Cuban Beef Cigars

Recipe for Cuban Beef Cigars. A fusion of Cuban empanada filling, prepared in the same manner as Moroccan meat cigars.

These are not to be confused with a Cuban sandwich rolled in an egg roll wrapper and deep fried.  No pork, cheese, or mustard here!

Beef cigars are a spicy picadillo meat mixture, wrapped up in filo dough then fried or baked until crispy.

Cuban Beef Cigars are similar to empanadas or Pastelillos de Carne, a Puerto Rican meat pastry, except there is more meat than dough in this version.

Separate a filo sheet and brush with butter, olive oil, or spray with baking spray.

Place no more than 1 tablespoon of filling in near a narrow end of the dough.

Pinch meat mixture into a thin line, staying 1/2 inch from either end.

Roll the dough one time over the meat mixture, tuck in the sides, finish rolling up like a cigar.

Continue until you have as many cigars made as you would like.

There are 20 9X14-sheets per roll and 2 rolls in a 16-ounce box.

This recipe makes enough filling for 18 to 22 cigars depending on how much filling is put into each cigar.

To make in the oven, brush the tops and sides with melted butter and bake at 375 Degrees F until they are brown and crispy.

They can be made on the stovetop by frying.

Heat a shallow layer of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.

When the oil is hot, add cigars.

As the Cuban meat cigars begin to brown, roll them over in the pan.

Continuing rolling them until they are golden brown on all sides.

I use the oven because it is less work and less mess to clean up.

There are about a million ways to make Cuban empanada filling.

My preferred filling is a Cuban picadillo that has pimento stuffed olives, raisins, and diced potatoes in it.

Using frozen, diced hash brown potatoes is an acceptable substitute.

I prefer the texture of the potatoes when I have parboiled a potato with the skin on.

Only boil it until you can stick a skewer through it with minimal resistance.

It should not be completely cooked through, it will finish cooking when it gets added to meat mixture.

The potato skin should slip right off after it has cooled.

When a parboiled potato is diced and added to other ingredients in any recipe it will hold its shape better than raw diced potatoes will.

It will actually hold together just like canned diced potatoes would.

We also use this technique when making potato soup.

Tomato based sofrito and Sazón with Coriander and Annatto are my other requirements.

Any of these components can be left out, however, if you leave too many parts out, it just becomes beef flavored with tomatoes, rolled up and fried.

If you are going to do that, you might as well just use an egg roll wrapper and invent your own name for whatever that dish turns out to be.

Maybe a goulash eggroll?

You can buy sofrito in a jar, or you can make your own.

It’s just tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, garlic, oregano, and cumin cooked in some olive oil.  If using store-bought sofrito, omit the tomato paste, tomato sauce, onions, green peppers, and garlic.  I would also start with less water, maybe half a cup.

It is easier to put more water in than it is to cook out too much water.

The filling for Cuban Beef Cigars can also be served hot over rice or it can be used as a filling for discos.

If serving over rice as picadillo, do not cook down until it is as thick as you would for a filling for Beef Cigars or Empanadas.

Suggested Dishes to Serve with Cuban Beef Cigars

Pina Colada Slushsicle

Bacon Quesadillas

Sopapilla Cheesecake Squares