor, but you can use vegetable oil if you prefer.
  • Grinding the fresh spices gives the meat a unique taste compared to dried spices, but you can still use the dried already-ground version.
  • If you prefer to make a spicy version of this dish, add diced jalapeños in step 3. The amount will depend on your personal taste.
  • Some versions of this recipe also add Mexican oregano.

Nutrition

Calories: 217kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 28gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 80mgPotassium: 740mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1020IUVitamin C: 32.5mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 2.7mg
Keyword a beef stew to serve with flour tortillas, carne guisada mexican beef stew recipe, carne guisada tacos
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Provecho!

Mely,

Previous Post: « Chorizo Tacos
Next Post: Mexican Sausage Sandwich Recipe, Surprise your family today! »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Brewella Deville

    September 26, 2015 at 5:45 pm

    My grandmother used to make something like this almost every day. I never knew it had a name. Thanks, I learn so much here.

    Reply
    • mmartinez

      September 26, 2015 at 6:24 pm

      Hello Brewella,

      I remember it being called 'Carne guisada" when living in Texas. But, there are a lot of dishes identified as "carne guisada" depending of the region.

      Thank you for stopping by!

      Reply
    • Anonymous

      February 02, 2017 at 5:45 pm

      Yes, you are right . In Texas it is called carne guisada. And it is so tender and delicious.

      Reply
  2. Rebecca Subbiah

    September 27, 2015 at 2:47 am

    this looks delicious as all your meals do

    Reply
  3. Pensamientos Dispersos

    October 02, 2015 at 6:58 pm

    Hola Mely,

    Can I do the dish in a slow cooker? Will the flavor change too much?

    Reply
    • mmartinez

      October 02, 2015 at 11:57 pm

      Hello,
      I think you can add the salsa ingredients along with the meat, maybe you will have to cut the tomatoes a little bit larger.

      Happy cooking!

      Reply
  4. Tessa Domestic Diva

    October 03, 2015 at 3:26 pm

    This was excellent! I added a lot more of the spices

    Reply
    • mmartinez

      October 08, 2015 at 5:58 pm

      Hello Tessa,

      Yes, that is the good thing about this dish, you can make it your own by adding the seasonings according to your personal taste. Thank you for trying the recipe.

      Reply
  5. Unknown

    June 07, 2016 at 8:26 pm

    Mely, como me recuerdas de mi papa y los empalmes de General Zuazua, N.L. nuestro pueblo. Aqui tienes la descripcion de WIKI...An empalme (Spanish pronunciation: [emˈpalme], literally "junction") is a form of sandwich that is typical in the Mexican state of Nuevo León. It is commonly served in the Valle de las Salinas, and its origin is believed to be in the municipalities of Salinas Victoria or General Zuazua. Gracias, roberto

    Reply
  6. Lydia

    July 11, 2016 at 10:02 pm

    The best version of this I ever tasted was in an El Paso restaurant several years go. It included roughly chopped pecans as well as the other ingredients you listed, for texture, and did have the Mexican oregano. I have added them to mine ever since. Yours is a lovely recipe.

    Reply
  7. Kaitlyn Perez

    May 08, 2017 at 2:01 am

    I just made this but for some odd reason my juice is brown & tastes like the meat instead of red in color like it is in your picture. Does anyone know what I did wrong? I followed everything in the recipe.

    Reply
    • LJay

      July 09, 2017 at 12:37 pm

      Kaitlyn you have to add 1/2 large can of crushed tomatoes and 2 tbsp brown sugar. If it is thicker than you want you can add some water.
      Also the leaner cut of beef will not get as tender as a fattier cut nor will it have the depth of flavor. I also added coriander/cilantro. This doesn't cook very long; I would add the browned sirloin after the rest is cooked, if you insist on using any of the leaner cuts. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  8. Heather Leigh

    August 19, 2017 at 4:35 pm

    I made this the other night! I used top round meat and it was delicious! I did double the spices though. Great recipe. I love all your recipes!

    Reply
    • mmartinez

      August 20, 2017 at 9:01 pm

      Thank you for trying the recipe. I love that you adapted it to make it your own.

      Reply
  9. Rosalene

    August 06, 2018 at 6:01 am

    5 stars
    My grand father would make something like this using pork and instead of bell he used jalapeños Todaay it is special to the whole family. We all have our twist on it. We make tortillas and serve it will brown beans. Yummy

    Reply
    • mmartinez

      August 06, 2018 at 8:09 am

      Hi Rosalene,
      With jalapeños is even better!

      Reply
  10. A New Fan

    August 21, 2018 at 3:05 pm

    5 stars
    My grandmother used to have a small Mexican restaurant in South Texas & carne guisada was their most popular dish. They used to make it daily & I do remember that she always added a roux that she made with flour & water. I make it now in my slow cooker but I make sure that I brown the meat first in a hot skillet.

    Reply
    • mmartinez

      August 22, 2018 at 12:33 pm

      Hello,
      Yes, in South Texas, a small amount of flour is added. A really tasty meal.

      Reply
  11. Carol García-Ramirez

    August 21, 2018 at 5:45 pm

    Mely, if I want to add diced potatoes- should I boil the
    And add - or at what point do I add them?
    Thank you!
    Carol

    Reply
    • mmartinez

      August 22, 2018 at 12:31 pm

      Hello Carol, Add then cut into small cubes right after you add the meat. They will cook together.

      Reply
  12. Theresa

    September 18, 2018 at 7:09 pm

    5 stars
    MY family absolutely loved this!! My daughter gives 10 stars 😉 Thank you

    Reply
    • mmartinez

      September 18, 2018 at 7:20 pm

      Hello Theresa,
      Thank you for coming back to let me know about it. So glad your family like it!

      Reply
  13. Erica Marquez

    October 07, 2018 at 11:17 am

    5 stars
    Thank you for this recipe, I was trying to find out which cut of meat my grandma would use for her famous carne guisada, I now know! We live in Texas so of course she would make hers like a gravy, and the cut of meat she'd use would always be so tender. I know exactly how she would make it. Thank you so much for your recipe. I am making it tonight for dinner!

    Reply
    • mmartinez

      October 07, 2018 at 4:02 pm

      Hello Erica,
      I know every cook adds their own seasoning, I hope to can replicate your grandma's recipe. Don't forget to write it down to share with the future generations to keep the traditions alive. Thanks a lot for visiting.

      Reply

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Mexico in my kitchen | Mely Martinez

Hi, I'm Mely Martinez, a former Mexican school teacher, home cook, and food blogger. I moved to the United States about ten years ago, after living in Mexico my whole life. Now I love to share home-style recipes for authentic Mexican food.

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