Pork and potatoes simmered in a roasted tomatillo, ancho and guajillo chile sauce
Picadillo changes across Mexico. This northern-style version centers pork and potatoes in a sauce made from tomatillos and dried ancho and guajillo chilies. Roasting the sauce ingredients from scratch creates a savory, gently smoky base that reheats well and can become tacos, rice bowls or a plated meal throughout the week.
- Prep
- 30 mins
- Cook
- 1 hour
- Total
- 1 hour 30 mins
- Serves
- 8
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Cuisine
- Northern Mexican
The recipe
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Before you start
Toast the dried chilies for only a few seconds per side, then soak them in hot water for 15 minutes. Char the tomatillos, quartered onion and unpeeled garlic on a dry comal or heavy pan. Peel the garlic and blend everything with oregano, cumin, salt and 300 ml soaking water until smooth.
Ingredients
For the chile-tomatillo sauce
For the picadillo
Quantities change with servings; cooking times stay the same.
Equipment
- Comal or heavy frying pan paid link
- Wide heavy pot with lid paid link
- Heatproof bowl paid link
- Blender paid link
- Wooden spoon paid link
- Chef’s knife paid link
- Cutting board paid link
- Digital kitchen scale paid link
Method
Heat the lard in a wide heavy pot over medium-high heat.
Add the pork in batches and brown it well, breaking it into coarse pieces rather than fine crumbs. Transfer excess batches to a bowl.
Return all pork to the pot, add the diced onion, and cook for 5 minutes.
Pour in the chile-tomatillo sauce. Cook uncovered for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until it darkens slightly and loses its raw edge.
Add potatoes, stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
Cover partially and cook for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and the sauce clings to the pork.
Uncover for the final 5 minutes if the mixture is loose. Taste and adjust salt.
Rest for 10 minutes before dividing into meal-prep portions.
Chef’s notes
Toast dried chilies briefly. Blackened chilies taste bitter and can dominate the whole batch.
Coarse pork gives picadillo a meatier texture than finely ground meat.
Use waxy potatoes so the cubes stay intact while still releasing enough starch to bind the sauce.
Tips and variations
The filling becomes even better after one night in the refrigerator.
For tacos, simmer the finished picadillo a few minutes longer so it is firm enough to spoon.
If tomatillos are very tart, roast them until deeply blistered rather than adding sugar.
Make the sauce up to 3 days ahead and keep it refrigerated.
Serve with
Use as a taco filling, spoon over rice, or serve in shallow bowls with tortillas so the sauce can be gathered up.
Storage
Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat gently to 74°C, adding a spoonful of water if needed.
Nutrition per serving (estimated)
- 530 kcal
- Calories
- 35 g
- Protein
- 31 g
- Carbohydrates
- 31 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 760 mg
- Sodium
Allergens
No major common allergens are inherent in the recipe. Verify homemade or packaged stock for celery, soy or gluten when necessary.
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Questions
Is picadillo norteño always made with pork?
Pork is common in this northern preparation, though household versions can use beef or a mixture.
Can canned tomatillos be used?
Fresh roasted tomatillos give better flavor and body. Drained canned tomatillos work when fresh ones are unavailable.
How hot is the dish?
Guajillo and ancho chilies are used mainly for color and depth, so the finished picadillo is mild to moderately warm.
Can it be used for meal prep?
Yes. Pack it with rice or tortillas kept separately and refrigerate for four days.
