Carne con Papas Recipe (Cuban Beef Stew)
Carne con papas is the hearty and delicious Cuban meat and potatoes stew. With tender diced beef, potatoes, carrots, Cuban sofrito, tomato sauce, spices and herbs, this dish is full of flavour and comfort.
Equipment
- large saucepan (2 L minimum)
- pressure cooker (if using this method)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil (plus a little splash for searing the meat)
- 750 g beef chuck or braising steak diced
- 1 brown onion finely chopped
- 1 red pepper finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tin (400 g) plum tomatoes in tomato juice
- 1 tsp oregano
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp chilli powder (optional)
- ½ cup (120 ml) dry cooking wine or dry sherry
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup (120 ml) water (¼ cup or 60 ml if using a pressure cooker)
- 500 g rooster potatoes peeled and chopped
- 200 g carrots peeled and sliced
- a bunch fresh parsley (for decoration)
Instructions
- Dice the meat in 1 inch cubes or larger. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a little olive oil on a pan at medium heat and sear the diced meat until it browns evenly. Set aside.
- Chop the pepper and the onions. Crush the garlic. Put the same pan where you seared the meat to a medium heat and add 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, then add the pepper and the garlic. Keep sautéing for around 2 min. Add the tomato paste and the tinned tomatoes. Sauté everything for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the meat, the oregano, cumin, black pepper, the optional chilli powder, salt and the cooking wine. Mix everything in the pan and then add the water. Close the lid and turn the heat to low. Simmer for 90 minutes or until the meat is tender.
- After the meat has soften, adjust the salt. Add the chopped potatoes and sliced carrots. Simmer on medium heat for 20-30 min, until the potatoes and carrots have cooked.
- Serve with white rice and salad. Sprinkle some fresh parsley on top and enjoy!
Notes
Allergy info: always read label of pre-packaged ingredients.
Servings: 6 people (285 g each serving)
Yields: 1700 g approximately (1600 ml)