This Pork Carne Guisada recipe, or pork stew, is a versatile and great tasting Tex Mex dish which can be eaten on its own, over rice or in tortillas. Cumin and garlic are the predominant flavors along with green peppers and tomatoes. Serving this stew over Cauliflower Rice keeps this meal low carb.
Carne Guisada is a classic Tex Mex dish. It can be made with either beef or pork. When it is made with beef, it resembles a hearty beef stew with large pieces of carrots, onions, tomatoes, and potatoes. I usually add beef broth for the liquid while others may add a little beer to the mix. It has a nice stew consistency with lots of gravy. It's delicious and worth trying.
When I make Carne Guisada with pork, I only use green peppers, onions, garlic and tomatoes. I also cook it down until it is thick enough to eat in a tortilla. That's just my personal preference. Just like pasta sauce and Green Chile Stew, every family seems to have their own recipe for Carne Guisada. This is the way I prepare it. I like lots of cumin, so I toned it down a little here. My mother doesn't like cumin as much as I do and says I use too much. I did a little research and looked at about 2 dozen other Pork Carne Guisada recipes and they all used more cumin than my mother likes to use -- more than I have written in this recipe. But...
Wanna hear a secret?
Here is the number one rule in cooking... Ready?
Make it how you like it.
Taste your dish and adjust the seasonings per your taste. Some people follow a recipe and think they aren't allowed to deviate from it. Go ahead. It's only dinner. Try something new, it may be great! That's how family recipes are born. That's why there are as many different recipes for pasta sauce or chili as there are people cooking them. (Note, when baking, one must be careful. One must substitute within the parameters given or the whole system may be compromised. Think of baking as a chemistry experiment - you gotta follow the procedure. If not, you and your lab partner will be sorry.)
This recipe is low carb, gluten-free and grain-free. It can be served over cauliflower rice or in low carb tortillas to keep the carbs down. Why not try my recipe for One-Carb, Gluten-Free Tortillas?
I included a quick and dirty recipe for cilantro cauliflower rice with the pork carne guisada recipe, because some people like to eat their carne guisada on rice. If you are new to the low carb life style, cauliflower rice is a great way to up your veggie and fiber quota. As I said above, I personally like my pork carne guisada to be thick enough to eat in a tortilla.
Here are two more pork dishes you may enjoy Easy Green Chile Stew and Pork Loin Picatta.
Low Carb Pork Carne Guisada Recipe
Ingredients
Pork Carne Guisada
- 2 pounds pork loin cubed
- 4 tablespoons oil
- 4 ounces onions (about ½ of a medium onion)
- 8 ounces green bell pepper (about 1 ½ peppers)
- 4 ounces tomato (2 roma tomatoes)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chile powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 bay leaf whole
- 2 whole cloves
- ½ stick cinnamon
- 1 quart chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder (optional)
- 1 tablespoon water
Cilantro Cauliflower Rice
- 2 pounds cauliflower
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 3 tablespoons ghee
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a dutch oven on medium-high heat. Brown the cubed pork loin in batches removing the browned pork to a plate when finished cooking. Add more oil as needed.
- While the pork is browning, rough chop the peppers, onion, tomato and garlic. When the pork has been browned, add the rest of the oil and saute the vegetables in the pot. Add the chile powder, cumin, garlic powder, 2 cloves, half of the salt and the bay leaf. Saute until fragrant and then add the chicken broth, and browned pork loin with juices. Simmer for 1 ½ - 2 hours, until the pork is tender. At the last 20 minutes of cooking, add the cinnamon stick. Don't forget to remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf before serving!
- While the Pork Carne Guisada is simmering, cut up the cauliflower and grate it in a food processor, or by hand. This will be your low carb cauliflower "rice". Put the raw, grated cauliflower rice in a microwave proof glass bowl and add 2-3 tablespoons of water. Cover with plastic wrap. When you are ready for dinner, microwave the cauliflower rice on high for 3-5 minutes depending on your desired texture. Carefully pour out the extra water. Add the ghee, chopped cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. Mix.
- I like to cook my pork garne guisada until the sauce is almost thick enough to eat in tortillas. Then, I add the thickener as a slurry. This is a personal preference. Others like their Pork Carne Guisada more like a stew. That's how I like my Beef Carne Guisada - more like a stew.
- At the very end of cooking, add the thickener by mixing 1 Tablespoon of the thickener with an equal amount of water to make a slurry. Pour into the stew and let the Pork Carne Guisada simmer for a few minutes until the sauce is thickened. (optional)
- To serve, spoon a serving of the Pork Carne Guisada over the cauliflower rice or spoon it into tortillas and serve the "rice" on the side.
Katariina
We loved this mexican pork recipe!! So so good! Beautiful medley of flavours with the pork, chili, cumin, bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, the veggies (garlic, onion, tomato, peppers). I cook for 3 men: my 24 year old son, husband and diabetic father-in-law and everyone loved this low carb pork stew! We enjoyed it with the cauliflower cilantro rice. I will definately make this again.
Kim Hardesty
I'm so happy to hear that, Katariina! You made my day. Lol. Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know. Enjoy your weekend. -Kim
Elizabeth
Your recipes are the BEST! Thank you. This looks delicious!
Kim Hardesty
Thanks, Elizabeth! -Kim
Lori Olson
Twice in the procedure list you mention cloves but there are no cloves in the ingredient list.. Cloves are pretty strong. How much would you use?
Kim Hardesty
You are right, Lori. I fixed the post. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. -Kim
Kathy Drake
Could u use already cooked pork? My husband cooked a big pork butt & we have lots of it leftover.
Kim
Oops. I'm sorry I missed this question, Kathy. I have never used already cooked pork, but it might work. -Kim
Pam
Can you give some suggestions about what serve it with that is lo carb too?
Kim
Hi Pam. This recipe includes the cauliflower rice as part of the macros for the dish. I usually serve over cauliflower rice. I also have a great focaccia recipe that also doubles as a great "cornbread" recipe. To make it a "cornbread" add 1/2 tsp of corn extract (I found some one Amazon. It is not cheap) and you can also use cheddar cheese instead of the mozzarella cheese. Is this what you meant for ideas? I can provide more if you need. -Kim
Matt
Super tasty, this has become one of my favorites.
Kim
Awww. Thanks, Matt. -Kim