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Carne en su jugo is a popular Mexican stew made from beef browned in bacon fat and simmered in its juices along with a tangy tomatillo sauce, mixed with pinto beans, and topped with chopped bacon, diced onion, and cilantro. This authentic and traditional recipe is hearty, comforting, and so good!
Carne en su jugo features a tangy tomatillo sauce and juicy bite-size pieces of steak, similar to chile verde, only topped with crispy bacon, chopped onions, and cilantro.
Chile verde is one of my all-time favorite recipes, so when I heard of carne en su jugo, I knew I had to try it! (This carne guisada, however, is steadily making it’s way up my favorites list.)
This stew is so comforting and flavorful that I ate it until the very last drop. Here’s why I love this recipe:
- One-pot meal: This recipe only needs one large pot or Dutch oven, making it great for busy weeknights and easy clean-up.
- User-friendly: This stew is very simple and doesn’t require any fancy techniques. The ingredients are simple yet complement each other well and build tons of layers of great flavor.
What Is Carne en su Jugo?
Carne en su Jugo, which translates to “meat in its juices,” is a popular Mexican stew from the state of Jalisco. It features bite-size pieces of steak that are browned in bacon fat and simmered in its juices, along with a tangy tomatillo sauce mixed with pinto beans and topped with chopped bacon, diced onion, and cilantro.
Ingredients in Carne en su Jugo
- Bacon: This adds tons of great flavor since the beef is browned in the bacon fat, and the crisped bacon is used as a garnish. I used hickory smoked bacon, but you can use applewood or any other variety you like.
- Beef: I used top sirloin steak, but you can also use top round or beef strip steak.
- Tomatillo sauce: A quick and easy tomatillo sauce complements the beef and bacon flavor by adding some tanginess. It’s made from tomatillos, serrano peppers, garlic, cilantro, and some basic Mexican seasonings.
- Seasonings: Simple seasonings like salt, fresh ground black pepper, and cumin add a great layer of flavor to the tomatillo sauce.
- Kosher salt: I like using coarse kosher salt when seasoning beef and just overall cooking. I wouldn’t recommend using fine salt, but if that’s all you have, reduce the measurements by half.
- Pinto beans: Add a creamy texture to the stew, plus added protein. You can use homemade pinto beans or store-bought cans.
- Cilantro and onion: Garnishes like chopped cilantro adds a great fresh herb flavor, and chopped onions add brightness and a crunchy texture.
How to Make Carne en su Jugo
Crisp the bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven for about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Season the beef generously with kosher salt on all sides and add it to the same Dutch oven used to cook the bacon.
Brown the beef on all sides in the bacon fat. You may have to do this in batches.
Make the tomatillo sauce while the beef is browning. Add tomatillos, serrano peppers, ½ of the chopped cilantro, garlic, cumin, black pepper, water, and the remaining 2 teaspoons of kosher salt to a large blender. Blend until smooth.
Add the tomatillo sauce to the pot with the browned beef and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 30-35 minutes until the meat is soft and tender.
Stir in the pinto beans and cook for an additional 2 minutes until warmed through.
Garnish and serve in bowls with the crisped bacon, diced onions, and chopped cilantro.
Recipe Tips
- Adjust the heat. Make it spicy by leaving in the seeds of the serrano peppers. You can also make it mild by swapping serranos for jalapeño peppers or even bell peppers.
- Don’t have bacon? You can also use ham steaks and cut them into small cubes, crisp them, and use in place of the bacon. The bacon and bacon fat add a delicious depth of flavor to this dish, but you can also use 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil instead if you prefer.
- Use the right steak. I recommend using top sirloin, top round steak, or even skirt steak. Chuck roast also works, though the final dish may be a little greasier and fattier than normal.
Serving Suggestions
Carne en su jugo is a hearty meal on its own but tastes even better when paired with these things:
- Dip homemade corn tortillas, flour tortillas, or bolillo bread in the delicious broth.
- Add a side of authentic Mexican rice for a full Mexican meal.
- Drizzle in some salsa macha for a smoky and spicy flavor.
Storing and Reheating
To store, place the carne en su jugo in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
To reheat, heat in a medium pot over medium-high heat until warmed through or for a few minutes in the microwave.
More Mexican Recipes
If you tried this Carne en su Jugo Recipe or any other recipe on Isabel Eats, don’t forget to 🌟 rate the recipe and let me know how it went in the comments below! I love hearing about your experience making it!
Carne en su Jugo
Ingredients
- 12 ounces bacon, chopped
- 2 ½ pounds beef strip steak (or top round steak, or top sirloin steak), sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 6 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 3 serrano peppers, stemmed and seeded
- 1 cup packed cilantro, chopped, divided, plus more for topping
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 cups water
- 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
Toppings (optional)
- Chopped white onion
- Chopped cilantro
- Thinly sliced radishes
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Add the bacon to a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes, until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crispy. Transfer it to a bowl and set aside.
- Season the beef with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Add the meat to the same pot and cook for 10 minutes until browned.
- While the meat is browning, make the tomatillo sauce. Add the tomatillos, serrano peppers, ½ cup of the chopped cilantro, garlic, cumin, black pepper, water, and the remaining 2 teaspoons of kosher salt to a large blender. Blend until smooth.
- When the meat has browned, pour in the tomatillo sauce. Stir to combine, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 30-35 minutes, until meat is tender.
- Stir in the pinto beans and cook for 2 more minutes until warmed through.
- Serve in bowls garnished with crispy bacon, diced onions, chopped cilantro, thinly sliced radishes, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.
Wow! I figured I would like this dish, but I LOVED it. It is so full of flavor and so easy to make! I served over brown rice.
We had someone staying with us, and I made this for dinner; they also absolutely loved it and asked for the recipe. Will definitely make this again.
You are a very welcome contributor to our love of authentic Mexican cuisine. Thank you.
I served this to friends who we do a soup night with. They loved it and want the recipe.
This was so easy to make and had so much flavor! I made it pretty spicy but the addition of some pickled onions, cilantro and a dollop of sour cream made it perfect!
Invited some friends over to try the recipe and it was a big hit.
I willl definitely be making it again
Exhibit #12,347 that bacon makes everything better! The tomatillo broth is bright and tangy, a perfect complement to the savory beef and bacon flavors. The serrano peppers make it pleasantly warm but not hot. Flavorful, hearty and filling, a great one-dish meal for a cool night.
Phenomenal! I highly recommend going the extra step of making her Frijoles de la Olla to use in this recipe if you have the time.
Salio bien rico! Tengo 24 años y se me antojo esta platillo porque extrañaba a mi abuelita. Esta receta dejo a mi familia sorprendidos porqué supo como la comida de nuestra abuelita. Muchas gracias por compartir ❤️🙏🏽
This makes a nice dish; both my wife and I like it and I’ll make it again. I served mine with all the toppings/garnishes you list – none are “optional” as far as I’m concerned. I followed the recipe as written – it is straight forward and easy to make. I served it with your Jalapeño Cornbread, which I make often, perfect for sopping up the jugo.
So good and comforting, I loved it. I think next time I will toast all the chiles, garlic and tomatios and leave some aside in a molcajete for a more chunky salsa to go on top.