No compendium of tacos–especially home-style tacos–would be complete without this comforting, everyday recipe. As with many favorite family recipes, picadillo starts by browning some ground beef and onion, filling it out with potatoes and seasoning with herbs and spices. And, in most Mexican kitchens, with pickled jalapeños. Satisfying and simple as that approach is, I think that without much effort picadillo can go from basic to a dish everyone looks forward to. That’s what I’ve outlined here.
Browning is the key to developing rich picadillo flavor and a cast iron skillet will help you get it. Worcestershire underscores that richness, while pickled jalapeños and olives add spark. And, if you're more inclined to the sweet richness of pork, don’t hesitate to use it in place of beef. For more vegetable variety, replace one of the potatoes with a large carrot.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (I like 80% lean)
- 1 large white onion, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
- 2 medium (8 ounces total) white- or red-skin boiling potatoes, peeled if you wish, cut into pieces a little smaller than ½ inch
- Salt
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin, preferably fresh ground
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, preferably freshly ground
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (salsa inglesa in Mexico)
- 1 15-ounce diced tomatoes (preferably fire-roasted), undrained
- 3 to 4 pickled jalapeños, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped green olives (Manzanillos are common in Mexico) (optional)
- 24 warm corn tortillas,
- Optional Toppings:
- About 1 1/2 cups salsa (I like the Roasted Tomatillo Salsa OR a bottle of Mexican hot sauce (like Tamazula, Valentina or Búfalo)
- About a cup (about 4 ounces) crumbled Mexican queso fresco or other garnishing cheese like salted pressed farmers cheese, mild goat cheese or feta.
- guacamole sencillo
INSTRUCTIONS
Brown the beef and onion. Heat the oil in a very large (12-inch) skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high. When hot, add the beef. Use a spatula to break up the beef into small pieces that cover the whole skillet. Let cook undisturbed until the meat is browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Then use the spatula to turn everything over, sprinkle in the onions, and brown the other side. Use the spatula to break the pieces into smaller ones.
Add potatoes and garlic. While the beef is browning, scoop the potatoes into a microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle liberally with salt, add a splash of water, cover (if using plastic wrap, poke a couple of holes) and microwave until tender, about 4 minutes. Uncover (be careful of the steam), drain and add to the beef along with the garlic. Turn the heat down to medium and cook, stirring regularly, for several minutes until the potatoes break up a bit.
The seasonings. Stir in the herbs, spices and Worcestershire. Add the tomatoes, jalapeños and optional olives. As the mixture starts to thicken, use your spatula to break up the tomato pieces into smaller ones. When the liquid has reduced and the mixture will hold its shape in a spoon, taste and season with salt, if you think it needs it.
Serve. Set out the picadillo with warm tortillas, the optional toppings, and let everyone make tacos to their heart’s content.
