Chef John's Picadillo

Ingredients

For 4 servings

• •2 c. à café olive oil
• •1.5 pounds ground beef (85% lean)
• •1 tasse diced yellow onions
• •1 c. à café salt, plus more to taste
• •2 bay leaves
• •2 c. à café cumin
• •0.5 c. à café freshly ground black pepper
• •0.5 c. à café ground cinnamon
• •0.25 c. à café cayenne pepper
• •4 cloves garlic, minced
• •3 tasse crushed tomatoes
• •0.25 tasse water
• •3 c. à soupe red-wine vinegar
• •0.25 tasse currants or raisins
• •0.5 tasse sliced pimiento-stuffed green olives, or to taste

Method

1. 1.Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef; cook, breaking up beef into small pieces with a spoon or spatula until completely loses its pink color, 8 to 10 minutes. Add onion and salt; cook until onion turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Add bay leaves, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper; cook 2 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute.
2. 2.Stir in crushed tomatoes, water, and red wine vinegar; cook and deglaze by scraping the browned bits of food off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, about 3 minutes. Add currants; bring back to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until beef is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. 3.Gently stir in olives; cover and cook 10 to 15 minutes more.