Carne Guisada

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef chuck steak, in 1-inch cubes (see note)
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced or 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 large tomatoes, diced or 1 cup tomato sauce
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano, optional
• 1 tsp jalapeño pepper, minced, optional
• 1 tsp salt, less if using salty chicken broth
• black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup chicken broth, or water
• 1 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour, optional

Instructions 

1. Pat dry the cubed beef to remove excess moisture.
2. Place a large cast iron pan or Dutch oven on medium-high heat. When hot, add the canola oil and cubed beef without crowding the pan (see note).
3. Sauté the beef for 5 minutes, turning every few minutes until brown on all sides. Repeat with remaining beef if batches are necessary.
4. Reduce heat to medium and add the onion, garlic and green pepper to the beef. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes, cumin, optional oregano, optional jalapeño, salt, pepper and broth. Bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat to low and cover the pan. (You can also transfer to a crock pot at this point if you prefer – see note.)
7. Simmer for 60-90 minutes or until the beef is tender. Add extra broth halfway if needed to prevent sticking.
8. If the sauce looks runny, sprinkle in the optional flour and boil for several minutes to thicken up a gravy, stirring regularly to dissolve any lumps.
9. Serve with rice, potatoes or tortillas.