Chile Verde Beef Picadillo
Ground beef picadillo is always a family favorite. It can be prepared in so many variations and is economical.
Servings 6 Servings
Ingredients
- 4-5 small-medium Anaheim peppers
- 2 med-large poblano peppers
- 2 jalapeño peppers or 3 serrano peppers
- 3 tbsps avocado oil
- 1 medium white onion, about 1 1/2 c sliced into strips
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 pounds beef ground-chuck or sirloin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 6 med-large tomatillos, peeled, washed and roughly chopped
- a handful of freshly washed cilantro
- 2 cups beef broth, chicken broth or water
- 2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced about 2 cups
- 1 teaspoon oregano, crushed
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler on high and set the top rack ten inches below the heating element. After washing and drying the green chiles, coat them all over with some avocado oil. Place the peppers on a foil lined baking sheet. Broil for 8-10 minutes, flip peppers over and broil for another 8-10 minutes. Skins should be mostly blistered. For easier clean up later, you can remove the stems and the seeds from the peppers previous to roasting. I didn't do it this time.
- In a large pot, preheat the 2 tbsps. oil to medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Move the vegetables to the outer edge of pot and add the beef to the center. Season with salt, pepper and cumin. Cook for another 8 to 10 minutes until the beef gets a little bit of a crust on it. Drain out as much of the oil as you can.
- While the beef is cooking, combine the tomatillos and cilantro with 1 c of broth or water in the blender jar. Season with 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper. Blend on high until smooth. Set aside. Peel and dice the potatoes and keep them covered in cold water. Set aside. Peel and either dice or slice green chiles into thin short strips.
- Add tomatillo sauce, drained potatoes, roasted green chiles and broth to the beef. Stir well to combine. Crush the oregano between the palms of your hands and mix into the beef. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and continue cooking for 20 minutes or until the liquid reduces and potatoes cook through. Taste for salt. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Serve with rice, beans and warm tortillas. For enchiladas, cook the beef a few minutes longer or until it becomes thicker.
Notes
If you are lucky enough to find a good quality corn tortilla, you can prep your enchiladas ahead of time. They can even be frozen before adding any sauce to them. After frying tortillas and filling them, place on baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours. After two hours, transfer filled enchiladas to freezer bag and seal tight. Store in freezer for 2 months.