Chilean Style Ground Beef — Homemade Carne Molida a la Chilena

Versión en Español

Chilean style ground beef, or carne molida a la chilena, is lean ground beef browned with a sofrito of onion and garlic, seasoned with cilantro, oregano, merkén, and sliced dried cacho de cabra chili, and simmered covered with fresh chopped tomatoes. It takes 30 minutes of preparation and 30 minutes of cooking, and serves 4.

Easy, tasty, and with a traditional touch of heat, it goes with rice, pasta, fries, or stuffed squash.

How to Make Chilean Ground Beef?

Lean ground beef, about 7% fat, browns well without releasing too much fat. The onion and garlic are sautéed first, the meat and herbs are added, then the chili, and finally the tomatoes, covered so the meat absorbs the sofrito instead of drying out.

Nutritional Information

Each serving of Chilean style ground beef contains approximately 250 kcal, 10 g of carbohydrates, 15 g of fat, 20 g of protein, 2 g of fiber, 5 g of sugars, 60 mg of cholesterol, and 300 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.

Homemade Chilean Style Ground Beef Recipe

Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 500 g of lean ground beef
• 3 medium tomatoes
• ½ onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 dried cacho de cabra chili
• 1 tablespoon of cilantro
• 1 tablespoon of oregano
• Sunflower oil
• Merkén (Mapuche smoked chili)
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• Black pepper

Instructions

1. Place the meat in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper, mix with clean hands or a spoon, and set aside covered. Heat a splash of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the onion and garlic, and sauté for a couple of minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon.

2. Add the ground beef, cilantro, oregano, and a pinch of merkén, mix, lower the heat a little, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so the meat does not clump. Add the thinly sliced cacho de cabra chili and cook for 3 more minutes.

3. Finally add the chopped tomatoes and their juices, mix, cover, and cook over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Adjust the seasoning, turn off the heat, and let rest a couple of minutes. Serve right away with your favorite side, or simply with fresh pan amasado.

Additional Tips

Brown the sofrito well

Give the onion and garlic enough time to color before adding the meat. Rushing this step is a common mistake.

Cover after the tomatoes

Cooking covered over low heat lets the meat absorb the flavors instead of drying out.

Adjust the heat

The chili is optional but very traditional. Use only part of the cacho de cabra for a gentle touch.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What do I serve Chilean ground beef with?

Rice, pasta, fries, or stuffed squash, or on its own with good pan amasado. Serve it after resting a couple of minutes off the heat.

2. Can I make it without chili?

Yes, the heat is optional, though very traditional in Chilean home cooking. Leave out the merkén or use only part of the cacho de cabra for a gentle touch.

3. How do I keep ground beef from drying out?

Cook it over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, and cover the pan after adding the tomatoes so the meat absorbs the sofrito.

4. Which ground beef is best?

This recipe uses 500 g of lean ground beef with about 7% fat, which browns well without releasing too much fat.

Did You Know?

Cacho de cabra, meaning goat’s horn, is a long, curved Chilean chili. Dried and smoked, it is the base of merkén, the Mapuche smoked chili seasoning.

Recommended

• Chilean Mongolian Beef Recipe
• Chilean Zucchini Loaf Recipe
• Stuffed Zucchini with Rice and Meat Recipe
• Eggs with Tomato Recipe