Picadillo (Cuban Ground Beef Hash)

Method

1. 1

   Dice the onion, bell pepper and garlic — keep the dice small so the sofrito melts into the meat instead of standing apart.

2. 2

   Warm oil in the skillet and sofrito the onion and pepper until soft, about 5 minutes; stir in the garlic for the last minute.

3. 3

   Add the ground beef, breaking it fine with a spoon, and brown until no pink remains, about 8 minutes.

   💡 Break the meat small now — big clumps never fully take up the sofrito or the sweet-briny finish.

4. 4

   Stir in the tomato paste and cumin and cook 1 minute until the paste darkens slightly.

5. 5

   Pour in the wine, scrape up any browned bits, and simmer uncovered 15 minutes until the sauce clings to the meat.

6. 6

   Fold in the olives and raisins for the final 10 minutes — the sweet-briny handshake.

   💡 If the raisins offend you, serve them on the side and reconsider your position over dinner.

7. 7

   Serve with white rice and fried plantains, or stuff it into anything.