If you’ve been looking for a tasty meat stew recipe, you’ve come to the right place!
Cubans enjoy stews and soups at any time of the year. There could be a heat wave and you will see us enjoying the Burning Tail. Ha!
Cuban beef stew is really no exception. It’s a meal for any day of the week!
Imagine a rich and tasty tomato-based sauce, succulent cuts of meat and tender potatoes served over white rice to absorb all those delicious juices.
It’s honestly the best!
What is
Meat with Potatoes? Meat with potatoes
[pronounced kahr-neh kon pah-pahs] literally translates to “meat with potatoes.” It is a popular dish in many Latin American countries. Each country has its own variation that is usually served over white rice.
This Cuban beef stew is no exception. It is very much a type of Sunday dinner like rice and chicken. The epitome of Cuban homemade food!
This recipe for meat with potatoes is cooked for a long time, however, it is quite practical. And your home will smell delicious while cooking. It’s worth the wait!
Let me show you how to do it.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Beef stew meat. The best meat for stews! Chuck has a lot of tough connective tissue, which means that when you cook it low and slow, the meat becomes SUPER tender and delicious. By the way, you can get stew meat from Butcher Box!
ButcherBox is a service that cures boxes of grass-fed, hormone-free, humanely raised, sustainable beef, chicken, pork, salmon + seafood and delivers it directly to your door. I love having my box delivered directly to me. There are always special offers, like free bacon or free ground beef, you have to check them out! Click here to learn more about Butcher Box!
- Neutral oil. I use vegetable oil or canola oil. Use what you have.
- Green pepper, onion, garlic. The Cuban sofrito! This is the basis of most Cuban recipes.
- Dry cooking wine. It is used to deglaze the pot and enhance the aroma of this dish.
- water. You don’t want the stew to dry out.
- Cube of beef broth. Elevate the umami flavor of this dish!
- tomato sauce. Add sweetness and acidity to this tasty dish.
- Full seasoning, ground cumin, smoked paprika, bay leaf, salt, pepper. Spices!
- Reddish potatoes. Dads to meat. 😉
- Other variations. Some recipes call for diced carrots and green olives, but my family recipe doesn’t either. Feel free to add them if you wish!
When you’re done with this recipe, make my Stuffed Potatoes!
Step by step instructions
- Brown the meat. In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Brown the diced meat on all sides for about 5 minutes. Reserve.
- Sauté the sofrito. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the Dutch oven and then sauté the green peppers and onions until tender for about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Deglaze the pot. Add the dry cooking wine. Deglaze the pot, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon getting all those delicious pieces of flavor. Cook for about 1-2 minutes until the wine has reduced slightly.
- Prepare the sauce. Add the water, the bucket of beef broth (I like to crush it with my fingers before adding it), the tomato sauce, the full seasoning, the cumin, the smoked paprika, the bay leaves, the salt and the pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil.
- Add the meat again. Reduce heat to LOW and cover with a lid. Simmer for 1 hour or until meat is tender. If the meat is still hard, cook for another hour until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened.
- Add the potatoes. Once the meat is tender, add the potatoes. Simmer for another 30 minutes until potatoes have softened. Test and adjust the seasonings. Serve immediately over white rice.
Looking for a recipe with ground beef? Make meat cupcakes!
Recipe tips and tricks
- Meat is still difficult after 1 hour . Cook for another hour until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened. Depending on the quality of the meat or the heat of your stove (not all stoves are created equal), the meat may need more or less time until it is completely tender. Use your best judgment here!
- Don’t forget about water! Be sure to add water as needed so that the meat does not dry out while cooking. Stay tuned.
- Use a pressure cooker. If you are pressed for time, you can make this recipe, from start to finish, in a pressure cooker in 30-45 minutes following the manufacturer’s instructions.
Storage tips
- in the fridge Once it is completely cooled, you can store the meat stew in an airtight container with an airtight lid and place them in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- In the freezer. You can also freeze the meat stew for up to 2 months. Be sure to leave some space between the lid and the stew in case it expands in the freezer.
