Josef Centeno’s Carne Guisada
Carne guisada is my “bowl of red,” except I never eat it in a bowl—always in a flour tortilla. Like chili con carne, this stewed beef is made with chunks of beef and dried chiles and spices, and it also contains tomatoes. But unlike chili con carne, it isn’t served with a bunch of other ingredients and garnishes. Tucked into a flour tortilla, it needs nothing else—just straight up carne guisada. —Josef Centeno
Ingredients
- 2 ancho chiles
- 4 tablespoons olive or avocado oil
- 2½ to 3 pounds boneless short rib, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch cubes
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 5 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano, preferably Oregano Indio
- 1½ teaspoons cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 fresh bay leaf, or 2 dried
- Fresh black pepper
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 cup crushed San Marzano tomatoes
Directions
- Using tongs, toast the ancho chiles over the open flame of a gas burner until slightly softened and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stem and seed the chiles, and tear them into pieces. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a Dutch oven or another large heavy-bottom pot over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the beef, and brown it on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pot. When the oil is hot, add the onion and salt and cook over medium heat, scraping up the browned bits of meat at the bottom of the pot, until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, serrano, oregano, cumin seeds, chili powder, bay leaf, and several grinds of black pepper, and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
- Add the toasted chiles to the pot along with the flour, and stir until incorporated. Add the beef broth and tomatoes, and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partly covered, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender and the sauce is thickened, 2½ to 3 hours. Taste and adjust the salt. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.