Our Favorite Taco Meat
- PREP 5min
- COOK 10min
- TOTAL 15min
This is my family’s go-to taco meat recipe. We’ve called for lean ground beef below, but feel free to substitute ground turkey, chicken, or pork. We prefer this when made with ground meat that has a little fat (7% to 10% is perfect). Any more and it’s a bit greasy, any less and it turns out dry. The onions and pepper are optional, but they add a bit of extra texture.
You Will Need
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 pound lean ground beef, 90/10 (450 g)
¾ cup finely chopped onion, a quarter of a medium onion, optional
1 Anaheim pepper, deseeded and finely chopped, optional
2 tablespoons tomato paste (35 g)
½ cup chicken stock or water (60 ml)
Directions
1Make spice mix: In a small bowl, stir together the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt.
2Brown the meat: Heat the avocado oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, pat it down into the skillet, and sprinkle the spice mixture over it. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat as it cooks, stirring until it begins to brown.
3Add veggies: Stir in the onions and pepper, then cook, moving them around the pan until they begin to soften and the onions smell sweet, about 3 minutes.
4To finish: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the chicken stock (or water) and simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. Taste, then add more salt if you think it needs it (since this usually gets added to tacos or salads, keeping it well seasoned works really well).
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- The nutrition facts provided are estimates.