Picadillo is a very well known dish around most Latin American countries and the Philippines. Each country has its own delicious variation. Mexican Picadillo is a traditional and well known dish. The preparation of this dish varies in each region and I can strongly point out it varies in each household (as many recipes do). That is why I love cooking so much!!!

Mexican Picadillo can be made with any type of minced meat you prefer. My mom for example likes preparing it with a 50-50 mix of pork and beef. Other people enjoy more lean meats and use ground chicken or turkey. And of course this can also be prepared vegetarian and vegan friendly by using a soya mince or similar substitute.

The version of picadillo I am sharing, is how it is prepared in Jalisco, and more so how my mom prepares it. For me, family recipes and traditions are priceless and the best way to honer and conserve them is learning and sharing.

So what is Picadillo? It is minced meat browned and cooked in a sauce made with tomatoes, chilies, garlic and other spices. Some people add raisins and capers. Others like adding cubed potatoes and carrots. The nice thing about Picadillo is it can be enjoyed in so many different ways. For example as a main dish accompanied with beans and rice. You can make tacos, crepes, burritos. Your imagination is the limit!!

A good recipe should have 2 main effects on you. The first one is bring back childhood memories. Each bite should transport your thoughts into your grandmothers kitchen or into your mothers kitchen. It should wake up all those beautiful feelings we always need present in our busy lives.
The second effect is creating new memories. Recipes are ours to use and recreate. So once you have experience cooking, you can imagine how something will taste just by reading the ingredient list.

Step by step video of how to make this delicious dish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDZgyBoqm8g

Mexican Picadillo

A traditional dish in Latin American countries made with ground meat.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  

• 1 ancho pepper
• 2 tomatoes
• 2 tsp. tomato Knorr
• 2 cups water the ancho pepper cooked in
• cooking oil
• 900 g minced pork
• salt to taste
• 2 carrots chopped up in cubes
• 2 potatoes chopped up in cubes
• 1 jalapeño pepper

Instructions

 

• Remove the stem of the ancho pepper and remove the seeds.
• Soak the ancho pepper in boiling water. Once the ancho pepper is soft – when you can easily poke it with a steak knife and it feels creamy like butter – it's ready for the next step. Keep 2 cups of the water it cooked in.
• Add to a blender the ancho chili, the tomatoes, the tomato Knorr and the 2 cups of the ancho pepper water. Process the mix until you get a smooth sauce.
• Add some cooking oil to a frying pan and add the meat once the oil is hot. Stir the meat until its lightly brown.
• Once the meat is browned add the salt, the carrots and the potatoes and the jalapeno pepper. Slice the jalapeno pepper with a knive so it can realease its juices. Pour the sauce over it.
• Once the vegetables are cooked and most of the liquid has evaporated the picadillo is ready.

Video

Keyword Ground Meat, Mexican Picadillo