Description
Carne en su Jugo is a traditional Mexican stew from Jalisco featuring tender bite-sized beef simmered in a bright tomatillo sauce with hearty pinto beans. Finished with fresh cilantro, onion, and lime, it’s a rich, tangy, and comforting one-pot meal.
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds beef sirloin steak, top round steak, or beef strip steak, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 6 medium tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 3 serrano peppers, stemmed and seeded
- 1 cup packed fresh cilantro, chopped and divided
- 3 garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 cups water
- 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- Optional toppings: ½ cup chopped white onion, ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, 3 radishes (thinly sliced), lime wedges
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Season beef with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Brown in batches for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Avoid overcrowding. Leave browned bits in the pot.
- In a blender, combine tomatillos, serrano peppers, ½ cup cilantro, garlic, cumin, black pepper, 3 cups water, and remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Blend until smooth.
- Pour blended sauce into the pot with beef. Stir and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30–35 minutes until beef is tender.
- Stir in drained pinto beans and cook 2–3 minutes until heated through.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with onion, cilantro, radishes, and a squeeze of lime before serving.
Notes
- For milder heat, reduce serrano peppers or substitute jalapeño.
- For thicker consistency, simmer uncovered a few extra minutes.
- Beef chuck can be used for richer flavor but requires longer simmering.
- Flavors deepen and improve the next day.
- Mash a small portion of beans to naturally thicken the broth.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
