Description
Delicious Saucy Braised Carne Picada dances with robust Mexican flavors, blending tender beef and colorful peppers into a hearty meal. Savory spices and slow-cooked techniques invite you to savor each rich, comforting bite of this authentic southwestern delight.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 2 pounds chuck roast, excess fat removed, cut into 1-inch cubes
Spices and Seasonings:
- 1.5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
- 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin
- 0.5 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetables and Sauce Ingredients:
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 red bell pepper, stem and seeds removed
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 0.25 yellow or white onion
- 0.75 yellow or white onion, thinly sliced
- 0.25 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 3 cups beef broth
Oils:
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil (canola or avocado), plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
Instructions
- Coat beef cubes thoroughly with seasoned flour mixture, ensuring even coverage.
- Preheat Dutch oven to medium-high heat and sear beef in batches, creating a golden-brown exterior for about 5 minutes per side.
- Pulse sauce ingredients in a blender until achieving a silky, uniform consistency.
- Without cleaning the Dutch oven, sauté sliced peppers and onions until vegetables soften and onions turn translucent, approximately 6-7 minutes.
- Deglaze the pan with blended sauce, scraping up caramelized meat fragments from the bottom of the pot.
- Reintroduce seared beef to the vegetable and sauce mixture, ensuring all pieces are evenly coated.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the Dutch oven, and allow the braising process to tenderize the meat for 60-70 minutes.
- Remove lid and continue cooking for an additional 15-20 minutes to concentrate flavors and thicken the sauce.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, ensuring a balanced and rich flavor profile.
- Serve immediately over warm rice or as a filling for traditional Mexican-style tacos, quesadillas, or burritos.
Notes
- Choose lean beef cuts like sirloin or round for a healthier version of this hearty dish.
- Marinate beef overnight in a mixture of citrus and spices to enhance tenderness and flavor depth.
- Use gluten-free flour or cornstarch for coating to make the recipe suitable for those with gluten sensitivities.
- Experiment with different pepper varieties like poblano or anaheim for subtle variations in spice and taste profile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 100mg