Guest Chef Tyler Wiard’s Mexican Style Beef Stew

In honor of our 25th birthday, we’ve invited a series of guest chefs from top local restaurants to create and prepare a meal for Project Angel Heart clients. This week we welcomed Tyler Wiard, culinary director at Elway’s.

Wiard created a Mexican style beef stew, full of veggies and flavorful green chilies, to meet the specific nutritional needs of our clients. Then, he donned an apron in the Project Angel Heart kitchen and worked alongside our chefs and volunteers to prepare it.

Here’s his recipe for serving all 1,100 of our weekly meal recipients. Scroll down for a version that feeds 8-10, and to see how we modify it for clients with different needs and illnesses.

Mexican Style Beef Stew with Pinto Beans and Cabbage

Serves about 1,100
By Chef Tyler Wiard, Elway’s Culinary Director

Stew

• 400 lbs beef stew meat
• 100 lbs yellow onion, julienned
• 40 lbs celery, chopped
• 80 lbs green chilies, diced (frozen is fine)
• 16 oz garlic powder
• 8 oz green chile powder
• 8 oz cumin, ground
• 4 oz coriander, ground
• 4 oz oregano, dry
• 40 gallons chicken or beef broth
• 100 lbs pinto or black beans (soaked in water overnight)
• 80 lbs zucchini, chopped
• 40 lbs corn, frozen
• Masa flour to thicken if needed
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste
• Cotija cheese and cilantro for garnish

Cabbage

• 300 lbs green cabbage, cored and chopped
• 4 cups canola oil
• 3 lbs cilantro, chopped
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Heat three 40-gallon tilt skillets. Add some oil to each. Add the beef and cook until it is evenly browned, then add onions and celery. Cook until vegetables are soft, then add the green chilies, dried spices, and broth.

Add the pinto beans, then bring the stew to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook on low heat for about an hour. Add the frozen corn and zucchini, then let it cook for another hour, until beans are soft.

While the stew is simmering, prepare your  cabbage. Heat a tilt skillet and add the oil. Saute the cabbage lightly, season with salt and pepper, and mix the cilantro in at the end.

Once your beans are tender and creamy and the stew has reduced, whisk a little bit of masa flour with some water in a separate container to form a slurry. The consistency should be similar to pancake batter. Add a little bit of slurry at a time to thicken the stew. If you accidentally add too much, just thin it out with more broth or water.

Season the stew to taste with salt and pepper, and top with some cotija cheese and chopped cilantro. Serve with cabbage on the side and you are all set!

Mexican Style Beef Stew with Pinto Beans and Cabbage

Serves 8-10
By Chef Tyler Wiard, Elway’s Culinary Director

Stew

• 4 lbs beef stew meat
• 1 lbs yellow onion, julienned
• 1/2 lb celery, chopped
• 1 lb green chilies, diced (frozen is fine)
• 2 oz garlic powder
• 1 oz green chile powder
• 1 oz cumin, ground
• 1/2 oz coriander, ground
• 1/2 oz oregano, dry
• 1 gallon chicken or beef broth
• 1 lb pinto or black beans (soaked in water overnight)
• 1 lb zucchini, chopped
• 1/2 lb corn, frozen
• Masa flour to thicken if needed
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste
• Cotija cheese and cilantro for garnish

Cabbage

• 1 head green cabbage, cored and chopped
• 2 Tbsp canola oil
• 2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Place a large stockpot on the stove on medium-high heat, and add a bit of whichever cooking oil you prefer. Add the beef and cook until it is evenly browned, then add onions and celery. Cook until vegetables are soft, then add the green chilies, dried spices, and broth.

Add the pinto beans, then bring the stew to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook on low heat for about an hour. Add the frozen corn and zucchini, then let it cook for another hour, until beans are soft.

While the stew is simmering, prepare your  cabbage. Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Saute the cabbage lightly, season with salt and pepper, and mix the cilantro in at the end.

Once your beans are tender and creamy and the stew has reduced, whisk a little bit of masa flour with some water in a separate container to form a slurry. The consistency should be similar to pancake batter. Add a little bit of slurry at a time to thicken the stew. If you accidentally add too much, just thin it out with more broth or water.

Season the stew to taste with salt and pepper, and top with some cotija cheese and chopped cilantro. Serve with cabbage on the side and you are all set!

Diet Modifications:

• For those living with renal issues or GI issues, we replace the beans with rice and make a milder version with less green chilies.
• For those who require low salt, we omit the salt.
• For those who don’t eat beef, we make a version with chicken.
• For those who cannot tolerate strong flavors or have trouble keeping their food down, we make a “naked” version with just the meat, celery, zucchini, and salt, and replace the beans with rice.