Slow-Cooker Picadillo
Published March 20, 2024
- Total Time
- 5½ hours
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 5¼ hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 2tablespoons olive oil, plus more if necessary
- 2pounds ground beef, preferably 85 percent lean
- Salt and pepper
- 1large yellow or red onion, diced
- 1large red bell pepper, chopped
- 8garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
- 2tablespoons tomato paste
- 2teaspoons ground cumin
- 1teaspoon dried oregano
- ½teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1(14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
- 1½teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1large Yukon Gold or red potato (about 12 ounces), scrubbed and chopped into ½-inch pieces, optional
- 2fresh or dried bay leaves
- 2teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1cup/about 5 ounces drained, halved pimento-stuffed green olives
- ¾cup raisins
- Cuban black beans, for serving
- White rice, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
691 calories; 39 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 2 grams trans fat; 20 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 54 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 17 grams sugars; 33 grams protein; 960 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 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.
- Step 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.
- Step 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.
- Step 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.
- Step 5
About 30 minutes before eating, stir in the olives and raisins. Serve with rice and black beans.
- This recipe is written with the assumption that your slow cooker does not have a sauté function, but if yours does, you can use it for the first 3 steps and avoid using another pot. Just transfer the beef to a bowl after it is browned, then sauté the aromatics as described and add the beef and any accumulated juices back into the pot along with the remaining ingredients before slow cooking.
Private Notes
Comments
Skip the five hours in the slow cooker. Not necessary. You’re using canned beans and canned tomatoes. After step 4 leave the food in the Dutch oven, simmer for about half an hour. Add olives and raisins. See the other Piccadillo recipe in Times Cooking.
I learned how to make this dish at my Perto Rican grandma's side. I've enjoyed it in Mexico, (they add some jalapeno of course,) Spain, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Miami and Tampa. All very similar to this recipe, but no potatoes. We made it at home in an iron skillet, browning the meat with all ingredients except the diced tomatoes first, then add the tomatoes and simmer for about 30 minutes. Dice the raisins - do not put in whole. No cumin, cinnamon, or Worcestershire; Green not red bell pepper.
Made exactly as written and I loved it. I think the people who are making such a big deal that it doesn’t need a slow cooker are missing the point. I can do the 20 minutes of prep sometime during the day and then LEAVE the kitchen. It’s awesome. Thank you. I wish there more slow cooker recipes on the site.
After reading all the comments, I didn't use any of the ingredients suggested, or a slow cooker, and went out for Chinese. Delicious!
Brilliant flavors! Deep rich spices + green olives + raisins. Yummy!
Really tasty and easy, I’m not sure why people are hating on the slow cooker aspect. If anything, this tastes better as leftovers. I’d recommend a lower fat content in the ground beef, not in a health-conscious way but 85% just renders a LOT that you then have to deal with in the pan (unless you have something safe to pour the excess fat into). Hopefully 90% would be a bit better.