The Best Dominican Carne Guisada Recipe
The result of a crossover of multiple cultures in the late 19th century, Carne Guisada is a rich and flavorful stew cooked low and slow to achieve a scrumptious final product. This traditional Latin American meal is comprised of tender meat that falls apart in a delectably thick sauce. Carne Guisada is the perfect hearty bowl of comfort food during those harsh winter nights, and it is still a popular staple throughout Latin America.
Around the world, folks flavor this stew with seasonings such as cumin, adobo seasoning, bay leaves, and chili powder. It is accompanied by various sides around the world, including potatoes, onions, carrots, tostones, or avocado salad. No matter the personalizations made by any given cook, Carne Guisada is a widely beloved dish that you are sure to enjoy. My recipe is a ridiculously tasty Dominican Carne Guisada, which can be found toward the bottom of this page.
The History of Carne Guisada
In December 1898, the Spanish-American War ended, and the Treaty of Paris was signed. Certain ingredients and cooking methods merged when America took control of Puerto Rico. Flavors from Spain, Africa, and the Caribbean melded together to produce an array of new recipes and meals, including Carne Guisada.
The stew soon gained popularity throughout Latin America, particularly in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Later, this satisfying dish was adapted into Tex-Mex cuisine. Many Texan restaurants still serve a variation of the stew on a flour tortilla, so it is a popular menu item around the world!
Cooking Tips & Variations
If you are at all nervous about taking on a new recipe, don’t fret! Everyone has their own favorite version of Carne Guisada, so you really can’t go wrong. That being said, I do have some tips and variation suggestions for you before you begin!
- Though Carne Guisada directly translates to “stewed beef,” it can be made with pork, poultry, or extra firm tofu if desired.
- Fresh veggies are best for flavor, especially if you plan to have leftovers. However, canned or frozen are great alternatives.
- Be patient. This stew will turn out best after a couple of hours of cooking on low heat, so there’s no need to rush!
- You can be as inventive as you like—I simply suggest taste-testing your additions in a smaller bowl if you’re unsure whether you’ll like a certain spice or other add-ins!
Best Beef to Use
Now, since Carne Guisada centers around deliciously tender meat, take care to select an ideal beef cut for your recipe. A less expensive, tougher cut is perfect for this slow-cooked stew. This will ensure that your beef falls apart on your fork! I suggest any of the following: chuck roast, rump roast, top round, chuck shoulder, or eye round roast.
Domincan Carne Guisada
Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef (I'm using sirloin)
- 1 tbsp chicken bouillon seasoning
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp Dominican oregano (can sub for regular oregano)
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 lime squeezed
- 1 tsp sugar for browning
- 2 - 2 1/2 cups water
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 white onions sliced
- 1/2 sliced bell pepper
Instructions
- Cut up your beef into medium-sized chunks. Marinate with 1 tbsp of chicken bouillon, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp garlic paste, 1 tsp of Dominican oregano, and the juice of 1 lime. Let this marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- In a pot, heat your pan to a medium-high heat and add 2-3 tbsp of oil. Add 1 tsp to the pan and let this cook till it browns. You do this to add color to the meat, this method is called “browning.” Once the sugar turns to a dark brown color, add in your seasoned beef and let the meat cook uncovered for 5 minutes. The meat will begin to sweat out its juices and the gravy will start forming.
- Then start the process of adding ½ cup of water at a time and cooking the stew covered on medium-low heat for 15 minutes at a time. When the water cooks out, that’s when you know you need to add more. This process needs to be repeated 4-6 times until you’ve used all 2 - 2 ½ cups of water.
- Now we can add more flavor. Add 2-3 tbsp of tomato paste into the stew along with ½ cup water, sliced bell pepper, and onions. If you want to add potatoes they should be added halfway into the 3rd step so they can cook thoroughly. At this point, your meat is already cooked and tender, the veggies just need to soften so you just need to cover the pot and cook the stew down for an additional 5-10 minutes.
- Once it’s done serve over a side of white rice, garnish with cilantro, and enjoy!
