Slow Cooker Carne Guisada (Freezer Friendly)

Enjoy the flavors of Mexico from the comfort of your own home with this freezer friendly stew recipe. The delicious combination of beef, peppers, and gravy in this slow cooker carne guisada is sure to be a hit with everyone in your family. And with the help of your crockpot, you can prepare it with just a few minutes of prep work. Simply combine the ingredients, pop it in the freezer, and dump the ingredients into your slow cooker when you’re ready to enjoy this flavorful beef dinner!

We love Mexican inspired recipes like Salsa Verde Fish Tacos, Taco Sloppy Joes, and Mexican Cornbread Muffins. Our family likes food with a lot of flavor. The spicier the better for us!

Slow Cooker Carne Guisada Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds stew meat, cubed
• 2 serrano peppers, seeded and finely chopped (add more if you want more spice)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 5 ½-ounce can tomato paste
• 2 ½ cups beef broth
• ¾ cup water
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Assembly Instructions:

1. Combine the stew meat, serrano peppers, garlic, tomato paste, beef broth, water, cornstarch, chili powder, cumin, pepper, and salt in a large freezer bag. Squeeze the ingredients together to combine the beef with the sauce.
2. Remove excess air from the bag and seal to close. Freeze the ingredients until you’re ready to prepare the meal.

Cooking instructions:

1. Transfer the carne guisada ingredients to the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
2. Pour the ingredients from the freezer bag into your slow cooker and set the crockpot to cook on low for six to eight hours.

Carne Guisada Recipe Variation Ideas

You won’t believe how simple it is to bring the flavors of Mexico to your kitchen with the help of your slow cooker and this recipe! And once you prepare this crockpot dish, you can easily customize it to suit your family’s tastes. Try these recipe ideas as you’re serving your carne guisada for dinner.

• Serve over rice. The delicious combination of meat and sauce in this flavorful recipe pairs perfectly with rice. When the meat is almost finished cooking, prepare a pot of white or brown rice to serve with your dinner.
• Make tacos or burritos. In addition to serving your carne guisada with rice, you can also use this flavorful meat in tortilla shells. Use soft flour tortillas or corn tortillas to make tacos or burritos with your slow cooked meat as the filling. Top the meat with shredded cheese and lettuce for a quick and easy dinner.
• Add some veggies and beans. Round out your dinner with the help of vegetables and beans. You can serve your beef with black beans, refried beans, sliced avocado, pico de gallo, or sautéed peppers and onions.

What is Carne Guisada?

Carne guisada is a traditional Mexican style beef stew. In Spanish, the word carne refers to meat, but it’s often used for beef. And the word guisada means stew. While it’s prepared in a variety of ways depending on the recipe, most carne guisada features tender beef cooked with peppers, tomatoes, and a thick sauce or gravy. The cooked stew is often served over rice or on tortillas.

How Do I Thicken Carne Guisada Sauce?

Since you’ll be preparing this carne guisada recipe using cornstarch, the sauce should thick as it cooks in the slow cooker. But if your gravy is runnier than you like when you’re ready to serve your beef, there is a quick and easy fix!

Start by removing the meat from the slow cooker. Then, transfer the liquid to a saucepan. Heat the gravy over medium heat and allow it to simmer until it begins to thicken. After that, you can combine the gravy with the meat and serve your carne guisdasa.

Do You Have to Brown Stew Meat Before Putting it in the Crock Pot?

Cooking stew meat in the crockpot is a great way to get delicious, tender meat. But you may have noticed that some recipes recommend browning stew meat before placing in the slow cooker.

While this method of cooking is beneficial for some recipes, there’s no need to take the time to brown your meat before cooking or freezing it to make carne guisada. The sauce and spices will add plenty of flavor and texture to your meat without adding that extra step to your dinner prep.

How Do You Store Carne Guisada?

This saucy meat is so delicious, I’d be surprised if you have any leftovers when dinner is finished. But if you do have some meat left, just transfer it to an airtight container. The leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. To reheat the meat, warm it up in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium low heat until warmed through.

How Long is Frozen Carne Guisada Good For?

Combining the ingredients for your beef stew in a freezer friendly container is a great way to prep this meal ahead of time. Once you place the ingredients in the freezer, they’ll stay good for up to three months. To ensure you enjoy your beef dinner before it goes bad, make sure to write the name of the recipe and the expected expiration date on your container before you place it in the freezer.