Crock Pot Picadillo
Crock Pot Picadillo is a delicious Cuban classic featuring tender ground beef simmered in a rich sauce crafted from ripe tomatoes, briny green olives, vibrant bell peppers, aromatic cumin, and a blend of spices.
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Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lbs 93% lean ground beef
- 1/4 cup minced cilantro
- 1 small tomato
- 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup alcaparrado
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 2 bay leaves
- kosher salt and fresh pepper
- 1 cup diced red bell peppers
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 cup minced onion
Instructions
- 1
In a large deep skillet, heat the pan over medium-high flame and brown the meat; season generously with salt and a dash of pepper. Use a wooden spoon to crumble the meat into smaller pieces as it cooks.
- 2
Once the meat is fully cooked and no longer pink, carefully drain the excess liquid from the skillet. Incorporate the onions, garlic, and bell peppers, cooking for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
- 3
Move the meat mixture to the slow cooker, then stir in the diced tomatoes, chopped cilantro, tomato sauce, 1 1/4 cups of water, alcaparrado (or olives) [adding some brine from the jar enhances the flavor], followed by the spices.
- 4
Set your slow cooker to HIGH and let it cook for 3 to 4 hours, or choose LOW for 6 to 8 hours.
- 5
Once cooking is complete, taste the dish and adjust the salt as necessary [I often add a bit more cumin and garlic powder at this point, since the slow cooking process can dull the flavors of the spices and herbs].
- 6
Remove the bay leaves before serving, and enjoy the picadillo over a bed of brown rice.
- 7
This recipe yields approximately 5 3/4 cups.