Most folks think of the Cubano Sandwich when they think ‘Cuban Food’. Even though it was invented in Miami! But today’s recipe – classic Picadillo – is a true Cuban original. And it’s quick, easy and inexpensive to make. Perfect for a fast weeknight supper…
Picadillo is a classic Cuban ground beef recipe that can be served over rice, used as a filling for tacos, burritos or quesadillas, or as the stuffing for Chiles Rellenos (stuffed peppers)…
A familiar form
You’ll immediately equate Picadillo with Sloppy Joes, Cottage Pie filling and – most poignantly – Chili. But it’s a dish all its own, and a true Cuban original.
The ingredients list tells an authentic tale:
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- Ground beef
- Onions
- Bell Peppers
- Tomatoes
- Garlic
- Raisins
- Cuban Sazon spice blend
- Cumin
- …and a pinch of Sugar
What you do
If you’ve ever made Cottage Pie or Shepherd;s pie – or chili, or Sloppy Joes, or ground Beef Tacos, for that matter – you’ll already know most of what it takes to make Picadillo.
In a high-sided pry pan, sauté the onions, peppers and garlic until the onions are transparent and the peppers are fork tender.
Add the ground beef and scramble with the veggies until just cooked through.
Stir in the remaining ingredients until all components are thoroughly combined. Cover and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes
That’s it.
‘Sazon’?
It’s a traditional, authentic Cuban spice blend. Which, along with the raisins and the added cumin, brands Picadillo as ‘Classic Cuban’.
Sazon can be purchased ready-mixed at many Caribbean grocery stores, ordered online, or – and I recommend this last option – made as needed at home.
This separate recipe for Sazon earned 5/5 stars from Latina Mom Meals followers:
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- 3 tablespoons / 45 g annatto (ground)
- 2 tablespoons / 30 g garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons / 30 g cumin
- 2 tablespoons / 30 g coriander (ground)
- 1 tablespoon / 15 g oregano (ground)
- ¼ teaspoon / 2.5 g turmeric powder
Put them all together and grind in a mortar and pestle into a single homogeneous blend. Or process in batches in a spice grinder. Mine is a repurposed coffee grinder – one of three received 30 years ago as a wedding present…
Annatto, Wikipedia reveals, ‘is an orange-red condiment and food coloring derived from the seeds of the achiote tree (Bixa orellana), native to tropical parts of the Americas. It is used to impart a yellow to red-orange color to foods, but may impart a sweet, peppery flavor.” It will be more familiar to most European and North American cooks as the stuff that makes orange Cheddar cheese orange!
Tips and hacks…
You can dress-up this basic Picadillo in myriad ways: Add mushrooms, kernel corn, or whatever says ‘Latin flavour’ to you.
The source recipe calls for olives and capers. Both are optional. I personally don’t associate olives with Caribbean cuisine.
One Cuban ex-pat follower told the Latina Mom Meals community his mom used to add cubes of diced, roasted potatoes…
My take
I love this under-appreciated Cuban classic. And I make it at times when time is particularly tight. Never fails, always pleases.
Let Picadillo and Sazon be your gateways to a whole world traditional Cuban dishes you never knew existed! Unlike other Caribbean and Latin American Cuisines, Cuban food is generally not burn-out spicy. If you prefer exotic foods that are less spicy, it might be the Latin style that’s right for you!
~ Maggie J.