Abuela's Picadillo

17 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 13
  • 4 star values: 4
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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!

By MarieSoler
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Ingredients

8
Original recipe yields 8 servings
The ingredient list now reflects the servings specified

Directions

  • Cook and stir ground beef in a large stockpot until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain grease.

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  • 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.

Cook's Notes:

Use another type of squash if butternut is not available.

Substitute a pinch of saffron or a dash or yellow food coloring for the sazon packet if preferred.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:
378 calories; 22 g total fat; 74 mg cholesterol; 1856 mg sodium. 22 g carbohydrates; 24.1 g protein; Full Nutrition

Popular in Caribbean

Reviews (12)

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Most helpful positive review

lutzflcat
Allstar
Rating: 5 stars
10/15/2016
10.15.16 Made half a recipe which called for half of a small butternut squash (and mine was small). I peeled and cut that half into cubes but if I d used all of it the meat/sauce mixture wouldn t have even covered the squash. I ended up using about a quarter of a small squash. I did use Spanish tomato sauce which gave it a little kick of heat and added a whole bay leaf (not ground bay leaf) to the picadillo removing it before serving. I typically add potatoes to my picadillo but the butternut squash was a nice change. I live in Florida I ve eaten a lot of picadillo (love it too) and this is a good recipe. MarieSoler thanks for sharing.
Helpful
(9)

Most helpful critical review

Kabee
Rating: 4 stars
05/07/2017
I have never had Picadillo before so I was not sure what this would be. I thought the ingredient combination sounded awesome. It was okay. I did not add the extra salt since 1800 per serving is high. Maybe it will be better tomorrow. It is good but not great tonight.
Helpful
(2)
17 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 13
  • 4 star values: 4
Reviews:
Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest
lutzflcat
Allstar
Rating: 5 stars
10/15/2016
10.15.16 Made half a recipe which called for half of a small butternut squash (and mine was small). I peeled and cut that half into cubes but if I d used all of it the meat/sauce mixture wouldn t have even covered the squash. I ended up using about a quarter of a small squash. I did use Spanish tomato sauce which gave it a little kick of heat and added a whole bay leaf (not ground bay leaf) to the picadillo removing it before serving. I typically add potatoes to my picadillo but the butternut squash was a nice change. I live in Florida I ve eaten a lot of picadillo (love it too) and this is a good recipe. MarieSoler thanks for sharing.
Helpful
(9)
Kabee
Rating: 4 stars
05/07/2017
I have never had Picadillo before so I was not sure what this would be. I thought the ingredient combination sounded awesome. It was okay. I did not add the extra salt since 1800 per serving is high. Maybe it will be better tomorrow. It is good but not great tonight.
Helpful
(2)
Greenthumb
Rating: 5 stars
01/05/2017
Great recipe. Taste delicious!!! Used diced tomato with tomatoe paste instead of tomato sauce. and ground turkey instead of ground beef. It's what I had available and it came out very tasteful. Household each and two plates. No leftovers.
Helpful
(2)
Jim VanSant
Rating: 5 stars
09/03/2017
No changes. Outstanding! Will definetley make again & again & again.............
Helpful
(2)
SamDerby
Rating: 5 stars
04/20/2017
Have made this several times and found the ingredients can be changed ( more or less of the spices) and it was still delicious.
Helpful
(2)
mollymonthie
Rating: 5 stars
03/14/2018
Absolutely delicious!
Casey Lang
Rating: 4 stars
03/24/2019
I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say one packet of sazon, not the entire 1.4oz box of packets. 4 star for what I believe is an error - it smells amazing so far.
rdw1977
Rating: 5 stars
02/02/2019
Delicious! Followed the recipe as written - loved the squash in this stew.
kurlyy1
Rating: 5 stars
08/22/2018
Delicious!! I have made it as is and loved it and also altered it to adapt to what I had available. It s highly adaptable so it s nearly impossible to mess this up! I usually make 3lbs because it goes fast. Sometimes I serve it with rice sometimes I sauté some small cubes potatoes other times with mashed potatoes and cheese (rellenos de papas -potato balls- are to die for)...sometimes with eggs. I m telling you you could use this so many ways.
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