Crispy Beef from Stew Meat (Tender Meat from Tough or Chewy Meat)

close up view of crispy beef from stew meat

Crispy Beef from Stew Meat (Tender Meat from Tough or Chewy Meat)

Crispy Beef from Stew Meat is that meat you can't get enough of: It's succulent (moist and tender inside), flavorful, incredibly delicious for nibbling and a favorite for everyone, even kids. Use it in tacos, burritos, bowls, for salads and on sandwiches, for lunch or dinner -- even for special breakfasts next to fried potatoes or in omelettes.

Course Breakfast, DInner, lunch

Cuisine American, Asian, Mexican

Keyword beef, beef bowl, crispy beef, stew meat

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 50

Total Time 2

Servings servings

Calories 278kcal

Author Megan

Cost $8 (Price varies depending on sourcing and the amount of beef you choose to cook.)

Equipment

good quality frying pan like this one
Instant Pot or pot for slow-cooking (simmering) meat on the stove top

Ingredients

2 to 3 pounds beef stew meat (probably also okay to use wild game stew meat) -- Cube into big bite-size pieces, if it isn't already.
up to 2 Tablespoons fat rendered, such as tallow or duck fat (See Recipe below for more on this if you want to render your own fat. Or use store bought.)
1 Tablespoon + 2 teaspoons sea salt , divided
optional spices -- For Mexican cooking it's lovely to use cumin and other spices. Otherwise, just salt and pepper taste great. See the Notes section below the main recipe for spice options.

Instructions

First, to slowly simmer or pressure cook stew meat:
Place meat in large cooking pot, or insert pot of Instant Pot. Cover with water by 2 inches. Add 1 Tablespoon sea salt.
Stove top -- Cover, and slowly simmer for 2 to 3 hours, until tender, or as tender as stew meat gets. (Add a little extra water if needed as water evaporates.)
Instant Pot -- Seal lid. Press "Stew" button, and cook at High Pressure for 35 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally or do QPR, whichever is preferred.
Use a colander or strainer with a handle to scoop the meat from the pot, straining off any excess liquid (or you may also wait to strain the meat if you're going to chill the stock to congeal the fat).
If you wish, at this time, chill the stock overnight (that resulted from cooking stew meat in water with salt). Once chilled, all the fat from the stock will rise to the surface and congeal into a solid layer of fat. This is tallow and perfect for frying the stew meat. Otherwise, you may use your own solid fat that you already have on hand, such as tallow or duck fat. (It is also okay to use avocado oil, but animal fat is preferred.) [Photos below show chilled tallow on top of meat stock in pot and same tallow in frying pan. The amount of tallow you use can be estimated. It does not need to be measured perfectly.]
Slow-fry beef over low heat:
Heat dry pan over medium heat until hot, but not smoking hot. (If your tallow is wet with stock, there is no need to preheat the pan before adding the fat.) Add just enough fat to coat the pan when it's melted (about 1 Tablespoon to start, and then add more as needed), allow it to melt, and swirl it around to cover the surface of the pan. Add strained meat to the pan, spreading it out evenly. If you wish, smash some of the meat so it's not as "tall" but has a bigger surface area to get crispy. If you use the full 3 pounds, use two pans, or fry meat in 2 batches, so as not to overcrowd.
Sprinkle, to taste, with sea salt. When you first start frying the meat, it is likely some moisture will need to first evaporate. That's fine. As soon as it cooks off, the low heat frying begins.
Reduce heat to low.
Fry meat slowly over low heat until crispy. (In the Recipe below, I share how to season the meat additionally, too, if that's desirable, as with Mexican dishes.) The frying will take as long as 25 to 30 minutes on the first side and 20 to 25 minutes on the second side, depending on your pan. (Try flipping one piece toward the center of the pan to see if it's done cooking. It will be crispy brown when ready to be flipped.)
How to scoop up the meat and flip it: After frying the first side of the meat cubes for 25 to 30 minutes on low heat, use a spatula to flip it. You may still need to scoop deeply into the pan, or turn your spatula upside down to get the best scoop and help the crispy meat come clean from the pan. As needed, use a fork with your spatula to make sure each piece of meat is flipped upside down, so the second main side can also fry up crispy brown. If you wish, gently smash some of the meat down flatter after flipping. There is no need to add extra fat to the pan at this time unless you feel it's needed or want to.
Season second side of meat with sea salt, to taste, and also add optional freshly ground black pepper, or for AIP and VAD, use dried ginger, to taste, as you would with black pepper.
When second side of meat is crispy brown and done cooking, keep meat warm until you're ready to serve, or serve immediately.

Notes

Mexican spiced meat

When you season each side of the meat with sea salt, optionally add a medley of Mexican spices and herbs. Stir together first, or sprinkle on separately:

1-½ teaspoons cumin
1-½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder (optional, omit for nightshade-free)

Nutrition