Tacos (Real)
Avoid the taco kits of yore and make your own picadillo, then put it in hard-shell tacos and top how you like.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil like canola, peanut or grapeseed
- 1 medium-size yellow onion peeled and diced
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 2 lbs. ground beef
- 2 tablespoons chile powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt or to taste
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika or substitute hot or sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes or to taste
- 1 cup chicken broth or beef broth low-sodium if store-bought
- 12-18 hard taco shells
Instructions
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add the oil. When it begins to shimmer, add the onion, and cook until softened and starting to brown, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the garlic, and cook for a minute or so to soften, and then the ground beef. Cook until the beef is starting to brown, stirring and chopping with a spoon to break up the meat, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Pour off excess fat, leaving only a tablespoon or two in the pan.
- Heat oven to 325. Add the chile powder, cumin, salt, pepper, cornstarch, paprika and red-pepper flakes, and stir to combine. Add the broth, stir, bring to a simmer and cook uncovered until the sauce has thickened slightly, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
- As sauce cooks, place taco shells on a sheet pan, and toast in oven until they are crisp and smell nutty. Serve a few tablespoons of meat in each taco, along with whatever toppings you like.
Notes
Recipe By: New York Times
Serving Size: 6
Serving Size: 6
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