American Vs Mexican Beef Stew: What's The Difference?

Do you prefer southern fried chicken or Korean fried chicken? Countless dishes have been remade across different culinary cultures, offering twists on flavors and ingredients that can be as delicious as they are unexpected. The simpler the dish, the more likely it is that another culture also created their own version, and beef stew is no different. The Mexican version, called carne guisada, is well worth trying if you're a fan of the American comfort classic.

The history of beef stew dates back centuries and it's not American in origin. The Bible has references to stewed meats and the first published beef stew recipes date to the 14th century France. European recipes came to America with settlers and were adapted to local ingredients. Stews are generally cheap as they utilize tough meat and require long, slow cooking to tenderize it. Other ingredients need to be able to stand up to the cooking process, making carrots and potatoes ideal. The popularity of stews can be attributed to their affordability, versatility, and how filling they are. 

A modern American beef stew is made from collagen-rich cuts of beef like chuck roast and usually includes vegetables like onion, carrot, potatoes, and various herbs and spices. Some may include tomato paste or red wine, peas or celery, and often the broth is thickened with flour. This is similar in many ways to carne guisada, but there are noteworthy differences.

Carne guisada literally means "stewed meat" in Spanish. As with American beef stew, the recipe can be fairly nebulous. It can be made with big chunks of meat or stewed down until the meat can be pulled apart. Some recipes call for potatoes, tomatoes, onions, or peppers. It tends to be more robustly seasoned than its American cousin, featuring cumin, oregano, cloves, or chiles de arbol. Some versions are even made with Mexican frying cheese.

One of the most noticeable differences between the two is that the Mexican version does not usually include a thickener like flour, although some regional versions do. Instead, it's reduced over time to achieve thickness. It can be reduced down until there is very little broth, making the remaining stewed meats and vegetables suitable as fillings for tortillas.

Because of the variation and ingredients, carne guisada is sometimes known by different names depending on the region of Mexico where it's made. American or Mexican, both dishes are intended to be a warm, hearty, filling meal. Try our old fashioned beef stew recipe and our carne guisada recipe to see which one you like best.