Regular ground beef tacos are hardly a new recipe. But sometimes the classics are worth sharing. Street tacos are really popular lately, with soft corn taco shells and slow cooked meat fillings. But sometimes I still like the old standard tacos with simple ingredients that you can throw together fast on a weeknight (maybe Tuesday?) and that you can scale up or down to feed as many hungry people as you have.
Obviously, you can buy a packet of taco seasoning mix and follow the instructions on the back of the package. Brown 1 lb. of ground beef, drain, add the packet and some water, stir and serve. I make my own taco seasoning blend, but otherwise stick to the basic idea. And how do you serve taco meat? Unlike enchiladas (which always use corn tortillas), tacos can be served any way you choose. I like the crispy corn taco shells from the 1980s, but you can opt for regular corn or flour tortillas of any size if that’s what you like. Taco meat is also great served “nacho style” over a bed of tortilla chips or over a bed of lettuce for taco salad. Your choice.
What about other taco toppings? I like cheddar cheese, lettuce, chopped tomato and chopped onion. Sour cream and guacamole are popular too, and of course pico de gallo. Do you like sliced black olives? Sure why not, they’re great on a taco. Your favorite salsa would be outstanding as well, but be careful of too much liquid or your taco may get soggy. We usually have a stash of extra Taco Bell hot sauce around for that little extra zing.
Tacos can be served with a side of Mexican rice, cilantro lime rice, black beans, pinto beans or refried beans.
And if you make too much taco meat, it freezes great. I recommend a Ziploc bag with the contents clearly marked. When you’re in a hurry for dinner, you can grab a bag of frozen taco meat and run it under hot water to free it from the bag. Then dump the meat into a loosely covered microwave safe bowl and heat for 2-3 minutes.
How much meat to serve 12 people? Assume ¼ lb. per person, or more for big meat eaters. You can keep the meat hot in a slow cooker and let everyone serve themselves (better make a little extra in that case, or put the guys at the back of the line).
Ground Beef Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning blend or 1 packet
- ½ cup water
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Taco shells or tortillas
- Sliced lettuce
- Chopped tomatoes
- Diced onion
Instructions
- Crispy taco shells are best slightly heated in the oven or toaster oven. Throw a few into the oven at about 250 degrees while you prepare the rest of the meal.
- Brown the ground beef in a medium to large sized skillet, breaking it up with a spoon or spatula as it cooks.
- Use a lid over the skillet to hold back the ground beef as you carefully drain the fat (into a can you can throw into the trash later – not down the drain where it will clog up the pipes).
- Return the skillet to the stovetop and add the taco seasoning and water. Cook and stir for a few more minutes until the meat is fully coated and the sauce thickens.
- To serve, start with the taco shell or tortilla of your choice. Fill the bottom of the shell with a small amount of meat. Layer with cheese, lettuce, onions and tomatoes. Several small tacos are easier to eat than one huge one, in my opinion. Top with taco sauce if you choose.
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