Cuban-Style Picadillo with Fried Potatoes
By Bridget LancasterPublished on March 26, 2013
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef 1 pound ground pork 2 tablespoons water ½ teaspoon baking soda Salt and pepper 1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 2-inch pieces1 onion, halved and cut into 2-inch pieces1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces3 tablespoons plus 1 cup vegetable oil 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 6 garlic cloves, minced1 (14.5-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped coarse¾ cup dry white wine ½ cup beef broth ½ cup raisins 3 bay leaves ½ cup pimento-stuffed green olives, chopped coarse2 tablespoons capers, rinsed1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, plus extra for seasoning
Before You Begin
We prefer this dish prepared with raisins, but they can be replaced with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar added with the broth in step 3. Picadillo is traditionally served with rice and black beans. It can also be topped with chopped parsley, toasted almonds, and/or chopped hard-cooked egg.
Instructions
- Toss beef and pork with water, baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, pulse bell pepper and onion in food processor until chopped into ¼-inch pieces, about 12 pulses.
- Toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil in medium bowl. Cover and microwave until potatoes are just tender, 4 to 7 minutes, tossing halfway through microwaving. Line surface of large plate with double layer of coffee filters and lightly spray with vegetable oil spray. Drain potatoes well, transfer to coffee filters, and spread in even layer. Let cool for 10 minutes.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add bell pepper and onion, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until pot is almost dry, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in broth, raisins, and bay leaves and bring to simmer.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, add meat mixture in 2-inch chunks to pot, and bring to gentle simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally with 2 forks to break meat chunks into ¼- to ½-inch pieces, until meat is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Heat remaining 1 cup oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add cooled potatoes and cook, stirring constantly until deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to paper towel–lined plate and set aside.
- Discard bay leaves. Stir in olives and capers. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened and coats meat, about 5 minutes. Stir in fried potatoes and vinegar. Season with salt, pepper, and extra vinegar to taste. Serve.
Yield
Serves 6Ingredients
1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon baking soda
Salt and pepper
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 onion, halved and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
3 tablespoons plus 1 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped coarse
¾ cup dry white wine
½ cup beef broth
½ cup raisins
3 bay leaves
½ cup pimento-stuffed green olives, chopped coarse
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, plus extra for seasoning
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon baking soda
Salt and pepper
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 onion, halved and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
3 tablespoons plus 1 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped coarse
¾ cup dry white wine
½ cup beef broth
½ cup raisins
3 bay leaves
½ cup pimento-stuffed green olives, chopped coarse
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, plus extra for seasoning
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon baking soda
Salt and pepper
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 onion, halved and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
3 tablespoons plus 1 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped coarse
¾ cup dry white wine
½ cup beef broth
½ cup raisins
3 bay leaves
½ cup pimento-stuffed green olives, chopped coarse
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, plus extra for seasoning
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For our version of picadillo, we used a mixture of store-bought ground meat rather than chopping or grinding the meat by hand. Equal amounts of ground beef and ground pork lighten the heavy base, and blooming warm spices such as cumin and cinnamon heighten their flavors. Drained canned whole tomatoes and dry white wine provide bright flavor, and simmered raisins introduce sweetness directly to the sauce. Browning the meat only causes it to become tough, so we forgo the browning and soak the meat in a mix of baking soda and water. The alkaline baking soda ensures that the ground meat remains tender during cooking.
Before You Begin
We prefer this dish prepared with raisins, but they can be replaced with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar added with the broth in step 3. Picadillo is traditionally served with rice and black beans. It can also be topped with chopped parsley, toasted almonds, and/or chopped hard-cooked egg.
Instructions
- Toss beef and pork with water, baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, pulse bell pepper and onion in food processor until chopped into ¼-inch pieces, about 12 pulses.
- Toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil in medium bowl. Cover and microwave until potatoes are just tender, 4 to 7 minutes, tossing halfway through microwaving. Line surface of large plate with double layer of coffee filters and lightly spray with vegetable oil spray. Drain potatoes well, transfer to coffee filters, and spread in even layer. Let cool for 10 minutes.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add bell pepper and onion, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until pot is almost dry, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in broth, raisins, and bay leaves and bring to simmer.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, add meat mixture in 2-inch chunks to pot, and bring to gentle simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally with 2 forks to break meat chunks into ¼- to ½-inch pieces, until meat is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Heat remaining 1 cup oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add cooled potatoes and cook, stirring constantly until deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to paper towel–lined plate and set aside.
- Discard bay leaves. Stir in olives and capers. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened and coats meat, about 5 minutes. Stir in fried potatoes and vinegar. Season with salt, pepper, and extra vinegar to taste. Serve.
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