I have several notes! I just want to say that this recipe is way less complicated than it seems. I put this whole thing together in a little over an hour and I have leftovers that will taste even better the next day. I also want to note that I made this from leftover flank steak. Reheating a lean steak just isn't it for me, so I wanted to do something different and delicious with it, and this was it. I would suggest to y'all to use a fattier stew beef or steak. I also used a few non-traditional ingredients in the stew: cinnamon, allspice, bacon (because I used flank steak), Sazón in place of salt for extra flavor, carrots for sweetness and potatoes because...I wanted to :)
Ingredients
2 Strips of Bacon Diced (Optional)*
16 oz Beef Stew Meat*
2 Dried Guajillo Chiles
2 Dried Ancho Chilies
1 ½ Cups Hot Water
½ Cup Sliced Onion
¼ Cup of Fresh Cilantro, Divided
¼ Cup Sliced Peppers*
Dash of Cinnamon
½ Tbsp Cumin
2 Bay Leaves
1 ½ Tsp of Dried Oregano
⅛ Tsp Allspice*
1 Packet of Sazón*
1 Tsp of Adobo
4 Cloves of Garlic
2 Medium Carrots, Sliced (Optional)*
1 Small Potato, Diced (Optional)*
1 ½ Cups of Chicken or Beef Stock
1 Tbsp Maiz Blanco (White Cornmeal)
Preparation
Place dried Guajillo & Ancho Chiles in the hot water and cover, allowing them to steam for 20-30 minutes (until they are soft). When the chiles are soft, remove the stems and put the chiles and the water into a high speed blender and puree them until they are a sauce. Set aside.
Place medium pot or deep frying pan on medium heat. If using, add diced bacon and render until it is browned. If you’re not using bacon, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil.
Remove bacon and set aside. Add beef and sear until browned.
Add onions, bell peppers & ⅛ cup of the cilantro, sauteeing until slightly translucent.
Stir in garlic and simmer for three minutes.
Add all spices (oregano, allspice, cinnamon, pepper, sazon & cumin) stirring them to coat the meat and pepper mixture.
Add in the chile sauce, potatoes & carrots. Mix & allow to simmer until slightly thickened. *Do not walk away, it will burn easily*
Add one cup of the chicken or beef stock. Stir in the crispy bacon. Allow the stew to simmer for 30 minutes on low, but keep an eye on it.
Add the rest of the stock and stir in the masa to thicken it up.
Add the rest of the cilantro at the end and stir it in as well as salt to taste if needed.
Serve with toasted corn tortillas, lime & shaved cabbage
Tips
You don’t need to use bacon if you are using a fatty cut of beef. I used flank steak and I wanted a fattier texture to the sauce.
If your stew gets too thick, add more stock or water.
Use salt and pepper to taste