Photo: Mexican Beef Stew Recipe
Directions
This dish is a Chili con Carne made with stew meat rather than ground chuck. It is pretty enough to entertain with and made with top round rather than bottom, so it's lean enough to feel good about eating.
Ingredients
Stew:
- 6 ancho chiles
- 2 cups beef stock
- Vegetable or olive oil, for drizzling
- 4 ounces smoky good quality bacon, chopped
- 2 pounds beef top round, cut into bite-size chunks
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- About 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa
- About 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- About 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 (12-ounce) bottle Mexican-style lager beer (recommended: Negra Modelo)
- 1 (14-ounce) can whole, diced or crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Juice of 1 lime
Serving:
- Sour cream
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Warm or charred tortillas or rice
- Black beans
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
Stem and seed the chiles and place in a pot with beef stock over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently to reconstitute. Cook's Note: Use a little water to supplement if stock alone will not cover peppers.
Heat a large Dutch oven with a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat, and add the bacon to the pan and stir until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon. Pat the meat dry, season with a little salt and lots of black pepper, then add to the bacon drippings and brown evenly to caramelize the meat. Brown the meat in 2 batches if necessary in order not to crowd the pan. Remove the meat and add another drizzle of oil, if necessary. Add the onions, and garlic and soften a few minutes. Stir in the cumin, coriander, cocoa, cinnamon, and cloves, and stir to toast the spices and combine. Deglaze the pan with beer and evaporate.
In a food processor, puree the softened peppers and stock with tomatoes. Pour into the pot, slide the browned meat and bacon back in, and drizzle in the honey. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven for 2 1/2 hours or until the meat falls apart with a fork. Cool and store for a make-ahead meal. Reheat over medium heat and add the lime juice just before serving.
Garnish with sour cream and fresh cilantro leaves, and serve with tortillas or rice and warm black beans.
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By lovestocookinstl
on February 11, 2013
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I saw Rachael make this on Week in a Day awhile back. It looked & sounded so good. I was in the mood for beef stew and mexican and ran back across this recipe - so I decided to make it yesterday. I have to say it smelled awesome and looked awesome, but did not taste so awesome. It seems to be missing something. I also added a 2nd tbsp of honey and more salt and served w/lime, cilantro, sour cream & alvacado but...... The remainder is going in my freezer until I can figure out something to do with it. Perhaps enchaladas w/tomatila salsa. Any suggestions?
By wxgirl
on February 03, 2013
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For those who thought this recipe was too bitter: I modified this recipe to use in the slow cooker and after 6 hours of cooking, it was no longer bitter... actually divine. I caramelized the meat, onions and garlic according to the recipe. Then added the remainder of the ingredients to the slow cooker and placed it on low for 6 hours. My house smelled like a little bit of heaven.
The sour cream, black beans, lime and charred tortillas are a must. We wrapped up the meat like do-it-yourself tacos... added some avocado and green onion for garnish. Husband and baby approved!!!
By sbvanpelt
on October 01, 2012
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I had to improvise a little. I could not find dried ancho peppers at two different supermarkets so I bought a jar of La Costena Mole which is a concentrate of ancho peppers, cocoa, sugar and sesame seed. I used about 6 tblsn blended with the fire roasted tomatoes, 2 cups of beef broth and 3 chipotle peppers in adobo. I followed the recipe thereafter but actually forgot the beer! I know this is a completely different recipe but it was absolutely delicious and my husband came back for thirds! Also, there was enough sauce left over that I reused it the next day, simmering with 6 boneless chicken thighs for about 45 minutes. I love Rachels recipes and someday I'll try it the right way, if I can find dried anchos!
Read all 11 reviews