Carne con Papas

Carne con papas is a Beef stew with potatoes very popular in Latin countries, usually served with rice.  A meal that the whole family loves.  A foolproof all-time favorite!

Carne con Papas ( Beef and potatoes stew) is another recipe that reminds me of my mother. As all of us know, when you are raising a large family you have to be really creative to feed them. The uncertainty in the economy makes this task sometimes challenging. But my mom always managed to use simple ingredients to prepare savory meals without spending a lot of money.

Some of the easy and low-cost meals with potatoes that my mom cooked often were Picadillo, ground beef with potatoes, Cubed meat with salsa verde, Carne Guisada, Beef with Chile Colorado, Ropa Vieja, Caldo de Res. Some of those dishes used cuts of meats that are affordable like Round Steak, but she used the Pressure cooker to cook that type of meat. Slow cookers or Instant Pot were not invented yet.

This is an easy way to better manage our money at home. She used to add potatoes, carrots, zucchini or chayotes to the meals to take as much advantage of the flavor of the protein of the day, either chicken or beef. Going out to eat was out of the question, just imagine going out for dinner with 8 children!

Yes, those were the good old days of large families! This is a very low cost and popular meal for many families in the region where I grew up, and as I always mention, it changes from household to household.

• Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet or casserole over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add meat cubes and cook until browned on all sides. About 10 minutes. (Please check the ingredients list below)
• While the meat is cooking, place in your blender the tomatoes, onion, garlic and a cup of chicken broth. Puree until you have a smooth sauce.
• Stir in this sauce into the skillet with the meat using a strainer or sieve.  Bring it to simmering and cook covered for about 20 minutes. Add more broth if needed.
• Stir in potatoes and serrano peppers; cook until meat and potatoes are tender. Stirring halfway through cooking.
• Just before serving your Carne con papas, add the chopped cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm with rice or warm corn tortillas.