Looking for a delicious and hearty stew recipe? Try Crock-Pot Carne Guisada! This Latin-inspired beef stew is made with potatoes, peppers, garlic, and simmered in a flavorful tomato-based sauce.
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Table of Contents
What is carne guisada
If you’ve never had Carne Guisada think of it as a Tex-Mex or Mexican stew. It’s savory with a bit of spice. Cumin, chili powder, and jalapenos give it the spicy kick that sets it apart from other stews.
And you won’t need to make gravy for this Carne Guisada recipe because it makes its own thick gravy (guisada). If you were to make Carne Asada, you would just make it without the gravy.
What meat is used for carne guisada
Whether you are making Carne Guisada (with gravy) or Carne Asada (without gravy) you would use stew meat which is any kind of beef chuck roast or beef round roast. It’s best to buy beef stew meat that is already cut up into bite-sized pieces.
Beef is the most common meat to make Carne Guisada but some substitute beef with pork or even chicken.
Recipe ingredients
Here’s what you need:
- Chuck roast – Contains the perfect amount of fat and connective tissue that breaks down during slow cooking
- Salt and pepper – Enhances all flavors and seasons the meat properly
- Vegetable oil – Creates the perfect sear on the beef for maximum flavor development
- White onion – Provides sweet aromatic foundation for the gravy
- Bell pepper – Adds color, sweetness, and traditional Tex-Mex flavor
- Jalape̱o pepper РDelivers authentic heat that defines Carne Guisada
- Garlic – Contributes essential aromatic depth to the stew
- Ground cumin – Provides the distinctive earthy flavor central to Tex-Mex cuisine
- Chili powder – Adds complex heat and color to the gravy
- Dried oregano – Brings herbaceous notes that complement the spices
- Chicken broth – Creates the base for the flavorful gravy
- Diced tomatoes – Adds acidity and umami that balances the rich meat
- Flour – Thickens the gravy naturally during the slow cooking process
- Potatoes – Absorbs flavors while adding hearty substance to the stew
- Carrots – Provides sweetness and color to balance the savory elements
How to make crock-pot carne guisada
Because you are making this recipe in a crock-pot, the flavors have plenty of time to come together and make the perfect stew that is hard to beat on a cold day. Here are the recipe steps:
- Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces.
- In a large pan, brown the meat in the cooking oil until all sides are browned. Place the meat in your slow cooker.
- Using the same pan you browned the meat, saute the onion, pepper, jalapeno pepper, tomatoes, and garlic until the onions are translucent.
- Season with the spices and flour and mix until combined.
- Add the chicken broth and stir to combine. Transfer this mixture to the crock-pot with the meat.
- Cook on high for 4 and a half hours.
- Add the potatoes and carrots and cook for an additional 1 1/2 hours.
Recipe notes
- Buying the whole roast and cutting it up yourself may be cheaper. That way you can also trim it the way you desire.
- This slow-cooker carne guisada recipe requires about 30 minutes of active cooking and 6 hours in your crockpot.
- Serve with Mexican Rice, refried beans, and corn or flour tortillas.
- Store Carne Guisada in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It tastes better the next day!
Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Thaw frozen portions overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Store leftover Carne Guisada in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- For more extended storage, freeze in portion-sized containers for up to 3 months.
- This stew improves with flavor after a day in the refrigerator, making it perfect for meal prep.
- When refrigerated, the fat may solidify on top; remove with a spoon before reheating if desired.
- Reheat refrigerated portions in a saucepan over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth if needed to restore consistency.
- For microwave reheating, use medium power and stir occasionally to ensure even heating.
Slow Cooker Carne Guisada | Savory Tex-Mex Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds chuck roast
- salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup chopped white onion
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and diced into small pieces
- 6 chopped garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 pound potatoes
- 1/2 pound carrots
Instructions
- Cut chuck roast into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a large skillet on medium-high and cook meat until browned on all sides, when the meat is browned place into a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker.Â
- You may need to cook the meat in two batches. When the meat is removed add remaining oil and add chopped onion, tomatoes, chopped bell pepper, diced jalapeno pepper, chopped garlic. When the onions have almost become translucent add spices, flour, and stir to combine.
- When the onions have cooked through add chicken broth and diced tomatoes. Scrape the browned bits up from the bottom of the skillet. Place the meat back into the slow cooker.
- Place lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 1/2 hours. Place cut potatoes and cut carrots into the slow cooker and cook for the remaining 1 1/2 hours.Â
Video
Notes
- It may be cheaper to buy the whole roast and cut it up yourself. That way you can also trim it the way you desire.
- This recipe requires about 30 minutes of active cooking and then 6 hours in your crockpot.
- Serve with Mexican Rice and flour or corn tortillas.
- Store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container. It tastes better the next day!
Nutrition
Delicious soup recipes to try
- Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Chilis Tortilla Soup
- Seafood Bisque Soup
- Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup
- Ultimate Potato Soup
- Black Eyed Pea Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Congress Navy Bean Soup
- Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup
- The Most Incredible Crab Bisque
Hearty beef crock pot recipes
Take a moment to check out some more copycat soup and great crock pot recipes.
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This dish is more likely inspired by the Caribbean islands such as Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Cuba. This meal will be great with “Goya” Seasonings such as Adobo, Sazon, Sofrito, Recaito, Tomato Sauce, all made by “Goya”. For the pickiest critics as my family, when most don’t like the taste of vegetables but enjoy the flavors (sounds crazy, lol) the Sofrito is a purée combining these fresh vegetables/herbs:
Green, red, yellow peppers, culantro, cilantro, recaito, garlic. I make this purée by the gallons and jar em and freeze in individual Tupperware or recycled jars. I add this purée to all my soups, beans and stews, it’s so popular in the Caribbean.
I appreciate your comments it sounds like your family knows what they like. I made this dish based off my one of my co-workers talking about how difficult this was to make. She assured me it wasn’t.