Picadillo with Olives and Raisins {with Venison, Beef or Bison}

Why We Love This Recipe For Picadillo with Olives and Raisins

Have you had Picadillo? If you haven’t had it, you are in for a treat! Picadillo is a Spanish or Latin American hash made with ground beef, spices and cooked vegetables. It is variable by region, but generally, it is thick and saucy and sometimes has small pieces of potatoes and olives. It is often served with tortillas, rice and hard boiled egg. Our version is based on a Cuban-style picadillo.

It is a favorite quick dinner to make because it is so fast! I love that it can be made with any ground meat. This one today can be made with beef, bison or venison! You can serve it over rice or with tortillas, or you can pair with cauliflower rice or almond flour tortillas for a Whole30-compliant meal. You can even wrap it in lettuce or cabbage or use to top off a salad.

As the name suggests, this picadillo has olives and raisins in it. And don’t worry, the first time I heard of raisins and olives in picadillo, I thought this was kind of strange. But after trying it, I realized the sweet raisins and the briny olives are the best part of it! I also love the dusting of cinnamon in it.

Since the first time I tried it 20 years ago it had become one of my favorite 20 minute dinners. I even make picadillo style chili.

I particularly love the fact that it works so well with gamier meats like grass-fed beef, bison or venison. The seasoning in picadillo is great because it masks any strong gaminess of the beef. When I made it with Venison, I don’t think my husband or kids even could tell that it was venison. So if you are a hunter, or have venison on hand from a hunter you know, this is an awesome way to prepare it. The sauciness of the tomatoes really makes the ultra-lean meat seem more tender.

Key Ingredients For This Recipe

Ground beef, venison or bison

As I mentioned above, you can use whichever you prefer. It really is whatever you have on hand at the time. All options are great, but try to get organic or grass-fed when you can. You’ll need about 1 pound.

Tomatoes

You can either use canned chopped tomatoes or drained canned diced tomatoes.

Olives

Sliced green olives work best with this recipe in my opinion. You can either buy pre-sliced olives or you can buy them whole and slice them yourself.

Raisins

I prefer to use regular (not golden) raisins in this picadillo recipe. They help to add a bit of sweetness to the recipe without adding too much flavor. I also love the texture they add.

Additional Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons avocado oil or organic canola oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• ½ cup chopped cilantro leaves

Step-by-Step Instructions to Make This Recipe

Step 1: Cook meat

Coat a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. Add beef (venison or bison) and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon until browned and no-longer pink, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the skillet to a plate or dish.

Step 2: Add aromatics & broth

Return the skillet to medium-high heat, then add oil, garlic, onion and salt, and cook, stirring often until the onion is starting to soften and brown, and the garlic is fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle the onion mixture with chili powder, cinnamon, chipotle and stir to coat. Cook, stirring often until fragrant, and the spices are starting to darken, 40 to 90 seconds. Pour in the broth and stir to combine.

Step 3: Add remaining ingredients & simmer

Add the beef (venison or bison), tomatoes, olives and raisins and increase heat to high. Bring to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often until the sauce is thick and reduced, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro if using.

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