Slow Cooker Mexican Picadillo Recipe
A slow cooker beef recipe for Mexican Picadillo made with tender Chuck-Eye Roast, carrots, potatoes, onions, beef stock, tomato sauce, and traditional picadillo spices. This easy beef recipe is loaded with flavor. The best part is that it comes together in less than fifteen minutes and cooks while you go about your day! *This post is a collaboration with Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. on behalf of the Beef Checkoff. I received compensation, but all opinions are my own.
This is one of those easy weeknight meals that tastes as if you slaved over the stove for hours. Traditional Mexican Picadillo is usually made with ground beef on the stovetop, so if you’re a picadillo purist don’t shy away from trying out this tender slow-cooked Chuck-Eye Roast variation.
My version still has a lot of the traditional picadillo ingredients and spices, like raisins, garlic, jalapeños, and cumin, in a shredded beef dish. The herb and spice combination in this dish is what makes it sing. The raisins might sound weird here, but just trust me when I say that it adds a nice flavor contrast to the Mexican spices.
Is Chuck-Eye Roast The Same As Chuck Roast?
Chuck-Eye Roast can be challenging to find in the grocery store, but your local grocery store butcher should be able to cut one for you. The Chuck-Eye is from the shoulder area of the cow and a continuation of the same muscles that make up the Ribeye. The Ribeye is one of the most flavorful and tender cuts of beef, so you can see why this roast is such a perfect choice for this dish. If you can’t find a Chuck-Eye Roast, a Chuck Pot Roast, Cross Rib Roast or Blade would be good substitutes.
What To Serve With Mexican Picadillo
You can eat this as a stew with a side of tortillas or serve it in traditional picadillo fashion over steamed rice. You can also make it without the potatoes and carrots. The shredded beef is delicious in a burrito bowl or as a flavorful soft taco filling. If you want a lower-carb variation with more vegetables, serve it over steamed riced cauliflower. This is my personal preference to add more vegetables to this meal. There are so many great options for buying cauliflower already riced these days, so you don’t need to add extra prep time to make it. I love the steamable bags of riced cauliflower in the freezer section of the grocery store. They are fast, easy, and tasty!
For toppings, I love fresh chopped cilantro and sour cream or Mexican crema. Mexican crema is similar to créme fraiche with a higher butterfat content and lower acid content than sour cream. It’s SO delicious and flavorful and a little goes a long way.
How To Make Slow Cooker Mexican Picadillo
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- 2- 2 1/2 lb Chuck-Eye Roast
- 2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup beef broth or beef stock
- 1 tsp beef stock concentrate (I use Better Than Bouillon brand or 1 tsp beef bouillon)
- 16 oz Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped into cubes
- 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1 tbsp diced pickled jalapeños, drained (can also use 1 fresh seeded and chopped jalapeño for more kick)
- 1 tsp each: cumin seeds, Mexican chili powder, salt and pepper
Garnish:
- 3-4 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped
- sour cream or Mexican crema
- 1 fresh jalapeño, sliced
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add roast and brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes total.
Transfer roast to the slow cooker, along with juices from the pan.
Peel and chop the potatoes and carrots. Then chop the onion and garlic. Add chopped vegetables, onions, garlic, jalapeños, raisins and spices to the slow cooker.
Whisk together the tomato sauce, beef broth or stock, and beef bouillon concentrate. The bouillon adds so much flavor. Don’t leave this out! Next, pour the sauce mixture on top.
Cover and cook on LOW for 7 1/2 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 1/2 to 4 hours until roast shreds easily with a fork. Remove the roast and shred the beef. Add beef back to the slow cooker, stir and serve.
If you love easy beef recipes, you should also try this Instant Pot Mediterranean Beef, Mediterranean Vegetable Beef Stew, and a kid favorite around here-Easy Oven-Baked Beef Skillet Nachos!
Slow Cooker Mexican Picadillo
Equipment
- slow cooker
Ingredients
- 2 lb Chuck-Eye Roast
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 1 tsp Better Than Bouillon beef bouillon
- 16 oz Yukon gold potatoes peeled and chopped into cubes
- 3 large carrots peeled and chopped
- 1/2 large onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1 tbsp pickled jalapeños diced and drained of juice
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp Mexican chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- *optional garnishes:
- 3-4 sprigs cilantro chopped
- sour cream
- 1 jalapeño sliced
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add roast and brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes total.
- Transfer roast to the slow cooker, along with juices from the pan.
- Peel and chop the potatoes and carrots. Then chop the onion and garlic. Add chopped vegetables, onions, garlic, jalapeños, raisins and spices to the slow cooker.
- Whisk together the tomato sauce, beef broth or stock, and beef bouillon concentrate. The bouillon adds so much flavor. Don't leave this out! Next, pour the sauce mixture on top.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7 1/2 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 1/2 to 4 hours until roast shreds easily with a fork. Remove the roast and shred the beef. Add beef back to the slow cooker, stir and serve.
Nutrition
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