Steak Picado with Pickled Onions

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.

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella, shares a recipe for steak picado with pickled onions. This Mexican steak dish is made in a cast iron skillet.

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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.

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella, shares a recipe for steak picado with pickled onions. This Mexican steak dish is made in a cast iron skillet.

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.

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella, shares a recipe for steak picado with pickled onions. This Mexican steak dish is made in a cast iron skillet.

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.

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella, shares a recipe for steak picado with pickled onions. This Mexican steak dish is made in a cast iron skillet.

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!

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella, shares a recipe for steak picado with pickled onions. This Mexican steak dish is made in a cast iron skillet.

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.

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella, shares a recipe for steak picado with pickled onions. This Mexican steak dish is made in a cast iron skillet.

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).

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella, shares a recipe for steak picado with pickled onions. This Mexican steak dish is made in a cast iron skillet.

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).

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella, shares a recipe for steak picado with pickled onions. This Mexican steak dish is made in a cast iron skillet.

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.

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella, shares a recipe for steak picado with pickled onions. This Mexican meal is a carne picada recipe or bistec picado.

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.

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella, shares a recipe for steak picado with pickled onions. This Mexican meal is a carne picada recipe or bistec picado.

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.

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella, shares a recipe for steak picado with pickled onions. This Mexican meal is a carne picada recipe or bistec picado.

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.

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella, shares a recipe for steak picado with pickled onions. This Mexican meal is a carne picada recipe or bistec picado.

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!

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella, shares a recipe for steak picado with pickled onions. This Mexican meal is a carne picada recipe or bistec picado.
Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella, shares a recipe for steak picado with pickled onions. This Mexican meal is a carne picada recipe or bistec picado.

Steak Picado FAQs

What’s the best way to serve a steak picado recipe?

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.

What’s the best way to store steak picado leftovers?

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.

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella, shares a recipe for steak picado with pickled onions. This Mexican meal is a carne picada recipe or bistec picado.
Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella, shares a recipe for steak picado with pickled onions. This Mexican meal is a carne picada recipe or bistec picado.

Steak Picado with Pickled Onions Recipe

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella, shares a recipe for steak picado with pickled onions. This Mexican steak dish is made in a cast iron skillet.

Steak Picado with Pickled Onions

5 from 34 votes
Course: Main Course, Meals
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: beef
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 285kcal
Author: Bella Bucchiotti
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. You can adjust the seasonings in this Mexican steak dish to make it as spicy or as mild as you prefer.
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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

Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 436mg | Potassium: 385mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 386IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 2mg
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The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.

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 storyteller, food lover, dog mom and adventure seeker living on the Pacific coast. She shares her passion for food, dogs, fitness, adventures, travel and philanthropy, in hopes of encouraging followers to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places and stand for a cause. Bella lives with Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac Disease.

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Recipe Rating




  1. Lise-ann wrote:

    5 stars
    yummy! yummy!

    Posted 5.7.22 Reply
  2. Karen wrote:

    5 stars
    This meat looks great, my boys would love it. I probably make it a bit less spicy so they all can enjoy. Definitely going to try it!

    Posted 5.11.22 Reply
  3. Amber Myers wrote:

    I will keep this in mind for dinner one night. It looks delish!

    Posted 5.11.22 Reply
  4. Mimi wrote:

    This sounds delicious! I need to make it, especially because I love pickled onions

    Posted 5.12.22 Reply
  5. Nadalie wrote:

    5 stars
    Oh wow! This is delicious! I love this! Another recipe moving up to my list for weekend family dinner!

    Posted 5.12.22 Reply
  6. Tisha wrote:

    5 stars
    Looks so good and those pickles onions sound great!

    Posted 5.12.22 Reply