Tejano Carne Guisada (Stewed Beef Tacos)

by TacoEveryDay
Prep: 15m
Cook: 2h 30m
beef
Tejano Carne Guisada (Stewed Beef Tacos) - Image

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Ingredients
Servings:6
2 1/2lbbeef stew meat
1yellow onion
3cupwater
8oztomato sauce
2tbspgarlic powder
2tbspbeef bouillon
1tspkosher salt
1/2tspblack pepper
1/2tspground cumin
2tbspvegetable oil
12flour tortillas
1cupshredded Monterey Jack cheese
0fresh cilantro
0lime wedges
Nutrition Facts

Per serving

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Instructions
  1. 1

    Season the beef

    Pat the beef stew meat dry with paper towels. If any pieces are oversized, cut them down to bite-size chunks. Season generously on all sides with salt and pepper.

  1. 2

    Brown in batches

    Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large, high-sided skillet or wide-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add about a third of the beef in a single layer with space between the pieces so it sears instead of steams. Turn with tongs to brown all sides, then transfer to a plate. Repeat in two more batches, adding more oil between batches as needed.

  2. 3

    Soften the onion

    Chop the onion small. Add another splash of oil if the pan looks dry, then add the onion and cook over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes until soft and starting to color. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan as you stir — that fond is half the flavor.

  3. 4

    Build the gravy

    Return the beef and any juices on the plate back to the pan. Pour in the water and tomato sauce, then sprinkle in the garlic powder, beef bouillon, cumin, remaining salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

  4. 5

    Simmer low and slow

    Bring the pot to a boil, then drop the heat to a low simmer with just a little gentle movement on the surface. Cover loosely and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork-tender and the liquid has reduced into a thick brown gravy. If it ever looks too dry, add a splash of water. If it looks too thin at the end, uncover and let it bubble down.

  5. 6

    Warm tortillas and serve

    Warm the flour tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 20 seconds per side, or wrap a stack in a clean towel and microwave for 30 seconds. Pile the carne guisada into each tortilla, top with shredded cheese, fresh cilantro, and a big squeeze of lime.

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Tejano Carne Guisada (Stewed Beef Tacos)

Created by: TacoEveryDay

Prep Time: 15m
Cook Time: 2h 30m
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 lb beef stew meat
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 3 cup water
  • 8 oz tomato sauce
  • 2 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp beef bouillon
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 12 flour tortillas
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 0 fresh cilantro
  • 0 lime wedges

Instructions

  1. Season the beefPat the beef stew meat dry with paper towels. If any pieces are oversized, cut them down to bite-size chunks. Season generously on all sides with salt and pepper.
  2. Brown in batchesHeat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large, high-sided skillet or wide-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add about a third of the beef in a single layer with space between the pieces so it sears instead of steams. Turn with tongs to brown all sides, then transfer to a plate. Repeat in two more batches, adding more oil between batches as needed.
  3. Soften the onionChop the onion small. Add another splash of oil if the pan looks dry, then add the onion and cook over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes until soft and starting to color. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan as you stir — that fond is half the flavor.
  4. Build the gravyReturn the beef and any juices on the plate back to the pan. Pour in the water and tomato sauce, then sprinkle in the garlic powder, beef bouillon, cumin, remaining salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
  5. Simmer low and slowBring the pot to a boil, then drop the heat to a low simmer with just a little gentle movement on the surface. Cover loosely and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork-tender and the liquid has reduced into a thick brown gravy. If it ever looks too dry, add a splash of water. If it looks too thin at the end, uncover and let it bubble down.
  6. Warm tortillas and serveWarm the flour tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 20 seconds per side, or wrap a stack in a clean towel and microwave for 30 seconds. Pile the carne guisada into each tortilla, top with shredded cheese, fresh cilantro, and a big squeeze of lime.

Notes & Tips

Confession: this is my desert island taco filling. It's the recipe Tejano grandmothers have been making forever in South Texas — a cheap cut of beef, pantry seasonings, and a pot of patience. That's it. No browning sauce, no fancy chiles, no overnight marinade. Just slow heat doing what slow heat does best. A few hills I'm willing to die on: Brown the beef in batches. I know, it's tedious. But crowd the pan and you get gray steamed meat instead of crusty browned beef, and that crust is half the flavor. Put on a podcast and just power through. This is STEWED beef, not shredded. You want bite-size chunks suspended in a thick gravy. Resist the urge to over-stir during the simmer — keep the pieces intact. Slow cooker works too. Do the browning step on the stovetop, then dump everything into a crockpot but cut the water way down — use 1/4 cup hot water to dissolve the bouillon, then add the tomato sauce and seasonings. Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, lid off for the last 30 minutes to thicken. Taste before salting more. Beef bouillon is already pretty salty — try the gravy at the end before reaching for extra. Eat this in warm flour tortillas with cheese, cilantro, lime, and pickled red onions if you're feeling fancy. Leftovers somehow get even better — try it the next day over rice, stuffed into a quesadilla, or piled on nachos. Tacos every day, my friends.