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Ground Beef Tacos
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 teaspoons cumin
1 heaping tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 pounds Monterey Jack or Mozzarella cheese, shredded
5 cups lettuce, shredded
2 dozen 6" corn tortillas
Oil for frying
Brown the ground beef and drain all but a tablespoon or two of the grease. Stir in the cumin, chili powder and salt. Keep warm.
Lightly coat a large non-stick skillet with oil and bring it to medium heat. When hot, dribble another half dollar-size spot of oil in the skillet. (The more oil the crispier the taco shell.) Place a tortilla over the spot of oil and 'twirl' it a bit to coat it thoroughly.
Place a large spoonful (2 tablespoons) of ground beef across the center of the tortilla. Sprinkle almost as much cheese on top of the meat. Then place a generous portion of lettuce behind the meat and cheese, toward you, and fold in half. Heat through. Repeat for each taco.
- (Taco-folding tip: Slide the front edge of the tortilla up the side of the skillet about an inch, bring the opposite edge to meet it, and hold it closed for a few moments with a spatula. Gravity keeps the contents from spilling out.)
In a large skillet, 2 or more tacos can be heating while a third is being assembled. More on a griddle. Transfer hot tacos to a warming tray or serving platter; reheat, if necessary, before serving. Serve with Guacamole (below), and/or salsa and sour cream.
Makes 2 dozen tacos.
Option:
Shredded Beef Tacos
Making shredded beef is as simple as slow-cooking a rump roast. For this recipe, start with a 2 1/2 to 3-pound roast.
Season the roast with salt and pepper and place it in a slow-cooker with 1/2 cup white wine, broth or water, (I hear Jack Daniels is good, too) 1/2 cup minced onion and 1 or 2 tablespoons minced garlic. Cook it on low until very tender, 5 or 6 hours, longer if frozen. (Yes, that works.)
Remove and use your fingers or 2 forks to shred the meat. Stir in the seasoning from the Ground Beef Taco Recipe and prepare the tacos as above.
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Guacamole (for either taco recipe)
For 2 dozen tacos:
2 large tomatoes
3 avocados
1 large onion
2 teaspoons lemon juice (optional)
Chunky-chop the tomatoes, avocados. Finely chop the onion. Mix. Stir in a little lemon juice, if you like, to preserve the avocado.
Lots more Mexican food recipes:
More Fiesta Food like the Ground Beef Taco Recipe