Picadillo: Mexican-Style Recipe

Gather the ingredients.

Drizzle oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat, until oil starts to shimmer. Add onions and jalapeños and cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 to 4 minutes or until vegetables start to soften. Move to one side of skillet.

Put ground beef in cleared area of skillet and use a spatula to break up into a few large chunks. Let cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes.

Break beef into smaller pieces and stir, combining meat with vegetables. Reduce heat to medium. Continue to cook for another 7 or 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef starts to brown.

Add garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Add tomatoes, olives and juice, raisins, pepper, cumin, cloves, piloncillo or sugar and molasses, salt, and black pepper and decrease the heat to low; continue to cook for another 10 to 12 minutes.

Optional: Fry potatoes in oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet, flipping occasionally until potatoes turn evenly brown. Drain potatoes on paper towels or brown paper, then fold them into beef mixture.