Making Carne Guisada & Blog Hoppin

One of the first dishes my mom taught me to cook is carne guisada, smothered in a dark red gravy and filled with flavor.  The key to cooking good carne guisada, so it comes out tender, so tender, it falls apart when you grab a piece with your tortilla - is the meat, the pot, and the timing.  

To make good carne guisada, the best meat I use is TX style-boneless shoulder ribs, but you can use other types like shoulder roast or sirloin or already cut-up stew meat.  I always trim off the fat, in the back of my mind, I try to cook healthy.  I cut up into small about 1 inch pieces.  


The best way I cook carne guisada is using a big pot with a lid, so there is plenty of room for the meat to simmer and let out steam.  A dutch oven works best; I have my trusty T-Fal blue pot with the matching lid that works great for carne guisada.  I brown the meat with about a tablespoon of oil and sautee some white onion and green pepper with it for about 7-10 minutes, then mas facil - let it simmer for about an hour or an hour and half or two hours, depending on how tender you want it.  

I add a can of tomato sauce, a can full of water, salt, pepper, comino for seasoning, and a sprinkle of garlic powder.  I also use garlic powder sparingly because garlic is such a strong flavor that can be over-powering if you use too much of it.  Sometimes, if I want a thicker gravy, I'll add a tip of a teaspoon corn starch or a teaspoon of flour.  I would list a full recipe here, but I am unsure of the correct amounts.  Everyone has their own variations on how they cook carne guisada, but this is my favorite way and the best flavor in my opinion! 

Rice and beans taste delicious on the side or some fideo with tomatoes, onion, and green pepper.  Some papas on the side or mixed in go good too.  


My mom never taught me to cook with accurate measurements; I learned just by watching.  I can read and follow recipes very well now, but I still love the dishes she taught me to cook; those remain my favorite.  Also one of the best lessons she taught me, and sadly, shhhh, I forget it sometimes, TASTE your food to make sure it tastes good!  Sometimes I get in a hurry and I think - oh it's fine, then my dinner table guests are kindly asking for salt and pepper.  

I am hard on myself at times about how well I cook or when I make a mistake when cooking, I just wanna shut-down and not even eat.  But I've learned along the way from watching my mom cook and hearing her yell at me over and over, that we learn from our mistakes and we cannot just give up and order take-out.  That was a big no-no in my house.  So today I am thankful for those lessons from the kitchen on cooking and life as well.  


Blog hoppin today as well !!