Carne con Papas (Beef and Potatoes)
Carne con Papas is a dish of beef and potatoes in a savory red sauce.
It’s a hearty and comforting dish that goes well with Rice, Beans, or Tortillas.
Since Carne con papas is a general name, you’ll find many versions of this dish, and different countries have their own variations. This is how my mother-in-law makes it, but you can always adjust it to your preference.
Ingredients
The carne con papas are cooked in a savory red sauce, that’s not spicy. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Guajillo Chiles
- Ancho Chile
- Garlic Cloves
- Roma Tomato
- Chicken Bouillon
- Bay Leaves
For the Carne, I used beef loin flap meat steak, but skirt or flank steak can be used too. The papas is just potatoes, so 2 medium russet potatoes.
How to make the sauce
The red sauce is very similar to my homemade enchilada sauce recipe. Start by rehydrating the guajillo and ancho chilis in boiling water. Allow them to soften for a few minutes.
Then add the chilis, garlic, and clean water to a blender. Once blended the sauce needs to be strained to make sure any seeds in the sauce get removed.
Place the strained sauce back into the blender with 1 Roma tomato and 2 tablespoons of chicken bouillon.
Slice the beef against the grain into even strips. The last ingredient is peeled and sliced russet potatoes.
Set the blended sauce aside and add 2 bay leaves.
How to cook
Cook the beef in a large skillet until all the liquid is absorbed, this takes about 15 minutes. Season the beef with black pepper. Add sliced potatoes and all of the red sauce.
Add a little water to the blender to get all the sauce out. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Stirring occasionally and adding more water if needed.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can use chuck roast and slice it thin with some fat removed. Ground beef can also be substituted, but dice the potatoes smaller.
Yes, to make this dish faster, par boil the sliced potatoes while cooking the beef. Drain then add into the skillet with the beef and sauce.
How to Serve and Store
Serve the Carne con papas with rice and tortillas. You can also do a side of beans or nopales. Since this dish is not spicy, if you like it spicy, add some chile de arbol salsa.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or stove.
I had leftovers for breakfast and topped the carne con papas with a fried egg, it was so good.
Carne con Papas Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 2 pounds Flank Steak or Beef Loin Flap Steak
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 Russet Potatoes (medium size)
Red Sauce
- 1 Dried Ancho Pepper
- 4 Dried Guajillo Pepper
- 2 Garlic cloves
- ½ cup Water (have more on hand)
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 Roma Tomato
- 2 tablespoon Chicken Bouillon
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Red Sauce
- Remove the stems from the dried chilis. Place them in a pot with water and bring them to a boil. Once the water is boiling, turn off the heat, and let the chilis sit for about 10 minutes with the lid on.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the softened chilis to a blender. Add the garlic cloves and clean water to the blender. Blend until smooth then run through a fine mesh strainer to remove any seeds or pulp. Use a rubber spatula to press the sauce through the strainer.
- Add the strained sauce back into the blender with 1 Roma tomato, and 2 tablespoons of chicken bouillon. Blend until smooth, add 2 bay leaves, and set aside.
Beef and Potatoes
- Cut the steak along the grain into 4-inch pieces, then slice each piece against the grain to get strips.
- Wash and peel the potatoes. Slice them into coins or half moons if the potato is large.
- In a large skillet over medium heat add oil and sliced beef. Cook the beef until all the liquid is absorbed, this takes about 15 minutes. Season the beef with black pepper.
- Once the liquid is gone, add the red sauce and bay leaves. Add some water to the blender to get all the sauce out. The beef needs to be covered in liquid.
- Add the sliced potatoes and stir to combine. Place the lid on and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Stir every 5 minutes to redistribute. Add more water if it starts to get too dry.
- Taste a piece of beef and potato, then add salt if needed. Serve the carne con papas with rice and beans, or with tortillas
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and depends on ingredients and amounts used. Thai Caliente makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
