Abuela's Picadillo
This is my grandmother's Cuban picadillo (ground beef hash/chili) recipe which is usually served with white rice, beans and plantains. Picadillo also goes great with mashed potatoes and can be made without the squash. This dish is a favorite at home so I usually make 2 pounds to have leftovers for making empanadas (meat pies) the next day. Picadillo also freezes well. Of course my kids say this is the best picadillo they've ever had and I have to agree!
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 8 persons
Ingredients
- 2pounds lean ground beef
- ¼cup olive oil
- ½onion, chopped
- ½green bell pepper, chopped
- 2tablespoons minced garlic
- 2(8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
- 2cups water
- ½cup red cooking wine
- 3tablespoons hot sauce (such as Louisiana®)
- 1(1.41 ounce) package sazon seasoning (such as Badia® Tropical®)
- 1tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- ½teaspoon garlic powder
- ½teaspoon onion powder
- ½teaspoon ground cumin
- ½teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼teaspoon ground bay leaf
- 3ounces Spanish-style olives
- 1teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1small butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes
Instructions
Step 1
Cook and stir ground beef in a large stockpot until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain grease.Step 2
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.Step 3
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.Step 4
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.