Taco meat is a great basic ingredient to use in all kinds of appetizers. From mini tacos to taco logs to taco calzones, you are off to a good start with this made from scratch taco meat recipe.
And hey, taco salad anyone?
Made from Scratch Taco Meat
Do you have a packet of taco seasoning in your pantry? Did you ever read the back of a taco seasoning mix that you buy in the store? Dextrose, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, Caramel color, disodium inosinate. Doesn't sound very yummy to me. Throw out the store-bought taco mix. Let's dice some onion and green peppers instead and get the rest of the flavor from your spice rack.
Equipment
- heavy skillet
- wooden spoon or heavy spatula
Ingredients
- 2 TBS olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
- 1/2 cup diced spanish onion or other yellow onion
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 is good for this recipe)
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup water
- 2 tsp tomato paste I buy my tomato paste in the tube instead of a can. Much easier when you only need a small amount
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet on medium high
- Add diced onions and green pepper. Sauté on medium high, stirring for about 3 minutes.
- Add ground beef. Break up ground beef in the skillet with a wooden spoon or heavy spatula until you have very small chunks of meat.
- Keep cooking and stirring the ground beef until it is no longer pink anywhere.
- Turn off the heat and drain the grease.
- Put heat back up to medium and stir in the spices
- Whisk water and tomato paste together in a cup and pour over meat mixture.
- Stir the meat till the liquid starts to boil
- Turn heat down to medium low and cook till most of the liquid is gone, stirring occasionally. This should take about 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
- There are many uses for taco meat. My favorite ways to use it is in a taco shell with your favorite toppings or over a baked potato with some sour cream, or as a base for taco salad. See my appetizer section for more ideas.