Beef Picadillo (Picadillo Tradicional)

Fresh Tomato-Chile Sauce

• 6 medium Roma tomatoes (about 1½ pounds/680 g, cored and quartered)
• ½ medium white onion (coarsely chopped)
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1–2 serrano chiles (stemmed; seeded and deveined for less heat)
• 1 cup low-sodium beef broth (divided)
• 1 teaspoon cumin (ground)
• ½ teaspoon coriander (ground)
• ½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (crumbled)
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Picadillo

• 2 pounds ground beef (85–90% lean)
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• ½ medium white onion (small dice)
• 1 small green bell pepper (small dice, about 1 cup)
• 3 cups Yukon Gold potatoes (⅜-inch dice, about 1 pound/454 g)
• 1½ cups carrots (⅜-inch dice, about 3 medium carrots)
• 1 large bay leaf (or 2 small bay leaves)
• 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt (plus more to taste)
• ½ teaspoon black pepper (coarse, freshly ground)
• ¾ cup frozen peas

Garnish

• cilantro (chopped)
• queso fresco (crumbled, optional)

Instructions

1. Blend the Tomato Sauce: Add the Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped half of the white onion, garlic, serrano chiles, ¾ cup of the beef broth, cumin, coriander, Mexican oregano, and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt to a blender. Blend for 30–45 seconds, until completely smooth. Reserve the remaining ¼ cup broth.6 Roma tomatoes, ½ white onion, 4 garlic cloves, 1–2 serranos, ¾ cup beef broth, 1 tsp cumin, ½ tsp coriander, ½ tsp Mexican oregano, 1 tsp fine sea salt
2. Heat the Pan: Heat the avocado oil in a large Dutch oven or deep, wide skillet over medium-high heat.1 tbsp avocado oil
3. Brown the First Batch of Beef: Add half of the ground beef and spread it into an even layer. Let it cook undisturbed for 2–3 minutes so the underside develops color. Break the beef into small crumbles and continue cooking for another 2–3 minutes, until browned but not dry. Transfer it to a bowl.1 pound ground beef
4. Brown the Remaining Beef: Repeat with the remaining ground beef. Transfer it to the bowl with the first batch. Carefully spoon away excess grease, leaving approximately 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan.remaining 1 pound ground beef
5. Sauté the Onion and Bell Pepper: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced white onion and green bell pepper. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent and the pepper begins to soften.½ white onion, 1 green bell pepper
6. Add the Potatoes and Carrots: Stir in the potatoes and carrots. Season with 1 teaspoon of the remaining fine sea salt and the black pepper. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, so the vegetables begin absorbing the browned flavor from the pan.3 cups potatoes, 1½ cups carrots, 1 tsp fine sea salt, ½ tsp black pepper
7. Cook the Tomato Sauce: Pour the blended tomato sauce into the pan and add the bay leaf. Stir thoroughly, scraping the bottom of the pan to release the browned bits. Bring the sauce to a lively simmer and cook uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until its color deepens slightly and the raw tomato aroma begins to soften.blended tomato sauce, 1 large bay leaf
8. Return the Beef: Add the browned beef and any juices collected in the bowl back to the pan. Stir until evenly distributed.browned ground beef
9. Cover and Simmer: Bring the picadillo back to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 18–20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the potatoes and carrots are almost tender.covered picadillo
10. Check the Moisture: If the mixture begins sticking before the vegetables are tender, add the reserved beef broth 1 tablespoon at a time. The picadillo should remain moist but should not resemble soup.reserved ¼ cup beef broth as needed
11. Add the Peas: Remove the lid and stir in the frozen peas.¾ cup frozen peas
12. Reduce the Picadillo: Continue cooking uncovered for 6–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peas are hot, the potatoes and carrots are completely tender, and the sauce coats the meat and vegetables without leaving a large pool of liquid at the bottom of the pan.picadillo with peas
13. Adjust the Seasoning: Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste the picadillo and add the remaining ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, or only as much as needed. Add additional black pepper if desired.remaining ½ tsp fine sea salt as needed
14. Rest Briefly: Remove the pan from the heat and let the picadillo stand for 5 minutes. The potatoes and beef will absorb a little more of the sauce as it rests.finished picadillo
15. Garnish and Serve: Finish with chopped cilantro and a light scattering of queso fresco if desired. Serve hot with rice, beans, and warm tortillas, or cool before using as a filling.cilantro, queso fresco