Crock Pot Picadillo
User Reviews
4.7
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
3 hrs 12 mins
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Total Time
3 hrs 27 mins
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Servings
11 servings
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Calories
207 kcal
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Course
Dinner
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Cuisine
South American, Cuban
Crock Pot Picadillo
Description
This Crock Pot Picadillo recipe starts by browning lean ground beef and seasoning it with salt and pepper. After draining excess liquid, onions, garlic, and diced bell peppers are cooked briefly with the meat to soften. The mixture is transferred to a slow cooker with diced tomato, tomato sauce, chopped cilantro, green olives or alcaparrado, and spices including cumin, garlic powder, and bay leaves. Water and some olive brine are added to deepen the flavor.
The slow cooker simmers the picadillo on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours, allowing the ingredients to meld and the meat to become tender. Before serving, bay leaves are removed and seasoning adjusted to taste, sometimes adding extra cumin or garlic powder to counteract flavor dulling from slow cooking. Served over brown rice, this dish is a filling and flavorful main course.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lbs ground beef 93% lean
- 1 cup onion minced
- 1 cup red bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/4 cup cilantro minced
- 1 tomato diced, small
- 8 oz tomato sauce canned
- 1/4 cup alcaparrado (manzanilla olives, pimientos, capers or green olives)
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin ground
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 2 bay leaf
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Brown meat in a large deep skillet on medium-high heat; season with generously with salt and a little pepper. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat up into small pieces.
- When meat is no longer pink, drain all the liquid from pan. Add the onions, garlic and bell peppers to the meat and cook an addition 3-4 minutes.
- Transfer the meat to the slow cooker, then add tomato, cilantro, tomato sauce, 1 1/4 cups water, alcaparrado (or olives) [I usually add some of the brine from the jar for added flavor] then add the spices.
- Set slow cooker to HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or LOW for 6 to 8.
- After it's ready, taste for salt and add more as needed [I added a little more cumin and garlic powder at the end as well since the crock pot tends to mute the flavors of herbs and spices].
- Discard the bay leaves and serve over brown rice.
- Makes about 5 3/4 cups.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 11servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 207 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1/2 cup | |
| Calories | 207kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 5g | 2% |
| Protein | 28g | 56% |
| Fat | 8.5g | 13% |
| Saturated Fat | 3.5g | 18% |
| Cholesterol | 74mg | 25% |
| Sodium | 477mg | 20% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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