Slow-Braised Beef Estofado with White Rice

A rich and savory Oaxacan beef stew featuring tender chunks of beef braised in a deep chile and tomato sauce, balanced with potatoes and green beans, served alongside fluffy white rice.

• Prep: 25 min
• Cook: 1 hr 40 min
• Total: 2 hr 5 min
• Servings: 5
• Cuisine: Oaxacan
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $6.79/serving

Dietary

• Gluten-Free
• Dairy-Free
• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• Egg-Free
• High-Protein
• High-Fiber

Tags

• comfort food
• savory
• rich
• stir-fry
• bake
• roast

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 pound beef chuck roast (cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes)
• 1.5 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 yellow onion (large, chopped)
• 4 clove garlic (minced)
• 2 guajillo chiles (stemmed, seeded, and rehydrated)
• 1 ancho chile (stemmed, seeded, and rehydrated)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 3 cup beef broth
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 red potatoes (medium, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 1 cup fresh green beans (trimmed and halved)
• 2 cup white rice (uncooked)
• 4 cup water
• 0.25 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Season the beef chuck roast cubes generously with 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Sear the beef in batches until browned on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Remove seared beef and set aside.
2. Add the chopped yellow onion to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. To make the chile sauce: Drain the rehydrated guajillo chiles and ancho chile, reserving a little of the soaking liquid. In a blender, combine the drained chiles with the diced tomatoes, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, ground cumin, dried oregano, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Blend until very smooth. If needed, add a little chile soaking liquid to help blend.
4. Pour the chile sauce into the Dutch oven. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the seared beef to the pot. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours, or until the beef is very tender.
5. Stir in the cubed red potatoes and fresh green beans. Continue to simmer, covered, for another 20-30 minutes, or until the potatoes and green beans are tender. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper if needed.
6. While the estofado is simmering, cook the white rice: In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the uncooked white rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. Fluff with a fork.
7. Serve the Slow-Braised Beef Estofado hot over fluffy white rice, garnished with fresh cilantro.

Notes

To rehydrate dried chiles, place them in a bowl, cover with hot water, and let soak for 20-30 minutes until softened. Leftovers are excellent and can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 670
• Protein: 58.2 g
• Carbohydrates: 54 g
• Fat: 25.5 g
• Fiber: 10.1 g
• Sodium: 1250 mg
• Saturated Fat: 9.2 g
• Sugar: 5.9 g
• Cholesterol: 135 mg