carne picada

2014-05-22 a.o.

These stews use smaller than bite-size pieces of thin-cut steak.
This method is very popular in Mexico, but not unique to that country.

Bistec = steak;
Carne picada, picado de carne = chopped meat. The term is also used for ground meat.
Carne asada = stir-fried meat, a popular item with street vendors.

Picado de carne is the minced beef stew equivalent of Ground Meat with Onions, a basic recipe from which so many others are derived. For Marielos, this is comfort food, the taste of home. Small-cut steak is stewed in onions and tomatoes. Because the pieces are quite small and the meat is better quality, it doesn’t take nearly as long as a regular stew.

These are moist-cooked stews. You can simmer them down until they are completely dry, but that is not generally the idea. For dry-cooked minced meat, see Carne Asada.

INGREDIENTS

This is what you need for 2 servings:

½ lb. thin-cut chuck steak
olive oil
2 small onions, chopped small
4 plum tomatoes, diced
1 jalapeño pepper
S&P

Pic1: carne picada - 2018-05-03

Directions

Pic2: ingredients
Pic3: onions
Pic4: chopped meat

Pic5: add tomatoes, stew
Pic6: all done - 2014-05-22
Pic7: served with refried beans and avocado - 2018-08-15

Heat some olive oil, add diced onion, sauté until they begin to brown,
Add the meat, sauté over low heat until cooked throughout.
Add the diced tomatoes. (Pic3)
Add all or part of a jalapeño pepper.
- Slice for more heat.
- Destem and deseed for less heat.
Braise on medium heat with cover until tomatoes are liquefied, then simmer uncovered to reduce to desired thickness. (Pic4)
Serve with peas and carrots and boiled potatoes.

Serving suggestions:
- Serve with drained meat separately for those who like it dry (Pic5), or on a bed of potatoes and drown your potatoes in the sauce, as is my preference. (Pic1)
- Alternatively, this can be cooked as a one-skillet stew. Yummy!

with extra peppers

Pic8: with green bell peppers
Pic9: with sweet mini-peppers - 2014-10-01
Pic10: served with scalloped potatoes - 2014-10-01

See also: Deming, NM gardens, animals and more and avemariasongs.org

See also: Deming, NM gardens, animals and more
and avemariasongs.org