Description
Mexican beef stew blends hearty ingredients from central Mexico’s culinary traditions. Tender meat, rich spices, and slow-cooked vegetables create a comforting meal you’ll savor with each delicious spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs (907 g) beef stew meat, cubed
- 4 cups (946 ml) beef broth
- 4 potatoes, diced
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) salt
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) black pepper
- 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Warm a generously sized cooking vessel over medium-high temperature, drizzling olive oil across the surface to create a sizzling base for browning meat.
- Methodically sear beef chunks in small batches, ensuring each piece develops a rich, caramelized exterior that locks in robust flavors.
- Introduce diced onions and minced garlic into the pot, allowing them to soften and release their aromatic essence while absorbing the meat’s savory remnants.
- Incorporate tomato paste, stirring vigorously to create a deep, concentrated base, then flood the mixture with beef broth and sprinkle in fragrant thyme and a single bay leaf.
- Elevate the liquid to a vigorous boil, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer, covering and letting the stew slowly transform for approximately 60 minutes.
- Gently fold in chunky carrot pieces and hearty potato cubes, continuing to simmer for an additional 30 minutes until vegetables reach perfect tenderness.
- Taste and calibrate seasoning with salt and freshly cracked black pepper, adjusting to personal preference.
- Carefully extract the bay leaf before ladling the rich, comforting stew into serving bowls, ensuring each portion captures the depth of flavors developed during slow cooking.
Notes
- Ensure beef is patted dry before browning to achieve a deep, rich caramelization and enhance overall flavor profile.
- For tender meat, choose chuck roast or stew meat with good marbling, which breaks down during slow cooking.
- Add a splash of red wine during braising to deepen the stew’s complexity and provide a subtle richness.
- Consider making this dish ahead of time, as flavors develop and intensify when allowed to rest overnight in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg