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A lightly spiced beef recipe from Mexico, steak picado with pickled onions makes a hearty, warming meal. Bistec picado is similar to carne asada, except this recipe is sautéed and braised in a cast iron skillet while carne asada is cooked on the grill. You can adjust the seasonings in this Mexican steak dish to make it as spicy or as mild as you prefer.
If you’re in the mood for a Mexican inspired dinner, consider this carne picada recipe. You’ll need some typical south of the border ingredients and a cast iron skillet to make steak picado with pickled onions.
Also try making your own spicy dill pickles, a pickle salad or even salmon sliders with pickled onions!
Beef Steak Picado Recipe Ingredients
Top round steak is the beef of choice for this Mexican steak dish but sirloin steak would also work. Salt, pepper, onion, cumin, garlic, chili powder, poblano pepper and jalapeno pepper, cayenne pepper, fresh tomatoes, shallot, vinegar, oil, lime juice, and some cilantro for garnish are the other ingredients for bistec picado.
There are many variations you can make this to steak recipe. Green peppers or any other color of bell peppers. Black or pinto beans are often used and make great additions especially if you plan to serve this in warm tortillas or even a side of rice.
Bear in mind you are free to adjust the spices to get the right amount of ‘kick’ for your palate! You might like to halve the cayenne, ancho chili powder and perhaps the jalapeno too. Or throw in some more! You can also offer hot sauce at the table so those who like things hot can make them that way!
How to Make a Traditional Carne Picada Recipe
Carne Picado means “minced meat” so the focus is on the beef steak with this absolutely delicious recipe . We are going to start by making the picked onions. Mix the sliced onion with the vinegar and let the mixture pickle for at least half an hour. You can also start this a day ahead for a stronger pickled taste.
Crush the salt, peppercorns, dried onion, cumin seeds, and garlic. It’s best to do this with a mortar and pestle (or molcajete and tejolote as they’re called in Mexico).
Chop or slice the tomatoes, shallot, poblano pepper, and chilies. You can also chop the steak in medium sized bites (let it come to room temperature first).
Heat your cast iron skillet until it’s very hot. This will take a few minutes so ensure it’s very hot before adding anything to it. Meanwhile toss the chopped steak with the peppers, shallot and tomatoes, then add the onion powder, chili powder, garlic powder, and cayenne. Add the vinegar, oil and garlic paste, tossing to coat well.
Swirl a splash of oil in the preheated cast iron skillet then add the beef mixture. Season to taste and cook over rice with the pickled onions and some chopped cilantro as a garnish.
Tips for Authentic Steak Picado with Pickled Onions
The best way to pay homage to this Mexican inspired dinner is to keep true to the recipe. Use fresh spices and grind them with a mortar and pestle, make sure you give the onions sufficient pickling time and use fresh garlic and chilies as well as fresh lime juice.
A cast iron skillet is also a great pan to make this Mexican steak dish. Once you have warmed up such a skillet over a high heat it is going to hold that heat in, making it ideal to sear meat.
Since cast iron retains heat for a long time, you will find your second helping of steak picado with pickled onions is nearly as hot as the first!
Steak Picado FAQs
You can’t go wrong with spooning this Mexican inspired dinner over cooked white rice. But, there are other ways to serve it. You can fill a flour tortilla with the bistec picado and then wrap, spoon over some juice and sprinkle with Mexican cheese.
What about making tacos with the beef mixture? You can fill taco shells then top with Mexican crema and sliced avocados. These would be great with beans and rice.
Another idea is serving the beef on tostada shells with guacamole spread on them first. Finish with Mexican crema or sour cream drizzled on top. Any of these serving ideas would be perfect for steak picado with pickled onions.
Leftovers will be fine in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days. You can reheat leftovers in the microwave or in a pan on the stove.
Steak Picado with Pickled Onions Recipe
Steak Picado with Pickled Onions
Ingredients
- 1 Pound steak, top round
- 1 Teaspoon salt, flakes
- 1 Teaspoon peppercorns
- 1 Teaspoon onion, minced
- 1 Teaspoon cumin seeds
- 6 Cloves garlic
- 1 Teaspoon olive oil
- ½ Teaspoon onion powder
- ½ Teaspoon ancho chili powder
- ½ Teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ Teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 poblano pepper
- 1 jalapeno
- 2 Roma tomatoes
- 1 shallot
- ¼ Cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ Cup grape seed oil, plus 2 Tablespoons
- 2 limes, juiced
- ½ red onion, sliced
- 1 Cup white vinegar
- rice, as a side
- cilantro, as optional garnish
Instructions
- Allow steak to come to room temperature as you prepare ingredients.
- Thinly slice the red onion and add to a sealable container with white vinegar to pickle the onions. Refrigerate until ready to serve, but for at least 30 minutes.
- Add salt flakes, peppercorns, dried minced onion, cumin seed, and garlic cloves to a mortar and crush to form a paste.
- Prepare the ingredients. Roughly chop the poblano pepper. Thinly slice the jalapeño (remove the seeds for less heat). Cut the tomatoes into quarter wedges. Thinly slice the shallot. Cut steak into 1” pieces.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat.
- Combine steak, poblano, jalapeño, ½ the tomatoes, and the shallot in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add onion powder, ancho chili powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. (Add less cayenne if you do not seed the jalapeños) Pour in the red wine vinegar, grape seed oil, lime juice, and garlic paste. Toss to coat.
- Add remaining 2 tbsp of grape seed oil to the skillet. Swirl to coat, then pour in the picado. Cook for 5 minutes, toss, then cook for 5 more minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Serve over rice. Garnish with chopped cilantro and pickled onions.
Nutrition
This steak picado with pickled onions will add spice to your dinner table. It’s a mouth-watering Mexican steak dish boasting juicy meat, peppers, pickled onions, and more. If you love south of the border flavours, I just know you will love this carne picada recipe.
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
Steak picado with pickled onions is a flavorful Mexican delight! Hearty and so comforting!