Slow-Cooker Picadillo
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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
Yield
6
Time
330 minutes
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
Instructions
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.
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