Beef Carne Picada

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This easy and flavorful Beef Carne Picada recipe is made on your stovetop in minutes with tender minced meat, a special seasoning, onions, garlic, bell peppers, and jalapenos.

CARNE PICADA RECIPE

Carne Picada is absolutely one of our all-time favorite meals! You can use this seasoned, chopped steak for all kinds of quick Mexican-inspired meals, like Carne Picada Tacos.

With this recipe, you’ll have yummy leftovers to use later in the week. Carne Picada even gets more flavorful as it sets – all the flavors further meld.

Double this recipe and make two skillets full of Carne Picada. Freeze the second batch of Carne Picada – it will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months in an air-tight container or freezer bag.

If your family wants just the meat and no veggies added, that’s fine too – it’s still fantastically delicious.

To make it a deliciously saucy and savory experience, I love to stir some fire-roasted tomatoes as the finale.

Carne Picada can be made in advance and served when you need it. Just put the skillet back onto the stovetop to reheat until simmering when it’s time for dinner.

Carne Picada Recipe Ingredients

• Spices: chili powder, oregano flakes, dark brown sugar, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, black pepperCarne picada meat (small, chopped pieces of steak or roast)
• Olive oil
• Beer or broth
• White or yellow onion
• Garlic cloves
• Jalapeno
• Bell peppers – red and green each
• Fire-roasted diced tomatoes, may substitute diced tomatoes with green chilies, or even petite-diced tomatoes
• Corn or flour tortillas
• Your favorite taco toppings, such as sour cream, salsa, chopped cilantro, shredded cheese, etc.

RECIPE TIPS

• Chop the diced tomatoes into small pieces if your family doesn’t like big, chunky pieces of tomato.
• Make your own if you cannot find beef labeled as Carne Picada meat in the meat case. This recipe shows you how.
• Don’t be afraid to use the entire seasoning blend this recipe makes when you season the beef. These spices enhance the natural flavors of the beef.

WHAT IS CARNE PICADA

Carne picada is minced beef (usually steak) that is well-seasoned with spices. It is then braised in a flavorful tomato sauce, served in tortillas or over rice.

CARNE PICADA IN ENGLISH

In English, Carne Picada means “minced” or “ground” meat and can also be translated as “spicy beef” in Spanish.

HOW TO MAKE CARNE PICADA STEP-BY-STEP

In a small bowl combine all the spices, including the salt and pepper.

Open the package of carne asada meat and sort through it. If the pieces are all assorted sizes, use your kitchen shears to chop the meat into small pieces.

A good size is about 1/2-inch in size or even a bit smaller, if desired.

Season the carne picada meat with my favorite Carne Asada Seasoning, tossing to combine well.

Cover the meat, letting it rest in refrigeration for at least 2-3 hours, preferably overnight to let the flavors meld.

When you are ready to prepare the meat, remove it from refrigeration about an hour before you want to cook it, uncovering it to rest on the counter.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add half of the seasoned meat to the skillet, quickly browning it on all sides, about 2-3 minutes in the pan.

Using a large slotted spoon, remove the meat to a platter, then repeat with the remaining half of the seasoned beef.

Once all the meat has been browned and removed from the skillet, you will see lots of browned bits (also known as fond) in the bottom of the skillet with some of the fat.

To deglaze the pan of the browned bits (you want this for lots of added flavor), add the beer to the skillet at this point, still over medium heat, whisking to bring up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and jalapeños go the skillet; sauté for 5-6 minutes over medium heat.

Return the reserved Carne Picada meat to the skillet with the vegetables and the diced tomatoes. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

If needed, add some of the reserved tomato juice (from the diced tomatoes) to make the beef more saucy.

What to make with CARNE PICADA

Spoon the warm Carne Picada into corn or flour tortillas, or over rice, with your favorite Mexican food toppings.

Making BEEF FOR CARNE PICADA

Beef for Carne Picada is most often steak that is cut into small pieces (minced). You can also use roast (such as chuck roast or bottom round roast) cut into small pieces.

Here in Kansas, I found meat in a package at the grocer with a Carne Asada label. When I opened it, I discovered it was thin steak strips in varying sizes and pieces of minced beef.

To ensure the meat is cooked evenly, I cut the beef into small pieces, all uniform, using my kitchen shears.

HOW TO TENDERIZE CARNE PICADA

Carne Picada tenderizes pretty quickly as it braises (simmers) with the vegetables in the skillet.

If your Carne Picada meat is tough or chewy, it may need to simmer longer until it can get fork-tender.

If you are using a tough cut of beef for making Carne Picada (like bottom round roast) use a meat mallet to pound the meat pieces. This makes them thinner and more tenderized.

Simply pound the meat between two sheets of plastic wrap or into a heavy-duty freezer bag. This keeps all the meat juice splatter contained.

You can also use a small heavy-duty skillet, a rolling pin, or even a canned good – they all work great.

WHAT TO MAKE WTH CARNE PICADA

Carne Picada makes a hearty main dish, so I’m always looking for a good slaw or salad to serve alongside it.

We also enjoy black bean salad with Carne Picada. Heck, even just plain ole rice served with
Carne Picada is fantastic!

IS CARNE PICADA STEAK?

Carne picada is usually minced steak, but you can also use minced roast, such as chuck roast, bottom round roast, arm roast, or top round roast. Even Long Broil works for making minced beef, too.

You will also find recipes for Carne Picada that use ground meat in place of minced meat.

HOW TO SEASON CARNE PICADA

I like to season Carne Picada with a special seasoning blend of chili powder, oregano flakes, dark brown sugar, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, black pepper. You can adjust this blend to your tastes or make your own Mexican-inspired seasoning.

WHAT IS CARNE PICADA USED FOR?

Carne Picada can be used in a multitude of ways – it is a very versatile meat dish. Make Carne Picada Beef Bowls by serving it over bowls of warm rice.

Carne Picada is delicious in a warm corn or flour tortillas or nestled into crispy taco shells and topped with your favorite Mexican toppings.

Or, make a Mexican-inspired pizza by spreading saucy Carne Picada meat over a par-baked pizza crust and top with Cotija cheese. Once the pizza is baked, add some freshly chopped cilantro and a good drizzle of Mexican Crema.

Carne Picada is also good for breakfast! Make scrambled eggs, then stir in some warm Carne Picada. Super easy.

ARE CARNE PICADA AND CARNE ASADA THE SAME THING?

Carne Asada and Carne Picada are completely different recipes though they are both Mexican-inspired dishes.

Carne Asada is typically thinly-sliced steak that is grilled, whereas Carne Picada is minced beef that is simmered in liquid (braised).

IS CARNE PICADA A MEXICAN STEW?

Yes, in many ways, Carne Picada is exactly the same texture and consistency as a rich and savory beef stew, but with Mexican-inspired spices stirred in to amp it up.

MORE FAVORITE MEAT RECIPES

Instant Pot Carne Asada – This is a quick and easy recipe that’s similar in flavor but adds just the right amount of flavor twist!

CHUCK TENDER BEEF ROAST WITH GRAVY – This delicious roast is seared until golden brown, then cooked low-and-slow in the oven until fork-tender. We serve this nestled deep into a rich gravy and all the perfect seasonings.

TENDER GRILLED BEEF TENDERLOIN – This tenderloin has a rich buttery-soft texture and is the perfect meal to impress your friends and family. You can make this easy beef recipe in about 30 minutes on your grill.

BOTTOM ROUND BEEF ROAST – Here’s the roast that’s likely the best dinnertime value in the entire meat case! This economical cut of beef simmers low and slow until it’s fall-apart tender and juicy. YUM!