Last year I did a post of my Mother’s Carne Guisada on the old blog…you know, the one that disappeared. This post meant a lot to me because I had recently lost my Mami.
I am a member of the Hispanic Kitchen and the founder, Jorge Bravo, has been very supportive of my blog and my dilemma. Jorge posted the picture of my carne guisada on Facebook and received 186 hits in a matter of a day. I was so surprised and happy. When you get a chance, go visit this wonderful site and the people that contribute to it.
We start with the basic “sofrito”. Sofrito is the base for most of Puerto Rican cooking.
Ingredients:
recao*
onions
ajices dulce (little sweet peppers)
green pepper
garlic
oregano
thyme
*A leaf used in Caribbean cooking. You can substitute it with cilantro (coriander).
Everything that you see in the picture you blend with the exception of the laurel leaves. You can store in fridge, or as I do by filling a ice tray and after freezing put the cubes in a baggie.
Beef Stew ingredients:
2-1/2 – 3 lbs. Angus beef cut in about 1 inch cubes
½ cup sofrito
2 teaspoons of vinegar
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce – 2 cans water
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 carrots peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic
3 potatoes peeled and cut in cubes
24 Spanish olives with pimentos*
4 tablespoons of capers*
2 laurel leaves
½ cup frozen peas
Salt and pepper to taste
*In some stores you can find a product by Goya called Alcaparrado which has the olives and caper mix.
Preparation:
Cut onions in small dice and crush the 3 cloves of garlic. In a casserole heat the olive oil and add onions, garlic then the meat. Brown the meat, add the sofirto, laurel leaves, vinegar, tomato sauce and water. Cover and at medium flame cook for about 1-1/2 hours. During this time you can check and stir meat a few times.
Add carrots, olives, capers and simmer for another hour. Check the meat. By this time it should be fork tender. At this time add the potatoes . Once potatoes have cooked you can add the peas and let rest.
This actually took about 3 hours. Now I know why Mami used her pressure cooker. I am deadly afraid of pressure cookers as I had a pretty bad accident years ago and my whole kitchen was splattered with black beans…not a pretty site.
I served the Carne Guisada with white rice and sweet plantain mash.
My mom, Violeta with Linda and Brandy.
November 11, 1924 – August 7, 2008
This time it’s not Buen Provecho! It’s “Come, come que la comida se enfria” (eat, eat, the food is getting cold) her favorite saying.
Mami and me eons ago.
platanosmangoes.com 
I remember this post. The recipe looks delicious, flavorful and comforting — and it was nice to see your mom again. What a very beautiful woman!
That she was in more ways than one…
Our mami’s recipes are always the best, aren’t they? This beef stew smells like home and family. Thank you for sharing and giving us back all the delicious recipes that were lost in the blogosphere. So nice to see you back! 🙂
I love your bright green sofrito! Carne guisada is textbook comfort food. It’s one of those dishes that I won’t eat outside Mama’s house because I know it just won’t be up to par. Thanks for sharing those wonderful pictures! The plating of the rice with the amarillos is brilliant too.
You have the best blog name ever 😀 it’s been a long time since I’ve heard the term “recao”. “Recaito” here is cilantro, which is also called “verdura” and “hojita”. That flat leaf is called “cilantro macho”… LOL so many funny names!
Thanks so much…and yes many names for that little leaf.
so wonderful! that is what i call comfort food!!!!! fantastic!!!!! once I recover, I will come over for some!!!!!!! don’t think any leftovers ????
ahhhhh such comfort food!!!!! wait till i recover and i will be ringing your doorbell!!!!!
I’m sure this tasted delicious! Loved your picture with mami!
This looks for sure mouthwatering!
“eat, eat, the food is getting cold”.. ;-))My mom loves to say that too.
this sounds just delicious!! oh my:) i am so craving for this right now.
A really awesome dish..just stuffed with goodness…
Tasty Appetite
Event: Letz Relishh Ice Creams
What a lovely post, Norma!! Not only foodwise, but because of your memories…My mother used to tell me exactly the same (but stressed differently, with Argentinian accent: comé, comé!!!!! siempre comés todo helado!!) I was a picky eater as a child..skinny girl (why did I overcome this situation??! ;D
Thanks for recipe and memory!
All those flavors sound fabulous! Great post Norma! 🙂
Carne guisada done right.
Bravo!
Thanks for your comment darling! How wonderful were those old pictures. Moms are… Moms!!!
A delicious recipe 😀
I love carne guisada and your Puerto Rican version is amazing, Norma! I love Jorge’s site and I have in my blogroll.
Hi Norma,
Found your blog through Joan. So happy you are back! You mother is beautiful and what a delicious looking recipe. I will be back for more good food!
Hi Norma, I dropped by from Joan’s blog to say hello. I agree with the other comments. There’s nothing like mom’s cooking. Lovely tribute to your mother.
Sam
Welcome back – how awful for you to lose your blog that way. I really enjoyed visiting the countries of the world with you with Joan at Foodalogue. The new blog looks brilliant. Fingers crossed I’ve had no problems with WordPress at all.
I also remember you posting this dish on your old blog. It strikes me as the ultimate in comfort food! It’s amazing the capacity that food has for dredging up memories. I’m sure your mom would love your blog and all its stories. 🙂
I’m glad you were able to re post this, it’s a shame it was lost!
This is true comfort food and a wonderful tribute to your mother. I also love the older photos, such nice memories for you.
I took some photos of the baby Padron pepper plants at my friend’s ranch last week and will be closely following them to be sure I receive a bag or two during their harvest. I will keep you updated;-)
I’m so glad you reposted Norma! The stew sounds incredibly delicious – I’m intrigued by the olives! Such wonderful flavors. Thank you for sharing – your Mom is beautiful! xoxo
I can’t believe your blog disappeared, but you are back strong. I subscribed so I’m not missing a thing.
Lovely post, Norma, and how nice to see photos of your beautiful mother.
Thanks for explaining the sofrito thing to me – I’ve never quite understood how it was used. One question – are laurel leaves like bay leaves? Thanks! 🙂
Its wonderful to meet you mom who was obviously a big influence on who you are today!
Delicious!!! I made this and feel in love with it. My apartment was filled with the beat kind of aroma. My neighbor even asked me what I made! Hehe thanks for filling my family and myself with such a great meal!
Thanks for sharing. Beautiful pics. God Bless. My husband is half PR and has no recipes, yet we all love the food. This will be nice to pass to my children. Thanks again.
The pictures of your mother are beautiful. The presentation of the carne guisada makes me wish I can have a plate right now. Thank you for sharing a meal which is entwined with memories of good flavor and love. I am making some today. I hope it turns out as tantalizing as your picture.
Thanks for sharing! The carne guisada looks delicious! I am going to make this today. Also the pictures are great!
I’d like to give this one a shot! Looks beautiful! I’m Puerto Rican and have lived in the South for the majority of my life. My husband — who isn’t Puerto Rican — LOVES the food! I would like to make this today. How does one use the pressure cooker variation? Do you just put everything in at once?
First thanks for the comment. I would put everything but carrots and potatoes. Would add them half an hour before serving so the carrots and potatoes cook. I am not a pressure cooker person….I hope it work and go look at my flan – I think you would enjoy that post also.
I remember your pic on carne guisada. I’m sorry you lost your mom.
Que Rico!!! Thank you…some of us did not have to fortune of having Mami…Thank you for sharing!
Omg, me acorde de mi mami. La receta esta rrrica!!!
Thank you for sharing this recipe and story… I have made this twice already and it’s a hit with my friends and family…
Love this recipe now that I going thru s single time, it is great to be able to try to imitate what our mothers were great at. Maybe its not imitation or continuation of what our mothers did
Thanks for visit and it is true of continuing with our traditions so they are not lost…..
Thank you Norma from a fellow Puertoriqueño who hails from Manhattan, Brooklyn and now residing in Ozone Park Queens, some tour huh? I remember this dish especially around 1PM most Sundays when dinner was always made and ready at that early hour. I sort of kicked it up a bit with adding Sazon con Achiote (2 packets). In lieu of the frozen peas which I had none on hand I substituted a whole ear of corn, quartered, and added it to the stew within the last 40 minutes of total cooking time. Great outcome and I was still sucking the juices that were imbedded into the cob afterwards. Talk about finger licking good this one brought back sweet memories of my little old lady, Doña Fela Rosado (QDEP), of the times she prepared this always family favorite dish. I kick my individual serving up a bit further with a small bed of white rice and 2 generous slices of aguacate and sprinkle some hot sauce (Siracha-garlicky Asian hot sauce) and my oh my I’m in Comfort food heaven. Thanks once again this is surely a keeper.
PS (For those who didn’t understand my acronymn it means Rest in Peace in Spanish aka Que Descanse En Paz. Peace Norma.
Jorge thanks for stopping by…. I will be in the future posting good old PR recipes como Sopa de Platano, Gandules guisados con bolitas de platanos, etc. If you have a favorite, let me know and I will cook it and pot it for you….
Indeed I always loved a well made Sancocho. Haven’t had any for some years now. I have an idea of the list of ingredients but don’t remember them all and the procedure to cook it. I would also like to know if you’ve ever posted a Pastele recipe in the past which is always a home run in my home anytime of year when made “Old school style” hand grating all the root vegetables and the ingredients that make a great tasting pastele that wouldn’t turn hard even if it cooled off. I guess the trick to accomplishing that is to add more callabaza (pumpkin or squash) to the masa. Your thoughts? Thank you once again.
I have been meaning to make pasteles for a while now, but it’s a job and if you are going to make them you must make at least 50-100 and freeze for the holidays. I am trying to get a few of my friends to help out as when my mom and her sisters would sit aroud “bochinchando” and all had a job to do making the pasteles. Who would grate, cut the meat, cook the meat, make the masa, etc. I hope that by the end of October pasteles will be on my blog. Hey we might recruit you also…LOL.
I would be most happy if you would need my assistance. Remember the saying “There’s too many cooks in that kitchen” not in the case of making batches of pasteles. The more the merrier. I have a great recipe for Sofrito as well from a family member that would last a normal household anywhere from 4 to 6 months when properly stored and with normal usage (Sauces, beans, rice & meat dishes, etc.). Let me know if you would like this and send me a private email, I’ll return your response with the recipe and some storing tips to pass on to friends and followers alike. By the way Bochinche is always a topic of conversation when good friends and or family gather for such occasions. In a weird way it mentally healthy. LOL!
Im a chicago firefighter and I cant wait to cook this great puerto rican meal the guys will go nuts! The presentation and pictures very well done, great stuff.
Thanks Chichi a great compliment. Please follow the blog as you will have plenty of dinners to make for your Guys. I used to cook after 9/11 for the company in my neighborhood. I salute you and que Dios los Bendiga!
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Thank you for your post, i have not made Carne Guisada in ten years, thats how long its been since my mami died, this was my most favorite dish that she made for me. Her pics reminded me of her but when you wrote” come que se te enfria la comida I heard her voice and smelled the stew… it brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for that memory seems like purerto rican moms all went to the same school. I made the stew last night feeling very melancholic and i feel mami made it!!! thank you so much for sharing and so sorry to hear of your moms passing.
Thank you so much for this beautiful comment and for visiting my blog. I will be doing lots of Puerto Rican dishes in 2013 and hoping you enjoy them. If there is anything you want me to make, just let me know and I will post it. platanosmangoes@gmail.com
Feliz Navidad!
Norma
Thank you for this recipe!!! Delicious and on point…. With Love, A puertorican from NJ.
Than you so much. Come on over and sunscribe this way you get my posts emailed to you and if there is anything you want me to make, then youcan leave it on the comment section…
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Thank you! I used your mom’s recipe and it was perfect and delicious.
I am so happy. Thanks for stopping by.
Hi Miriam do you have a delicious recipe for escabeche de mollejitas?
Sorry i have missed this. I will make in future
I was craving BEEF STEW and i wanted to make it for the whole family. I have ordered it for spanish resturants a small portion for about $9.50 . So i looked up a recipe and behold im glad i found yours. While making it i was concerned that it wasnt seasoned enough. I cooked it and drove the house crazy with the smell. Then bam it was done. The most tender, moist, well seasoned beef stew ive ever had. I have been left disapoined at the dry ones at resturants. This recipe made enough for 3men and 3ladies. With a bit to spare. I didnt see the serving size before hand or maybe i missed it. Cudos !
*From
You made my day. I always make extra and at home it was cooked this way. One never knew if we were getting a surprise visit. Remember that it freezes well.
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Mi mami told me the very same, ” Come, come….!” Thank you for this loving post.
I am going to try your recipe in a slow cooker crock pot tonight. Thanks from a Boricua in Maryland
Please tell me how it comes out. Thanks for the idea.
Wow,this was soo delish! I’am Puerto Rican by my dads side,my mom mex-American..I cook from both cultures,but couldn’t get this dish right! After reading the ingredients for sofrito,Bingo! All these years I was taught the wrong way! I made this carne Guisada last night and my familia loved it! My husband who is mex-American said OMG,this tastes just if Not better than your grandmas in New York ! Soo thank you,tonight I’m making asopao de pollo,yummy can’t wait! I’m from western Michigan and it’s very hard to find some of the ingredients for the sofrito,like aijices,culantro,but it still was awesome! Thank you..Your Mami was Lovely! Bendiciones
Oh my what a great comment and you made me quite happy. Goya makes frozen sofrito if you can get that. If there are any recipes you want just let me know and I will post them. I am from New York City and if you need some ingredients just let me know. You can subscribe to my blog but signing in and every time I post you woo get an email. Again, thanks.
Thank you,I made asopao de pollo last night,Wow! Mi familia was impressed! It was awesome. The aroma filled my house,that I thought I was in the Bronx visiting my Abuela Sol. The flavor was incredible tasty! Once again you out did your self,keep up the great blog,I look forward to making more of your recipes! Bendiciones
Against thanks. Just email me at platanosmangoes@gmail.com or Norma823 @aol.com and if you want a recipe I will make it and post it for you
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Exactly how i make… my grandmotherwould say the same thing. Thanks for sharin
How would you make this in a slow cooker? Please advise. Thanks!!!
I never use a slow cooker, sorry…I would think you would put everything in the pot and cook as you would normally cook beef.
Its funny my Puerto Rican sister I was getting ready to make this very same recipe today lol. I love your story and your pictures. My mom is almost 80 and still cooks. The still is authentic Puerto Rican cuisine . Whom ever makes this will love it. With pique (hot sauce lol
Ask your miami for the recipe of corn meal and I think fat back that mom used to make but I can’t recall it. Send to platanosmangoes@gmail.com but make sure you put on subject. I get lots of junk mail. Thanks for the kind words and if you want me to make something special let me know and if your Miami wants to share recipes I will love them as mine is gone and I miss her dearly.
This recipe sounds amazing!!! How would you make it in a slow cooker?
I never use a slow cooker. I’m sorry. I guess you can use the selection from the slow cooker for a beer stew