Caldo de res (Mexican beef soup)
Beef simmered until spoon-tender in a clear, savory broth with corn on the cob, cabbage, potatoes and carrots, then brightened with lime and cilantro.
- 150 min total
- 25 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 6
- About $3.41 a serving
- 320 calories
- Good the next day
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 6 servings.
- 1½ lb stew beef
- 2 beef bouillon cubes, check the box: most cubes make 2 cups each
- 1 white onion, halved
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 can tomato sauce, 8 oz
- 3 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into big chunks
- 2 corn on the cob, cut into thirds
- ¼ head green cabbage, cut into 3 wedges
- ½ bunch cilantro, chopped
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- 1 serrano pepper, sliced (optional)
From your pantry
- 10 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 bay leaves
Each serving has about 320 calories, 27 g protein, 33 g carbs and 11 g fat, and costs about $3.41 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No stew beef? Chuck roast works.
- No tomato sauce? Crushed tomatoes work.
- No Yukon Gold potatoes? Russet potatoes or red potatoes work.
- No green cabbage? Red cabbage or coleslaw mix works.
- No cilantro? Fresh parsley works.
- No limes? Lemons work.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Put the beef, water, bouillon cubes, onion halves, garlic, tomato sauce, salt and bay leaves in a large pot and over high heat.
Bring to a boil. It means heating a liquid on high until it’s fully boiling before you move on. A lid on the pot gets it there faster, which makes it a good moment to chop something.
How you’ll know: Big bubbles break all over the surface, and they keep coming when you lift the lid.
High heat
Skim off the gray foam with a big spoon, then turn the heat to low, cover and for 1½ hours, until the beef is tender.
Simmer. Simmering means keeping a liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles rising gently. It cooks food evenly and lets a sauce thicken without scorching on the bottom.
How you’ll know: Small, lazy bubbles break the surface every second or so, and nothing is churning.
Low heatTimer: 90 min
Dolly’s tip: Skimming the foam in the first few minutes keeps the broth clear.Food safety: Steak, pork chops and other whole cuts are safe at 145°F in the middle, then let them rest for 3 minutes before cutting.
While it simmers, cut the carrots, potatoes and corn into big chunks and the cabbage into wedges, keeping the so the leaves hold together.
Core. Coring means cutting out the hard center of things like apples, peppers or cabbage. That center is tough and woody, so it’s the part you throw away.
How you’ll know: What’s left is all tender flesh, with no hard, pale center.
Add the carrots and potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes.
Low heatTimer: 15 min
Add the corn and cabbage and simmer for 10 minutes more, until everything is tender.
Low heatTimer: 10 min
Fish out the onion, garlic and bay leaves and taste the broth for salt.
Serve big bowls with some of everything and plenty of broth, with cilantro, lime wedges and serrano on the table.
Slice. Slicing means cutting food into flat pieces of about the same thickness. Even slices cook evenly, so none are raw while others burn.
How you’ll know: Lay a few side by side: they’re close to the same thickness from one end to the other.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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