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A bowl of Brazilian beef stew or picadinho with red tomatoes, green peas and cilantro, and orange carrots
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5 from 5 votes

Picadinho de Carne (Brazilian Beef Stew)

Picadinho de carne is a low carb Brazilian beef stew made with chunks of beef and vegetables stewed on the stovetop until tender. Learn also how to make in a pressure cooker and in a slow cooker.  It is a cousin of traditional beef stew.! So yummy!
Course:Main Course
Cuisine:Brazilian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 6
Calories379 kcal
Author Denise Browning
Cost $ 1.00 per person

Equipment

  • pot
  • slow cooker
  • pressure cooker

Ingredients

  • 2.5 lbs beef stew meat
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup baby carrots
  • 10 oz butternut squash
  • 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup cilantro chopped (or parsley)

Instructions

  • STOVETOP PICADINHO
    1) Season beef chunks with salt, pepper, and cumin. Heat a medium nonstick pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and cook beef for 5-6 minutes, or until browned on both sides. Transfer beef with its pan juices to a bowl.
    2) In the same pan, reduce heat to medium, add 1 tablespoon of oil and then cook the onion for about 5-6 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Add beef with juices back to the pan.
    3) Stir in tomato paste, broth, carrots, and butternut squash. Let come to a boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover tightly, and cook for 50-60 minutes or until beef is tender. Stir in vinegar. If desired, you may thicken the sauce by dissolving 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch in ¼ cup of water and then slowly adding it to the stew, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Serve with chopped cilantro on top.
    4) For me this is the best beef stew of all! It's full of flavor, tender, and gluten-free. Depending on the veggies that you use, this Brazilian beef recipe can also be low carb. That is why I didn't use potatoes, but you can certainly do so if you'd like to.


  • SLOW COOKER PICADINHO
    1) Season beef chunks with salt, pepper, and cumin. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and cook beef for 5-6 minutes or until browned on both sides. Transfer to the slow cooker along with its pan juices.
    2) In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium, add 1 tablespoon of oil and then cook the onion for about 5-6 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Transfer to the slow cooker.
    3) Add tomato paste, broth, carrots, and butternut squash. Stir, cover, and cook on high for 2-4 hours, or on low for 8-10 hours. Stir in vinegar. If desired, you may thicken the sauce by dissolving 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch in ¼ cup of water and then slowly adding it to the stew, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Serve with chopped cilantro on top.
  • PRESSURE COOKER PICADINHO
    1) Season beef chunks with salt, pepper, and cumin. Press the saute function. Once heated, add 2 tablespoons of oil and cook beef for 5-6 minutes or until browned on both sides. Transfer to a plate.
    2) Add 1 tablespoon of oil and then cook the onion for about 5-6 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Add beef back to the pressure cooker. Cancel saute.
    3) Stir in tomato paste, broth, carrots, and butternut squash. Lock lid and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes . Natural release pressure (about 20 minutes) and unlock lid. Stir in vinegar. If desired, you may thicken the sauce. To do this press the saute function, dissolve 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch in ¼ cup of water, and then slowly add it to the stew, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Serve with chopped cilantro on top.

Recipe Notes

  • NET CARBS: 9 g
  • WW FREESTYLE SMART POINTS: 9
  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Freeze for up to 4-6 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat well. 

Nutrition

Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 1370mg | Potassium: 994mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 8050IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 5mg

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