0 from 45 votes
Mexican Picadillo, Sonoran Style
I use venison here, but really any ground meat works fine. I really like what lard brings to the party here, but then I use freshly rendered lard, not the shelf-stable crap. If you hate lard, use duck fat or olive oil. Once made, the picadillo will keep a week in the fridge.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 283 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Mexican
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons freshly rendered lard, or some other fat
- 2 pounds ground venison or other meat
- 1 large white onion, chopped fine
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 cup peeled, diced potato (optional)
- salt
- Dried, crushed chiltepin chiles (or any hot chile)
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
- 1 cup roasted green Hatch, Anaheim or poblano chiles, chopped (about 4 to 6 chiles)
- 2 to 4 roasted whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
- 10 green olives, chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano, Mexican if possible
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups venison stock, or any other stock
Instructions
- Heat the lard over high heat in a large skillet; I use a cast iron frying pan. Add the venison, spreading it out in an even layer. Salt it well. Sear this without touching for 2 to 3 minutes. Then stir well and sear some more. You want the meat to get legitimate browning, not just turning gray. Sometimes this takes 10 minutes or so.
- Add the onion, carrot, potato and hot chiles, if using. Mix well and cook these for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add all the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Turn the heat down to medium and let this simmer for maybe 5 to 10 minutes, until it is as soupy or as dry as you like.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Ground beef is the most common meat used in picadillo, but it can be pretty much anything.
- Picadillo should be finely ground, so use only finely ground meat. This is not a problem if you are buying it, only if you are grinding it yourself. I use a 4.5 mm die if you are wondering.
- If you plan on making burritos, definitely add the potatoes. It helps bulk it up.
- As for the roasted green chiles, you can use canned ones if you don't feel like roasting your own.
- If you hate olives, skip them. They are not in every version of picadillo.
- Chiltepin chiles are hard to come by - I grow them - so any sort of heat will do, from red pepper flakes and cayenne to Thai chiles to serranos or habaneros.
Nutrition Information
Calories
283kcal
(14%)
Carbohydrates
11g
(4%)
Protein
27g
(54%)
Fat
14g
(22%)
Saturated Fat
8g
(40%)
Cholesterol
91mg
(30%)
Sodium
389mg
(16%)
Potassium
694mg
(20%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
3g
(6%)
Vitamin A
1431IU
(29%)
Vitamin C
13mg
(14%)
Calcium
43mg
(4%)
Iron
4mg
(22%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 283
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 283kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 11g | 4% |
| Protein | 27g | 54% |
| Fat | 14g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Cholesterol | 91mg | 30% |
| Sodium | 389mg | 16% |
| Potassium | 694mg | 15% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 1431IU | 29% |
| Vitamin C | 13mg | 14% |
| Calcium | 43mg | 4% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.