Best Picadillo Recipes

CLASSIC CUBAN-STYLE PICADILLO

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir garlic, onion, and green bell pepper in the hot oil until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Crumble ground beef into the skillet; cook and stir until browned completely, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Stir olives, raisins, capers, tomato sauce, sazon seasoning, cumin, sugar, and salt through the ground beef mixture.
• Cover the skillet, reduce heat to low, and cook until the mixture is heated through, 5 to 10 minutes.

AUTHENTIC MEXICAN PICADILLO

Steps:

• Bring 6 whole tomatoes to a boil in a small pot. Transfer to a blender. Add 3/4 cup water, onion halves, and whole garlic clove. Blend until smooth.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and serrano pepper. Cook until onion is transparent. Add minced garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chopped tomato and cook for 1 minute more. Add ground beef; cook until browned, about 8 minutes.
• Pour canned tomato sauce into the beef mixture. Cook for 2 minutes. Mix in potatoes and carrots. Cook for 2 minutes; add the blended tomatoes, jalapeno, chicken bouillon, cumin, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well, reduce heat, and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

PICADILLO

Steps:

• Put the olive oil in a large, heavy pan set over a medium-high flame, and heat until it begins to shimmer. Add onions, chorizo and garlic, stir to combine and cook until the onions have started to soften, approximately 10 minutes.
• Add the ground beef, and allow it to brown, crumbling the meat with a fork as it does. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
• Add tomatoes, vinegar, cinnamon, cumin, bay leaves, cloves and nutmeg and stir to combine. Lower the heat, and let the stew simmer, covered, for approximately 30 minutes.
• Uncover the pan, and add the raisins and the olives. Allow the stew to cook for another 15 minutes or so, then serve, accompanied by white rice.

EASY CUBAN PICADILLO

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook and crumble beef with pepper and onion over medium-high heat until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, olives, raisins and vinegar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until raisins are softened, 5-6 minutes., Serve with rice. If desired, top with fresh cilantro to serve.

PICADILLO

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, saute onions, garlic, and pepper in olive oil until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add ground beef and olives and continue stirring to break up and brown the meat. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. When beef has browned, add tomato sauce gradually while stirring. Cook 1 to 2 minutes longer to incorporate sauce.
• Serve with rice and beans or tortillas.

CUBAN PICADILLO EMPANADA AND CILANTRO CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• For the filling: Heat the oil in a large saute pan set over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring to break up the turkey, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the turkey to a bowl and keep the fat in the pan. Add the chili powder, coriander, cumin, garlic, onions and bell peppers, and cook until soft and fragrant, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the meat back to the pan and stir to incorporate. Add the tomato puree, raisins, capers, olives, thyme and bay leaf, and cook until all of the flavors come together and the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Season with the lime juice, salt and pepper. Cool the filling completely.
• For the dough: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, masa harina, baking powder and salt. Stir in the melted butter. Gradually add 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup water, and work it in with your hands to incorporate; the dough should be easy to handle and not sticky. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Lightly flour a rolling pin and a clean surface. Divide the dough in half. Refrigerate half of the dough and roll out the other half of the dough to 1/8-inch thick. Using a 4-inch cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out 10 circles of dough. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water. Spoon 2 generous tablespoons of filling into the center of each pastry circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Brush the edges with the egg wash and then fold the dough to enclose the filling and form a semi-circle. Tightly seal the edges by crimping with the tines of a fork. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
• For the sauce: In a small mixing bowl, add the crema, cilantro and lime juice. Mix thoroughly and season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet.
• Place the empanadas on the prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with some egg wash. Using a fork, prick a few holes in the tops of the empanadas for the steam to escape. Bake until the empanadas are golden brown, 30 minutes.

CUBAN-STYLE PICADILLO

Steps:

• Place the potatoes into a large pot with enough water to cover; season with salt. Bring the water to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, place a cover on the pot, and cook the potatoes at a simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; cook and stir the onion, green bell pepper, and garlic in the hot oil until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.
• Crumble the ground beef into the onion mixture, breaking the meat into smaller pieces as you mix; cook and stir until the beef is completely browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain as much fat from the mixture as possible.
• Stir the red wine, tomato sauce, olives, capers, golden raisins, cumin, oregano, black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt into the ground beef mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook at a simmer until the wine had reduced significantly, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Peel the cooled potatoes and cut into chunks.
• Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the potatoes in the hot oil until browned, about 5 minutes.
• Gently fold the cooked potatoes into the simmering ground beef mixture; cook together 5 minutes.

CUBAN PICADILLO

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and bay leaves and saute until onion is soft, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes.
• Add ground beef to skillet and cook until browned. Once the meat is browned, carefully away from the flame, tilt pan and remove excess fat with a large spoon.
• Add the white wine and stir for another minute. Then add the chopped cherry tomatoes, tomato paste, pimento stuffed Spanish olives, raisins, dried oregano, cumin and cayenne pepper. Simmer over low heat for another 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve warm:
• As a filling for empanadas or tacos
• Over white rice with fried plantains or black beans
• With a side salad and black beans
• To make Picadillo soupier for serving over rice, add additional wine, chicken or beef stock.

TURKEY TACOS PICADILLO

Steps:

• Put the oil, onions, garlic, jalapeno, and spices in a medium skillet, season with salt and cook over medium to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until tender, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the tomatoes and boil to thicken, about 2 minutes. Stir in the turkey and chicken broth, adjust the heat so the mixture simmers and cook until the turkey is cooked through and the mixture thickens but is not dry, about 12 minutes. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and cover.
• To make the taco shells: Pour enough frying oil into a small skillet so it's about 3/4 of an inch deep; heat over medium to medium-high. Holding 1 edge of a tortilla with tongs, lay the other half in the oil, keeping it flat with a spatula. Cook until crisp, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Flip the tortilla over and repeat with the other half, holding the first side of the tortilla at an angle to make an open shell, cook for about 1 minute more. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
• Put the fixings and meat in individual bowls and the taco shells on a platter. Serve, encouraging your diners to build their own tacos, with meat in the shell and the fixings on top.

GROUND BEEF EMPANADAS (PICADILLO)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat the oil in a heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef chuck and cook until browned, about 7 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper. Add the olives, raisins, carrots and onions and saute for just a couple minutes until softened. Add the tomato puree and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and cool to room temperature before filling the empanadas.
• Grease a large baking sheet with some nonstick cooking spray. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the pastry out to a 1/4- to 1/8-inch thickness. With a knife, cut out 4 equal squares measuring 4 1/2-by-5 1/2-inches. Add 2 tablespoons of the cooled beef mixture to the center of the square. Brush the edge of each square with some egg wash and fold to shape into triangles. Crimp the edges with a fork. Transfer the empanadas to the prepared baking sheet and brush them with the remaining egg wash. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

PICADILLO

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and chorizo sausage. Cook and stir until no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
• Drain off some of the grease, and stir in the onions and bell pepper. Cook until soft, then add the garlic. Season with cumin, chili powder, oregano, paprika, cayenne and cinnamon. Cook and stir for about one minute to release the fragrance. Pour the tomatoes and beef stock into the pan, along with the sugar. Set the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Stir the raisins, olives, capers and vinegar into the pan, and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add the almonds and lime juice, and cook until they are heated, then serve.

CUBAN PICADILLO

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook onions in oil over low heat for 15-20 minutes or brown, stirring occasionally. Add wine; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a 3- or 4-qt. slow cooker., In the same skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink. Add to slow cooker. Combine the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic and seasonings; pour over top. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until heated through., Place raisins in a small bowl. Cover with boiling water; let stand for 5 minutes. Drain. Stir the green pepper, olives, jalapeno and raisins into the slow cooker. Cover and cook 30 minutes longer. Serve with rice.

CHILES RELLENOS WITH PICADILLO

Steps:

• To prepare Picadillo: In a large skillet, saute the onion, garlic and bay leaves in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until the onion is softened. Add the beef, and continue to cook until the beef is no longer pink; breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in oregano, cloves, and cinnamon. Pour out any excess fat and stir in the tomato paste until thoroughly incorporated. Add chipotles, raisins, almonds, and olives; salt to taste. Remove from heat. When mixture is cool, add cheese and mix well.
• Char the flesh of the peppers over a gas flame, under a broiler or on a grill. Alternatively, set a rack over an electric burner or use a very hot heavy frying pan. Cook, turning frequently, until the skins are blistered all over. Take care not to overcook and burn right through the pepper. Put peppers in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sweat for about 10 minutes to loosen the skins. Rub off as much skin as possible and cut a slit along the side of each pepper, keeping the stems and tip intact. Carefully remove the seeds and inner membranes, but do not rinse with water.
• Heat 1-inch of oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat until very hot. Place flour in a shallow platter and season with salt and pepper. Beat egg whites until foamy, add a pinch of salt, and whip to stiff peaks. Lightly beat the egg yolks and fold into the whites. Stuff the chiles with picadillo, leaving enough room to close the opening. Overlap the seam slightly and gently squeeze closed. Secure with wooden toothpicks if desired. Pat the peppers dry and lightly coat in the seasoned flour. Pick the chile up by its stem and dip into the egg batter, making sure they are well covered, tap off excess. Fry until evenly browned, about 3 minutes each side. The egg burns easily so take care not to cook too long. Drain on paper towels. To serve, ladle a pool of Tomato Ranchero sauce on plates and set chiles rellenos on top, serve immediately.
• Combine and puree the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, cumin, and garlic in a food processor.
• Heat the oil in a saucepan or skillet and fry the tomato puree over high flame. Add broth, and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and is heated through. If sauce tastes somewhat bitter, add a pinch of sugar. Sprinkle with a dash of hot red pepper sauce. Sauce may be served hot or cold.
• Yield: about 2 cups

ABUELA'S PICADILLO

Steps:

• Cook and stir ground beef in a large stockpot until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain grease.
• Heat olive oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add onion, green bell pepper, and garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir into beef in the stockpot.
• Pour tomato sauce, water, cooking wine, and hot sauce into the stockpot. Stir in sazon seasoning, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer picadillo, uncovered, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Split olives in half with your fingers and stir into the picadillo. Add squash. Simmer until liquid reduces but picadillo is not dry, 45 to 60 minutes. Season with salt.

CHEF JOHN'S PICADILLO

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and break up into small pieces with a spoon or spatula as it browns. Cook until meat completely loses its pink color, 8 to 10 minutes. Add diced onion and salt. Cook until onions turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add pepper, cumin, cinnamon, bay leaves, and cayenne pepper. Cook 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
• Stir in red wine vinegar, crushed tomatoes, and water. Cook a few minutes while deglazing pan. Add currants; bring back to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook until meat is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Gently stir in sliced olives; cover and cook another 10 to 15 minutes.

CUBAN-STYLE PICADILLO

Steps:

• Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and bay leaves; sauté until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add beef; sauté until cooked, breaking up with back of fork, about 7 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients. Simmer until picadillo thickens, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Discard bay leaves. Serve picadillo warm.

TACOS PICADILLO

Steps:

• Put the oil, onions, garlic, and spices in a medium skillet, season with salt and cook over medium to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until tender, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the tomatoes, and their juices and boil to thicken, about 2 minutes. Stir in the beef and chicken broth, adjust the heat so the mixture simmers and cook until the beef is cooked through and the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir in cilantro, taste, and season with salt and pepper as desired. Transfer to a serving bowl and cover.
• To make the taco shells: Pour enough frying oil into a small skillet so its about 3/4 of an inch deep; heat over medium to medium-high. Holding 1 edge of a tortilla with tongs, lay the other half in the oil, keeping it flat with a spatula. Cook until crisp, 30 second to 1 minute. Flip the tortilla over and repeat with the other half, holding the first side of the tortilla at an angle to make an open shell, cook for about 1 minute more. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
• Put the fixings and meat in individual bowls and the taco shells on a platter. Serve encouraging your diners to build their own tacos, with meat in the shell with fixings on top.

BEEF PICADILLO

Steps:

• Soak the currants in the sherry.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter in a Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions, then season with salt and pepper. Sweat until the onions are very tender, then stir in the paprika and chili powder. Stir in the sherry and currants.
• Puree the peppers with 1 cup water until smooth, then add the pureed peppers to the Dutch oven with the tomato sauce. Stir in the almonds and the Beef and Tomato Base, then bring to a simmer and let the flavors combine a few minutes. Adjust the seasoning and remove from the heat.
• Cool and store for a make-ahead meal or serve immediately. Reheat over medium heat, garnish with parsley and pass chips for dipping and topping.
• Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot, pat the meat dry with paper towels and add half of the beef to the pan. Crumble the beef with a potato masher or wooden utensil. Cook to develop a deep brown color, season with salt and pepper, and then remove to a plate. Repeat the process with the remaining beef. Add the tomato paste to the pan and stir until fragrant. Then add the stock and the browned beef. Stir to combine, then reduce the heat to a simmer.

CUBAN PICADILLO

Steps:

• Mash the salt, pepper and garlic together in a mortar until well blended.
• Lightly brown this mixture in the lard/oil with the pepper and the onions until the onions become translucent.
• Add the tomato sauce and let it simmer for a minute.
• Add the vinegar.
• Add the meat and cook for 5-minutes.
• Add the cooking wine, olives and raisins.
• Simmer until liquid is absorbed (I usually let this simmer for around an hour or so on low, so the flavors meld together).
• Serve with rice and beans and a nice cold beer.
• Tastes even better the next day!

BEEF PICADILLO ENCHILADAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, the onion and pepper and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef, five-spice, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat, until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, olives and raisins. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat the remaining oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, heat the tortillas, one at a time, in the hot oil until they bubble and darken slightly, about 10 seconds per side. Drain on paper towels. Spread about 1/2 cup ground beef picadillo mixture on the bottom of a 9 -by-13-inch baking dish. Put about 1/4 cup picadillo and 1 tablespoon Cheddar down the center of each tortilla. Roll tightly and lay them in the baking dish, seam side down. Spoon the rest of the picadillo over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake the enchiladas until the tortillas are slightly crisp and the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.