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Slow cooker picadillo.
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Slow Cooker Picadillo

This slow cooker picadillo is a traditional Cuban dish made with ground beef, peppers, tomatoes, raisins and olives. It has a unique but delicious flavor, and is commonly served with rice.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time6 hours
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Cuban
Keyword: beef, ground beef, olives, raisins, stew
Servings: 4
Calories: 221kcal
Author: Tonje
Cost: Cheap

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • First, you should heat up vegetable oil in a skillet or frying pan on medium heat. Add the ground beef, and brown the meat. Season with some salt and pepper. Check out my guide on how to brown mince if you need some guidance.
  • When the meat has browned, add finely diced onion. Sauté for a few minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Then, add finely grated garlic and saute for another minute.
  • Transfer the beef and onion to a slow cooker. Add diced peppers, oregano, cumin and canned tomatoes.
  • Slow cook the picadillo on high for 4-6 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours. Add the raisins and olives in the last hour of cooking. Serve the dish warm with your favorite side dishes.

Notes

Leftovers

Here is how you can best store your leftovers:
Storage: You can store leftover picadillo in a refrigerator for up to 3 days. Allow it to chill, and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking it. Reheat the leftovers before serving them.
Freezing: If you want to chill leftover picadillo, you should leave it to chill, then freeze it within 2 hours of cooking. Thaw the frozen dish in a refrigerator overnight, then reheat it before serving.
Reheating: Picadillo can be reheated in a microwave or in a pot on the stove top. Simply reheat until it’s hot throughout, then serve.
Meal prep / make ahead: This dish is perfect for meal prep. You can double or triple the recipe to make a big batch, then refrigerate or freeze as you please. Reheat portions as required for quick and easy meals.

Top tips

Here are my top tips to make the best slow cooker picadillo:
  • Avoid removing the lid from the slow cooker while the dish cooks. If you remove the lid, a lot of heat will escape, and the cooking time will be significantly increased. You don’t have to stir or touch it at all, just leave it alone!
  • Browning the meat and sautéing the onion will improve the flavor of the dish, but is not required. You can choose whether you want to prioritize flavor or ease of cooking.

Nutrition

Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 175mg | Potassium: 604mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 146IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 4mg