Carne Guisada en Olla de Presión
La Comida en la Semana – Weeknight Guisados and the Main Event
Sear a cheap chuck roast hard, dump the aromatics into the pot, and twist the lid shut, because forty-five minutes is the exact window before the hissing valve of a stovetop pressure cooker on a Tuesday night means one thing: a Mexican guisado. Forget the flour-thickened gravies of Tex-Mex restaurants; this method yields a velvet sauce born naturally from a puréed tomato recaudo and the melting collagen of that seared chuck roast. Warm the flour tortillas and start pulling the beef apart.
Before you start
Cube the meat yourself.
Take the extra five minutes to cut a whole chuck roast down to size, discarding any massive deposits of hard fat.
Ingredients
- Roma tomatoes4 med
- white onion1/2 med
- garlic3 large cloves
- water or low-sodium beef broth1/2 cup
- neutral cooking oil or pork lard1 tbsp
- beef chuck roast2 lb
- kosher salt1 1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- Mexican oregano1/2 tsp
- ground cumin1/4 tsp
- bay leaf1 large
- jalapeño or serrano pepper1 large
- Yukon Gold potatoes2 med
- carrots2 med
Method
- 01
Blend the recaudo.
In a standard blender, combine the Roma tomatoes, white onion, garlic, and the water or broth, puréeing on high until completely smooth.
- 02
Sear the beef.
Turn your electric pressure cooker to the sauté setting and heat the oil or lard. Toss the cubed chuck roast with the salt and pepper, then brown the meat in a single layer in two batches to avoid overcrowding. Do not add the other spices to the hot oil yet, or they will burn and turn bitter.
- 03
Deglaze and build the guisado.
Cancel the sauté function and immediately pour the blended tomato recaudo into the pot, scraping up all the delicious browned beef bits from the bottom. Return all the browned beef to the pot along with the Mexican oregano, cumin, bay leaf, and the whole jalapeño.
- 04
Cook under pressure.
Secure the lid, ensure the valve is set to the sealing position, and cook on manual high pressure for 35 minutes.
- 05
Release pressure and simmer the vegetables.
When the timer sounds, carefully perform a quick pressure release. Open the lid, remove the bay leaf and whole jalapeño, turn the cooker back to sauté, and drop in the diced potatoes and carrots.
- 06
Reduce and serve.
Let the stew simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are perfectly fork-tender and the evaporating heat naturally reduces the broth into a gorgeous, thick sauce.
Notes
The golden rule of beef.
Never buy pre-cut plastic trays labeled 'beef stew meat', which are typically cut from the lean round and turn dry and chalky under pressure. Always buy a beautifully marbled chuck roast and cube it yourself for the collagen required to naturally thicken this sauce.
Use restraint with the spices.
Authentic Mexican guisados use a minimalist approach; a mere quarter teaspoon of cumin and a pinch of genuine Mexican oregano let the beef and fresh tomatoes shine without muddying the flavor.
Control the heat.
Adding a whole, uncut jalapeño to the pressure cooker allows the bright, verdant oils of the chili to perfume the dish without releasing the fiery capsaicin from the seeds and ribs.
From Cook Mexican in America.