Ancho Coffee Braised Venison or Beef (Carne de Res con Cafe)
This is a rich, smoky flavored braised beef or venison dish from Panama and Nicaragua, flavored with dried ancho chiles and roasted coffee. The bitterness of the coffee marries perfectly with the sweet spice of the chiles and roasted tomato paste, balanced by tangy tomatoes and green bell peppers. You can make this dish on the stove top or finish it in the oven or a slow cooker, or use an Instant Pot to cut down on braising time (if you have the time for the low and slow oven or stove top braise, it's worth it for how it concentrates the flavors though)!Traditionally served with rice pilaf, it's also delicious with fried plantains (tostones) or fresh warm thick corn tortillas and your favorite fixings. If you somehow end up with leftovers, this also makes a great burrito, enchilada or empanada filling!
Equipment
- 1 dutch oven or large Instant Pot
- cutting board & sharp knife
Ingredients
Sear in pre-heated dutch oven (or Instant Pot saute setting):
- 3 lbs beef or venison chuck, cut into 2" pieces (substitute trimmed stew meat)
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil or lard
Saute:
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 3 cups yellow or white onion peeled, halved, and sliced
- 1½ cups green bell peppers seeded and sliced
- 2 cups ripe tomatoes peeled & chopped (canned and diced is fine, approx 15 oz can)
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 ½ tsp salt or to taste
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp black pepper or to taste
Deglaze:
- 2 cups strong brewed coffee substitute prepared instant coffee
- ⅓ cup dried ancho chiles seeded & chopped
Add in last 20 minutes:
- 4 large carrots peeled, halved, & cut into 1" bias half-moons
- 2 tbsp brown sugar or piloncillo
- 1 tsp malt vinegar or lime juice or to taste
Instructions
- In a heavy oven-safe pot, dutch oven, or Instant Pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the meat in a single layer, and sear until it is browned on all sides, seasoning with the salt and pepper. You will probably need to brown the meat in two or three batches unless you have a large, shallow pan (like a rondeau). Don't crowd the pan, or it will boil and steam instead of browning. Hold the browned meat and any liquid in another pot or heat resistant bowl, and add it back in when all the meat is browned.
- Reduce the heat to medium, add tomato paste, and stir. Next, add the sliced onions, green pepper, garlic, and tomatoes.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and add the coffee and ancho chiles.
- Cover the pan and braise over medium-low heat or in a 375℉ oven until tender, about 2 ½-3 hours, or for 20-25 minutes under high pressure in an Instant Pot with quick release. You can also transfer everything from the stove top to a crock pot or slow cooker and braise slowly until the meat is tender (this will take longer in a crock pot than the oven or Instant Pot but can be handy for meal prep).
- Add the carrots after the meat is fork-tender, and cook until the carrots are just beginning to soften, about 20 minutes.
- If you braised the dish on the stove top or in the oven, the sauce will be reduced and thickened for serving. If you used an Instant Pot, you will probably need to reduce the sauce further to concentrate the flavor and thicken it. Strain the sauce from the meat (or carefully spoon out the vegetables and meat into a serving dish and keep warm) and reduce the sauce over medium-low heat until it is at a nappe consistency (will coat a spoon).
- Add the brown sugar or piloncillo, salt, and pepper to taste. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot over rice pilaf or with warm tortillas.
Notes
Notes on Nutritional Information: Values shown are an estimate for informational purposes only, and were calculated using diced venison, vegetable oil, dark brown sugar, malt vinegar, and other ingredients as listed.
Nutrition
Calories: 285kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 34gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 116mgSodium: 736mgPotassium: 960mgFiber: 5gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 7338IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 6mg
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