Abuela's Picadillo

This is my grandmother's Cuban picadillo (ground beef hash/chili) recipe which is usually served with white rice, beans and plantains. Picadillo also goes great with mashed potatoes and can be made without the squash. This dish is a favorite at home so I usually make 2 pounds to have leftovers for making empanadas (meat pies) the next day. Picadillo also freezes well. Of course my kids say this is the best picadillo they've ever had and I have to agree!

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 7 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 22 mins
• Calories: 378 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups water
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• ½ onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• ½ green bell pepper, chopped
• ½ cup red cooking wine
• 3 tablespoons hot sauce (such as Louisiana®)
• 1 (1.41 ounce) package sazon seasoning (such as Badia® Tropical®)
• ¼ teaspoon ground bay leaf
• 3 ounces Spanish-style olives
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Cook and stir ground beef in a large stockpot until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain grease.

Step 2

Heat olive oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add onion, green bell pepper, and garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir into beef in the stockpot.

Step 3

Pour tomato sauce, water, cooking wine, and hot sauce into the stockpot. Stir in sazon seasoning, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer picadillo, uncovered, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Step 4

Split olives in half with your fingers and stir into the picadillo. Add squash. Simmer until liquid reduces but picadillo is not dry, 45 to 60 minutes. Season with salt.