The key to a great taco is the quality of the meat. Simmering low and slow with a lot of bold flavors can take a taco to the next level. Don’t stop there, pick your choice of vessel to serve your tacos, also important. Finally, finish by using your favorite ingredients full of bright colors and textures to fill your tacos. Eye candy is the best phrase I’d use to describe these tacos.
This is my recipe for Home-style Taco Meat.
I’m using two fresh herbs for my tacos. Oregano from my Hanging Herb Garden and fresh cilantro.
If you want my recipe for Cilantro-Lime Brown Rice With Black Beans, click on the link at the bottom of this post.
You can choose between using plum tomatoes or grape tomatoes for your Pico de Gallo.
If you’d like my recipe for Pico de Gallo, click on the link at the bottom of this post.
If you’d like my recipe for Chunky-Style Guacamole, click on the link at the bottom of this post.
How about these Tex-Mex-Style Baguette Pizzas? Buy a jar of your favorite taco sauce to smear over grilled baguettes and top with shredded cheese. Place them under the broiler until the cheese becomes lightly golden brown and bubbly. Top it with my Home-Style Taco Meat and fresh Pico de Gallo.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yields: 4 servings (12 tacos)
Equipment: 1 (6-quart) Dutch oven, chef’s knife, cutting board
Ingredients for my Taco Seasoning:
Yields: 1/4 cup of Taco Seasoning
1 1/2 tablespoons of chili powder
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of onion powder
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly-ground
Ingredients for the Home-Style Taco Meat:
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 pounds of ground pork (substitute ground chicken, lean ground sirloin, or turkey)
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup sliced green onions, reserve green tops for garnish
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Fresno chili, seeded and minced (substitute a jalapeno pepper)
1 tablespoon of Kosher salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly-ground
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 tablespoons of taco seasoning
1 lime, juiced
4 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups of beef stock, unsalted
3/4 cup of store-bought fresh salsa (cantina-style)
Garnishes:
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup of the green onion tops, thinly sliced on the bias
Options for the Home-StyleTaco Meat:
2 boxes of crunchy taco shells (substitute soft corn tortillas)
2 (8-ounce) packages of Mexican blend shredded cheese
Fresh lime wedges
Arugula
Avocados
Red onion, finely diced
Cilantro
Green onion tops
Instructions for the Taco Seasoning:
Add all the ingredients for the taco seasoning into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mix to combine.
Instructions for the Home-StyleTaco Meat:
Set the pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and the diced onions. Stir and cook until the onions begin to soften and become translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add the ground pork, 4 tablespoons of the taco seasoning, diced green onions (including the white parts), minced Fresno chili, minced garlic, dried oregano, Kosher salt, and fresh-ground black pepper to the pan.
Using a wooden spoon, break up the meat into small pieces. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink, 10-12 minutes. Add tomato paste and fresh Pico de Gallo, and stir to combine. Next, add the Worcestershire sauce, fresh lime juice, and beef stock. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, uncovered for 25-30 minutes.
At this point, all the liquid and seasonings have been absorbed into the meat. Turn the heat off and add the sliced green onion tops and cilantro leaves, and mix to combine. Transfer to a large serving bowl. It’s Home-Style Taco Night!
To serve. I prefer the crunchy taco shells, but it’s totally up to you!
There you have it, my Home-Style Taco Meat.
Notes:
1) A variety of fresh salsas and Pico de Gallo are now available in the refrigerated section of the produce department in most grocery stores. Take advantage of these products to use as ingredients for the taco meat.
2) 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning per pound of ground meat.
3) Tip: Store taco seasoning in an airtight container in a dry, cool place.
4) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.
Home-Style Taco Meat
Equipment
- 1 Dutch oven 6-quart
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
Ingredients for my Taco Seasoning:
Yields: 1/4 cup of Taco Seasoning
- 1 1/2 tbsps chili powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsps ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper Freshly-ground
Ingredients for the Home-Style Taco Meat:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 pounds ground pork (substitute ground chicken, lean ground sirloin, or turkey)
- 1 onion Diced
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions Reserve green tops for garnish
- 2 cloves garlic Minced
- 1 Fresno chili Seeded and minced (substitute a jalapeno pepper)
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper Freshly-ground
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 tbsps taco seasoning
- 1 lime Juiced
- 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 cups beef stock Unsalted
- 3/4 cup store-bought fresh salsa (cantina-style)
Garnishes:
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup green onion tops Thinly sliced on the bias
Instructions
- Instructions for the Taco Seasoning:Add all the ingredients for the taco seasoning into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mix to combine.Instructions for the Home-StyleTaco Meat:Set the pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and the diced onions. Stir and cook until the onions begin to soften and become translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add the ground pork, 4 tablespoons of the taco seasoning, diced green onions ( including the white parts), minced Fresno chili, minced garlic, dried oregano, Kosher salt, and fresh-ground black pepper to the pan.Using a wooden spoon, break up the meat into small pieces. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink, 10-12 minutes. Add tomato paste and fresh Pico de Gallo, and stir to combine. Next, add the Worcestershire sauce, fresh lime juice, and beef stock. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, uncovered for 25-30 minutes.At this point, all the liquid and seasonings have been absorbed into the meat. Turn the heat off and add the sliced green onion tops and cilantro leaves, and mix to combine. Transfer to a large serving bowl. It’s Home-Style Taco Night!To serve. I prefer the crunchy taco shells, but it’s totally up to you!There you have it, my Home-Style Taco Meat.
Notes
1) A variety of fresh salsas and Pico de Gallo are now available in the refrigerated section of the produce department in most grocery stores. Take advantage of these products to use as ingredients for the taco meat.
2) 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning per pound of ground meat.
3) Tip: Store taco seasoning in an airtight container in a dry, cool place.
4) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.https://lindalouhamel.com/2017/06/24/cilantro-lime-brown-rice-with-black-beans/
https://lindalouhamel.com/2015/04/29/guacamole/
https://lindalouhamel.com/2014/08/05/pico-de-gallo-two-ways/
https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/
