Venezuelan Beef Stew Recipes

PABELLON CRIOLLO

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Place the flank steak in a pot with the bouillon, and cover with water.
• Bring to a boil and simmer on low for 1 1/2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Saute half of the minced garlic in a medium pot with 4 tablespoons of the vegetable oil for 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat.
• Add 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil.
• Add the rice to the boiling water , lower the heat, and simmer the rice, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the rice covered for 5 minutes more.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to a skillet, and saute half the chopped onions with the rest of the minced garlic until soft.
• Add the can of black beans (undrained), 1/2 cup water, chicken bouillon , cumin, garlic powder, vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes, until the liquid is reduced.
• Slice the cooled steak against the grain into thin slices. The meat should be very tender and falling apart. Shred the larger pieces into bite-size pieces with your fingers.
• Add 2 tablespoons butter to a skillet and cook the rest of the chopped onions until soft. Add the tomatoes, 1 cup of the steak pan juices, and the sliced steak and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
• Arrange the meat and tomatoes on 1/3 of a serving platter. Place the rice next to the meat, and then place the beans on the other side of the rice, to resemble the stripes of a tri-color flag.
• Serve with fried plantains on the side and enjoy!

CARNE MECHADA (VENEZUELAN SHREDDED BEEF)

Steps:

• Trim the meat, if necessary, and cut it into 4 pieces. Place the pieces in a medium soup pot and cover them with water. Add 1 quartered onion and simmer for 2 hours, removing any foam that may float to the top.
• Once cooked, remove the beef from the water and let it cool slightly. (Reserve 2 c of the cooking broth.)
• Once cool enough to handle, shred the meat with two forks. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large sauté pan with high sides over medium heat. Add the onion, peppers, and garlic. Sauté for 4-5 min until the onions are soft.
• Add the diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and cumin. Mix well.
• Add the shredded meat and 2 c of the meat broth. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 min. (If you are serving your carne mechada with rice and beans, classic Venezuelan style, go ahead a leave the meat a little brothy. If you will be using it to fill arepas or empanadas, you will want to cook it until nearly dry, stirring often so it doesn't stick.)

VENEZUELAN SHREDDED BEEF

Steps:

• Cut the meat into 4 pieces.
• Place beef broth in a large pot over medium-high heat. At first boil, add the meat and cook for 15 minutes. Taste the broth and add more salt and pepper, if necessary. Cover and let it cook for about 2 - 3 hours, or until the meat is fully cooked and tender. As the meat cooks, check the broth levels and add more if needed (the broth should always cover meat).
• When the meat is tender and fully cooked, carefully removed it from the pot, place it on a plate, and let it cool. Reserve broth (about 3-4 cups).
• Once the meat is cool enough, sheared using two forks or your hands, remove and discard big pieces of fat, if any.
• Add the oil to a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and pepper and sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Then add garlic and let it cook for 1 more minute.
• Stir in shredded beef and mix to combine well.
• In a medium bowl, combine tomato paste, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, oregano, and reserved beef broth; mix well until everything is well combined. Add this mixture to the meat. Add the bay leaves, cover, and cook for 20 -25 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been consumed. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt and/or pepper, if necessary.
• Serve hot with white rice, black beans, and fried plantains if desired.
• Cut the meat into 4 pieces. Season the beef with salt and pepper to taste. Add beef to a slow cooker.
• Combine ½ cup beef broth, tomato paste, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, and dried oregano in a mixing bowl. Add mixture to the slow cooker.
• Add onion, peppers, garlic, and bay leaves. Mix to combine.
• Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
• When the time is over, and the meat is tender, remove meat for the slow cooker. Once the meat is cool enough, sheared using two forks or your hands, remove and discard big pieces of fat, if any. and toss to coat with the juices
• Return shredded meat to the cooker and toss to coat with the sauce. Discard bay leaves.
• Serve hot with white rice, black beans, and fried plantains if desired.
• For pressure cooker instructions, check out my Instant Pot Venezuelan Shredded Beef recipe.

VENEZUELAN BEEF STEW

Steps:

• In a dutch oven, cook bacon until crispy. Set aside but reserve drippings.
• Trim fatty edges from round steak and then cube steak into 1 inch pieces. Toss beef meat with flour to coat.
• Brown beef in the drippings. Drain fat and then stir in next 13 ingredients. Bring to a boil then reduce heat.
• Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add potatoes, onions and carrots. Cover and cook for 35 more minutes. Stir in the peas the last 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle with bacon.

CLASSIC BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Generously season beef with salt and pepper. Dust with flour and shake off excess. Heat a Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high, and swirl in 2 tablespoons oil.
• Add half of beef in a single layer and cook, turning a few times, until browned in places, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate, leaving fat in pot. Brown remaining beef; transfer to plate.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Swirl remaining 1 tablespoon oil into pot, still over medium-high heat. Cook onions until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until caramelized, 1 minute. Add Worcestershire sauce and wine; boil until mostly evaporated.
• Return beef and any accumulated juices to pot with broth and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook 1 1/2 hours. Remove pot from oven and stir carrots and potatoes into stew. Cover and continue cooking in oven until beef is fork-tender and vegetables are easily pierced with the tip of a knife, about 1 hour more. Stir in peas; return to oven for 5 minutes more, just to heat through.
• Ladle stew into shallow bowls, sprinkle with parsley, and serve. Cooled stew can be transferred to an airtight container and refrigerated up to 2 days, or frozen up to 3 months.

DELICIOUS V8 BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Place stew meat into crock pot. Clean, peel and slice or cube vegetables and place in crock pot.
• Mix to combine. Add the V-8, beef broth and tapioca. Stir until well combined. Turn on low for 8-10 hours.

THE BEST BEEF STEW

Steps:

• In a small bowl, toss beef and 1/4 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, combine 4 tablespoons flour and paprika. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and toss to coat. , In a Dutch oven, brown beef in oil over medium heat. Stir in tomato paste, herbes de Provence and garlic; cook until fragrant and color starts to darken slightly. Add wine; cook until mixture just comes to a boil. Simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, 1 teaspoon rosemary and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until meat is almost tender, about 1-1/2 hours., Add potatoes, onions and carrots. Cover; simmer until meat and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes longer., Discard bay leaves. In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon rosemary, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 2 tablespoon flour. Add cold water and vinegar; stir until smooth. Stir into stew. Bring to a boil; add peas. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes. If desired, top with additional fresh rosemary.

HUNGARIAN VEAL STEW

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
• Slowly saute bacon, onion, butter and mushrooms until the onions and bacon are lightly browned.
• Remove the bacon, onion and mushrooms with a slotted spoon and place in a baking dish.
• Add the veal to the bacon fat/butter left in the frying pan.
• Brown meat on all sides.
• Remove meat from the frying pan and mix with mixture in the baking dish.
• Add the chicken broth, salt, pepper, paprika and sour cream to the bacon fat in the frying pan.
• Mix well and bring to almost boiling (do not boil).
• When hot pour over meat in baking dish.
• Cover dish with lid or tin foil and bake for 1 hour or until veal is tender.