People ask me what’s my favorite dish, and of course I always tell them carne guisada. I love the easy prep, the slow simmering, and the delicious first bite. No matter where I am in the world, when I come home, the first thing I will make is carne guisada.
Carne Guisada with Mashed Potatoes is Authentic
Sometimes I forget that potatoes are a Latin American food. I always pair rich stews with rice or sometimes noodles, but if you are really thinking about preparing a truly authentic Latin American meal, potatoes are the signature side.
I love this rich Carne Guisada with Beer and Roasted Chiles, and make a version of it every week. The beer gives a hearty flavor, and is even richer when you add a dark beer. Topping the dish with a few thick slices of avocado is like bragging. It’s already delicious, so why not give it some swagger?
Roasted Chiles Add a Touch of Heat
Roasting the chiles and adding after the beef is completely stewed and tender helps keep the chiles in good shape. If you add them while the beef is stewing, the chiles will turn into a puree, and their moment of glory will be gone.
Carne guisada is one of my most requested recipes, and it is so very easy to make. All it takes is about an hour of time, but really there is no complicated cooking techniques involved. Simply stew the beef until it is tender. However, there are no shortcuts on the time it takes to make a good carne guisada. Patience is the only cooking secret I can share.
This recipe easily doubles if you have to feed a large crew. I added a mashed potato recipe, although many of you already know how to make those. Even though I mostly use good ol’ Russets, try using Yukon Gold potatoes for your mash for a change of pace.
PrintCarne Guisada with Beer and Roasted Chiles
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dishes
- Method: Stewing
- Cuisine: Mexican Food
Ingredients
Carne Guisada:
2 tbsp. olive oil (30ml)
1 onion, chopped
2 lbs. beef cubes for stew (1 kg)
1 bottle good quality beer (12oz/350ml)
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. fresh Poblano or Anaheim peppers (500 gr)
1/2 ripe avocado
Mashed potatoes:
2 lbs. russet potatoes (1kg) peeled and quartered
Salt to taste
2 tbsp. butter (28 gr)
½ cup milk (120ml)
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large 10” (28cm) Dutch oven with lid. Add the onions and allow them to brown over medium heat for a minute or two. Add the beef cubes and allow to brown well uncovered for about 5 minutes. Pour in the bottle of beer, add the minced garlic, cover, and allow to simmer over medium heat for one hour. Check occasionally to make sure the stew does not dry out. You can add a half cup (120ml) of water if you think the stew is too dry.
Meanwhile, roast the fresh Poblano or Anaheim chiles on an open gas flame on your stove, or under a heated electric broiler. (For more instructions, click here.) Once the chiles are blackened, remove from the heat, and wrap in a clean kitchen towel. Place the towel in a paper or plastic bag, and allow the chiles to sweat for about 20 minutes. Remove the chiles from the bag and towel, scrape away the loose, blackened skin, remove the top stem and seeds, and then rinse. Chop the chiles into strips, and then set aside.
Prepare the mashed potatoes by first boiling the prepared potatoes in salted water. Drain the water, add the butter and milk, and mash until smooth. Set aside until your guisado is ready.
When the meat of the guisado is fork tender, remove from the heat. Toss in the roasted chiles. Serve the guisado over the mashed potatoes, and garnish with thick slices of fresh avocado.
I guess one could just use beef broth or a coke for a non-alcohol version?
Love the idea of keeping the chili’s till the end!
Hi Rob! You can always try non-alcoholic beer, tomato juice or just plain water. All work very well. Enjoy the dish, and thanks for the note!
My go-to dark beer is usually Dos Equis XX, but have an amazing small brewery in town that offers a good selection of dark beer. My favorites are their Vanilla Bourbon Porter and a Stout with a hint of coffee. Do you think either one would work? Your recipe sounds amazing.
Hi, sorry for the late response. That beer selection sounds amazing, and I would definitely give it a try. However, if you are making a carne guisada, I would stick with your Dos XX. The Vanilla Bourbon Porter sounds like it would be amazing as a German style flavor profile, like with farm raised pork hocks. Farm raised pork has more character and muscle tone than store bought pork, so it needs a long braise time that would work with the porter. You can opt to switch out the potatoes for noodles, but I am a mashed potato freak! Scour your local farmers market and see what you can find in terms of farm raised pork. Send me pics of the result!!