Carne Guisada (Puerto Rican Beef Stew)

4.86 from 7 votes

Carne Guisada (Puerto Rican Beef Stew) is a hearty, flavorful dish packed with tender beef, carrots, onions, potatoes, and olives, all cooked in a rich blend of Puerto Rican spices that bring it all together.

Prep Time10

Cook Time2 40

Total Time2 50

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Puerto Rican

Servings:

Calories: 489kcal

Author: Catherine Arena

Ingredients

2 pounds beef top round or chuck roast rinsed and cut into 1½-inch pieces
2 teaspoons adobo seasoning
1 tablespoon oil
3 tablespoons sofrito
1 packet (envelope) Sazón with Annatto
½ cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons white vinegar or red wine vinegar
4 garlic cloves peeled and cut in half
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 large chicken bouillon or one teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
1-2 bay leaves
⅓ cup pimiento stuffed olives
2 potatoes peeled and cut into large chunks
2 carrots peeled and cut into slices
1 medium onion peeled, cut in half and sliced
½ can peas optional
salt to taste if needed

Instructions

Sprinkle the beef chunks with adobo.
Heat the oil in a caldero or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until it’s no longer red.
Stir in the sofrito, sazón, tomato sauce, vinegar, garlic, chicken bouillon, bay leaves, and oregano. Lower heat to medium and bring to a low boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and let it simmer for 1 hour.
After an hour of cooking the beef, add the carrots and 1 cup of water. Stir, then cover and cook for another hour.
Next, add the potatoes, onions, and olives. Stir to combine, cover the pot, and cook for another 40 minutes or until the beef is fork tender.
Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed. The stew is ready when the beef is fork tender.
Top the stew with fresh cilantro and serve.

Notes

Recipe Notes:

Buying the Beef: Some grocery stores sell pre-cut beef labeled as "Beef Stew Meat," ready for stewing. In Latin markets, look for it as "Carne Para Guisar."

Sazón: If you're new to cooking with Sazón or adobo powder, you’ll typically find these seasonings in the Latin or International aisle of most grocery stores.

Nutrition