Slow-Cooker Picadillo

Slow-Cooker Picadillo

from cooking.nytimes.com
330 min

This is a simple, slow-cooker version of picadillo, a beloved comfort food popular across the Caribbean and Latin America. (“Picadillo” roughly translates as “mince,” referring to the use of ground meat.) Its deep flavor comes from sautéed aromatics and tomatoes, simmered gently with ground beef and spices. Raisins and green olives give this Cuban-inspired version its distinctive sweet-salty-tangy pop, and here, they are added toward the end of the long cooking time so they retain their intensity. Picadillo is traditionally served with beans and rice, but you could also scoop it up with tortillas, or use it as a filling for empanadas or enchiladas. Some versions of picadillo include slivered almonds, so feel free to stir in about 1/4 cup of slivered almonds just before serving, or sprinkle them on top as a finishing touch.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more if necessary
  • 2 pounds ground beef, preferably 85 percent lean
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 large yellow or red onion, diced
  • 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
  • 8 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 large Yukon Gold or red potato (about 12 ounces), scrubbed and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces, optional
  • 2 fresh or dried bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup/about 5 ounces drained, halved pimento-stuffed green olives
  • 3/4 cup raisins
  • Cuban black beans, for serving
  • White rice, for serving

Directions

  1. 1

    Put the oil into a large (12-inch) skillet or Dutch oven over high heat (see Tip). When the oil is warm, add the beef, season with 1 to 2 teaspoons of salt, and cook, breaking the meat up with a spatula, until it is no longer pink, forms coarse crumbles, and is starting to brown, about 8 minutes. (It may not brown much depending on the moisture in your beef; that’s OK.) Use a slotted spoon to remove the beef to a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker.

  2. 2

    Reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the onion, pepper and garlic to the pan along with a generous pinch of salt. (Add another drizzle of olive oil, if the pan looks dry.) Cook, stirring often, until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes. 

  3. 3

    Add the tomato paste, cumin, oregano, cinnamon and several generous grinds of black pepper. Stir well to combine and to briefly toast the spices, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and vinegar, and scrape the bottom of the pan to incorporate any browned bits. Scrape the mixture out of the pan and into the slow cooker.

  4. 4

    Stir the potato (if using), bay leaves and Worcestershire into the slow cooker. Add a small pinch of salt. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours. 

  5. 5

    About 30 minutes before eating, stir in the olives and raisins. Serve with rice and black beans.