What You’ll Need To Make Cuban Picadillo
- Meat: ground beef, baking soda (for tenderizing)
- Aromatics: yellow onion, green bell pepper, garlic
- Sauce and seasoning: Spanish-style canned tomato sauce, beef broth, sazon seasoning, ground cumin, brown sugar, salt
- Add-ins & finish: raisins, pimento-stuffed green olives, red wine vinegar
- Cooking staple: olive oil
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1. Tenderize the beef. In a large bowl, mix the ground beef with the baking soda and water until evenly combined. Let sit for about 20 minutes to help keep the meat tender.Pro Tip: Don’t skip the baking soda step. It might seem unconventional, but it raises the beef’s pH and helps it stay juicy as it cooks in the sauce—especially helpful since picadillo simmers rather than browns.
Step 2. Cook the aromatics. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, being careful not to let it brown.
Step 3. Simmer the picadillo. Add the tomato sauce, broth, raisins, sazón seasoning, salt, cumin, brown sugar, and olives, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, pinch off loose 1-inch clumps of the beef, and scatter them over the sauce. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally to break up the meat, until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Pro Tip: Pinching the beef is important. Adding it in loose clumps (instead of dumping it in all at once) gives picadillo its signature texture—small, tender pieces suspended in the sauce rather than a uniform crumble.
Step 4. Serve or store. Serve warm over rice. The picadillo can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Pro Tip: Like many saucy dishes, the flavors deepen after a night in the fridge—making it a great make-ahead option for busy weeks.
