Carne Picada - Use to Make Tacos & Burritos

Translated as ‘minced meat’, Carne Picada can have a texture ranging from ground to finely chopped. Starting with the brisket that becomes tender and nice through the slow cooking method, it is then chopped and shredded before serving. The seasoning has to be full of flavours, but not extremely spicy. Stuff the brisket into warmed tacos or burritos and turn your kitchen into a charming taco bar.

Here, you will come to know how to make amazing tacos and burritos with Carne Picada:

What is Carne Picada?

Although literally, Carne Picada means ‘minced meat’, what you usually find in the market is thin strips or shavings. Flavorful cuts like chuck are often used to make the slices, though inexpensive cuts may also be used. Flavored with spices, tomatoes, and jalapeno peppers, this recipe of ground meat is best served with rice or filled in burritos and tacos. So, let’s find out how to make Carne Picada and later how to make tacos and burritos with it.

Carne Picada Recipe

Ingredients

1 tbsp oil
¼ cup diced white onion
3 minced garlic cloves
2 pieces seeded and diced jalapeño peppers
½ kg ground beef
1 tbsp ground cumin
A tsp of cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
A tsp of dried coriander
400 grams crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp brown sugar
Ground black pepper and salt, to taste

Instructions

Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.
Sauté the onions until translucent.
Add jalapeño and garlic.
Put in the beef and cook until brown.
Add a seasoning of cayenne pepper, cumin, coriander, and oregano.
Mix well and again cook for around 5-7 minutes.
Season with pepper and salt to taste.
Add brown sugar and crushed tomatoes.
Mix and simmer for another 8-10 minutes.
Check the taste of Carne Picada and adjust seasoning with pepper and salt.
Remove from heat and get ready for serving the delicious Carne Picada.

Tips for Perfection

Searing is an important step to get the best flavor from the meat. Since it is cut into chunks, the meat sears quickly. So, you don’t need to worry about time.
Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature while cooking Carne Picada. Beef should be 160°F for safe consumption.
The meat cooks best when done in small batches. It may get chewy if you try to cook all at once.
Store any leftover Carne Picada in the refrigerator, which is safe to be consumed within 3-4 days.

Making Tacos

Now that your Carne Picada is ready, you can make tacos using the following instructions:

First of all, you have to make salsa verde sauce, for which you need 1.5 lb tomatillos, 1.5 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 cup chopped white onion, 2 garlic cloves, ½ cup cilantro leaves, 1 squeezed lime, 2 jalapenos, and salt to taste.
Remove papery husk from the tomatillos and wash.
Take some vegetable oil in a skillet, place tomatillos in it, and let them sear first on one side and then flip over for the other side.
Remove from heat.
Placed cooked tomatillos, garlic, onions, lime juice, chili peppers, and cilantro in the blender and pulse until finely chopped. Put in a refrigerator to let it cool.
Heat a skillet, add 1.5 tbsp of butter in it and let it melt. Mix 1 tbsp fennel seed and 1 tbsp ground orange peel into it and mix.
Add pepper, salt, and Carne Picada, and let the mixture cook nicely. Add half lime juice, corona, and meat seasoning, and simmer.
Dice cilantro leaves and onions, and cut limes in 1/8 portions.
Heat tortillas in a pan for around a minute on each side.
Once they are lightly crisp, place tortillas on a plate, add Carne Picada to them, then place cilantro and onion, and finally drizzle salsa verde.
Apply lime slices to the plate and serve.

The tacos taste amazing when made with Carne Picada – give it a try and see!

Making Burritos

To make burritos using Carne Picada, follow these instructions:

Warm burritos in a microwave, one at a time, under a wet paper towel. You may also wrap the burritos in foil and place them in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 350°. Make sure that they are warm and bendable enough for perfect wrapping.
Take a medium-sized skillet, add one tsp of oil into it, and heat on high heat. Once the oil starts smoking, add ¼ pound of Carne Picada to it, along with onions. Sear the picada until brown on all sides.
Place the onions and the picada in the center of a warm burrito. Add guacamole and pico de gallo and fold to make burritos. You may also add French fries or cheese if you want. Serve hot.

Get Ready with Your Carne Picada Tacos and Burritos Now!

So, now that you know how to make tacos and burritos filled with Carne Picada, make them all from scratch and enjoy. Just follow the instructions closely and use the right cut of meat suitable for the purpose.