Taco Meat?

[ThunderLund78]

I'm fed up with store bought mixes. They taste over-seasoned and often too salty. I've been trying some internet recipes lately but I can't quite get what I want. Basically the taste I'm looking for is what most decent Mexican restaurant taco meats taste like. Great flavor but you taste more of the natural meat flavor as well--not to strong or overwhelming of a seasoning taste. That's the best way I can describe it. Anyone have any recipes they'd be willing to share?

[Jim Almquist]

I would love to hear a good homemade recipe but all I do is use 1 pack of Taco Bell taco seasonings and 1 pack of Ortega fajita mix and add about 5-7 chopped up dried red chili peppers per 2 pounds of beef. nice flavor and a little heat.

[Wookiee]

If you can find a nice chorizo use that instead it rocks as a substitute for using salt i mean seasoning packets.

[jeffreyd]

Ok i live in AZ and can help a bit with a homemade taco dinner that i do.

Buffalo vs GB, tastes the same less fat

1-2 Anaheim chiles fresh or more if you like them ( long green ones not too hot)

3 fresh tomatoes diced or sub a can of fire roasted if you like them

1 onion depending on how much you like

cumin, oregano, salt pepper, after meat is cooked and drained, all to taste

add a jalapeno if you want some heat

I just let it simmer for an hour or so stirring every once in a while. To me it is better the next day after it has cooled etc.

I also have mixed in refried beans into it with some cheese to make a bit heartier.

You can put in anything you like really, i usually take flour tortilla, warm in pan add mixture and put some salsa on.

Good luck, i know what i am having tomorrow night

[croixflats]

This one is my go to one

# 2 teaspoons vegetable oil or corn oil

# 1 small onion , chopped small (about 2/3 cup)

# 3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)

# 2 tablespoons chili powder

# 1 teaspoon ground cumin

# 1 teaspoon ground coriander

# 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

# 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

# Salt

# 1 pound 90% lean ground beef (or leaner)Less lean becomes greasy

# 1/2 cup tomato sauce

# 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

# 1 teaspoon brown sugar

# 2 teaspoons vinegar (preferably cider vinegar)

# Ground black pepper

Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat until hot and shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, spices, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute(important to do this before you add the meat). Add ground beef and cook, breaking meat up with wooden spoon and scraping pan bottom to prevent scorching, until beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar, and vinegar; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently and breaking meat up so that no chunks remain, until liquid has reduced and thickened (mixture should not be completely dry), about 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

[jeffreyd]

croix sounds good, one thing i think that would be ok would be to cook the meat and use the grease from it rather than adding more? I always rinse my ground meat after it is cooked to wash off extra fat. Then you could simply set the meat aside and finish sautéing the other things and season as needed. Just a thought.

[croixflats]

Sounds like a good idea I'll try that next time. I will also try adding some peppers like you do. Like you say these recipes can always be added to.

This may sound different but try adding a tablespoon of soy sauce to the meet before adding it back in. You wont taste the soy but it will add a bit deeper layer of beefy protein flavor. I just remembered this tip from a cooking show I saw.

[Jim Almquist]

croixflats your recipe sounds great ! Next week when I have had enough turkey I have to give yours a try. Need to give that soy sauce trick a try as well.

[reinhard1]

hey croix, will try your reciepie. good luck.

[archerystud]

If you want a less "salty" one, Old Ortega makes a reduced sodium version. After eating it for a while I can't eat the other stuff anymore.

[pascooter94]

when i lived down in az, freind told me to use a roastbeef,and make it the crookpot

3lbs roast

1cup water one beef boullon cube

1can green chilies or roast your own

1teaspoon cumin

1 onion

hot peppers to taste

cook on low until done,shread beef return to crookpot turn on high reduce by half

enjoy.

[ThunderLund78]

Croix,

That does sound good, I'll try that one next. One question, every time I try to find coriander at my local grocery store, I come up empty handed. I've never really asked for it since I've never really needed it but have seen it in a few recipes I wanted to try. Is it by the rest of the spices or am I not looking in the right area? It's a smaller town but we have a nice grocery store. I figured they'd have it somewhere.

[croixflats]

Coriander should be in with the spices maybe look for "coriander seed" what I do with the seed take bowl and smash them as fine as I can, spice grinder be better but I don't have one of those yet.

Could emit the coriander. Coriander has a earthy lemony smell to it maybe some lemon zest be a good substitute.

[flyfisher03]

Herbs can also be ground up in a coffee grinder. Just make sure to wash it before and after unless you like your coffee tasting like herbs.

[archerystud]

So I remembered this thread from a while back and here is another version of taco meat we like to do. My mom use to do this and it was called "Texas Supper" which was a taco with this as the taco meat.

1 lb hamburger

1 can beef broth

8 oz.tomato sauce

1 T chili powder

[SkunkedAgain]

I second the chorizo recommendation. Often I will buy a tube of it and cut it into sections and toss in the freezer. When we make tacos and my wife wants meat, I'll add one of the little chorizo sections in with the ground chuck. It adds most of the flavor that you're looking for but you can always add in some spice blends as above. That's what I do.

[Chef]

Ingredients

2 pounds beef shoulder

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1 large onion, sliced

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, (recommended: San Marzano)

1 tablespoon ancho chile powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon ground cumin

3 bay leaves

Procedure:

Season all sides of the beef with a fair amount of salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, or other heavy pot that has a tight cover, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over moderately high heat. Add the garlic and the beef to the pot, browning the meat on all sides, taking the time to get a nice crust on the outside. Add the onion and allow to lightly brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, plus 1 tomato can of water, spices, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and add enough water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer with a lid for 3 hours until the meat is fork tender. Let meat cool in the liquid. Shred meat and set aside.

[LightningBG]

This one is my go to one

# 2 teaspoons vegetable oil or corn oil

# 1 small onion , chopped small (about 2/3 cup)

# 3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)

# 2 tablespoons chili powder

# 1 teaspoon ground cumin

# 1 teaspoon ground coriander

# 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

# 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

# Salt

# 1 pound 90% lean ground beef (or leaner)Less lean becomes greasy

# 1/2 cup tomato sauce

# 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

# 1 teaspoon brown sugar

# 2 teaspoons vinegar (preferably cider vinegar)

# Ground black pepper

I dont think I've ever made anything in my life with this many ingredients. I think I'm in over my head. I'll have to stick to the packets.

[prov1900]

Did steak tacos last night from beef/shoulder. Marinaded in soy sauce based marinade for 24 hours, added cumin, seasoned salt, cayenne (couldn't find my jalapeno seasoning), and for 2.5 pounds of meat, about a couple hard shakes worth of taco seasoning. Red hot cast iron skillet until they were medium rare, then foiled them to bring them up to about medium.

I got to say, it was about as authentic as it gets and we live in the area of authentic restaurants. I cant give myself credit for the meat, but the pico de gallo and a drizzle of habanero sauce on top really put it over the top.

Of course my beef recipe had a load of salt, so if you are looking to cut down, don't do anything to the meat. It is all in the sauce. Our Mexican restaurants don't add anything to their meat, as far as I can tell.

[gundy89]

Honestly,

tacos are the specialty around here. Not going to post a specific recipe but here's the key things I've found over the years.

Brown sugar makes the world go round. Use the taco mix seasoning. Then instead of water use beer. I'd go with a thicker beer like a sam adams(god bless america). 2nd major change is BROWN SUGAR. It works wonders. If you like spicy, trade in the jalapenos for habeneros and if you don't like spicy use jalepenos. 1 pepper per pound. Then add brown sugar. Taste as you go to make sure but you'll probably add peppers.

I know what everyone is thinking. Jalepenos? Seriously, if you use the brown sugar, it will negate all the spice. It does, trust me.

In a perfect world I cook venison tacos with beer, taco seasoning, habeneros, and brown sugar every night. I make 1-2 lbs per serving and my wife takes care of everything I don't eat. (make sure she gets her protein!) ground venison or take straps and cut them up, either will work. Same thing with fajitas.

sounds like I need sunday tacos again!!!!

[archerystud]

Gundy, you are making me hungry!!!!