Beef Tacos
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https://instructions.wiki/recipes/beef-tacos
Makes 12 tacos · 15 min prep · 15 min cooking
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef, 85/15
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
- 12 corn or small flour tortillas
- 2 cups (150 g) shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce
- 1 cup (115 g) shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
- Sour cream, salsa, and lime wedges, for serving
Cook the onion
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft and beginning to brown at the edges, about 4 minutes.
Brown the beef
Add the beef and break it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring now and then, until no pink remains and browned bits have formed on the bottom of the pan, 5 to 7 minutes. If more than a tablespoon of fat has pooled, tilt the pan and spoon off the excess.
Bloom the spices
Push the beef to one side, add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper to the cleared spot, and stir them in the fat for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute so it darkens slightly.
Simmer until saucy
Pour in the water and scrape up the browned bits. Simmer, stirring, until the liquid has mostly cooked off and the meat looks glossy and clings together rather than sitting in a puddle, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and add salt if needed.
Warm the tortillas
Heat a dry skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Warm the tortillas one or two at a time until soft, pliable, and lightly charred in spots, about 30 seconds per side. Stack them in a clean kitchen towel to keep warm. For crisp shells, use packaged taco shells heated as the box directs.
Fill and serve
Spoon about 1/4 cup beef into each tortilla. Top with lettuce, cheese, and tomato, and pass sour cream, salsa, and lime wedges at the table.
Storage. The seasoned beef keeps in the refrigerator for 4 days and freezes for 3 months. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of water.
Substitutions. Ground turkey works in place of beef; add 1 extra tablespoon of oil since it is leaner.