Description
Tender and flavorful, this Crock Pot Carne Guisada is a Mexican-inspired beef stew that simmers to perfection in your slow cooker. Packed with aromatic spices and vegetables, it’s a comforting dish that pairs perfectly with rice, beans, or tortillas.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef Stew:
- 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Vegetables:
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced (or 1 can diced tomatoes)
Seasonings:
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (optional, for thickening)
Instructions
- Brown the Beef: Heat vegetable oil in a skillet and brown the beef cubes on all sides. Transfer to the crock pot.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same skillet, sauté onion, bell pepper, and garlic until softened. Add to the crock pot.
- Add Ingredients: Stir in tomatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, seasonings, and bay leaves.
- Cook: Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until beef is tender.
- Thicken (Optional): If desired, stir in cornstarch slurry during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- Serve: Remove bay leaves before serving. Enjoy warm with accompaniments of your choice.
Notes
- For extra flavor, consider adding beer or red wine with the broth.
- To increase spiciness, incorporate jalapeños or crushed red pepper.
- Leftovers reheat well and taste even better the next day.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 640 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg