Tacos can be found all over the world, though of course they originated down south in Mexico. They first made their appearance in the 19th century around the silver mines. So what makes the taco so special? Well much like a sandwich, tacos are incredibly customizable. Every last detail of a taco is up to the eater from the shell, to the protein, to the garnishes. Everyone has their own way of building their taco.
This recipe is for what is probably the most common form of taco we know: the beef taco. No, we aren’t just dropping a packet of pre-seasoned mix into a pan, we’re using fresh spices to really make this dish pop! Keep reading below for the recipe…
Beef Tacos
(makes 8 servings)
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons corn oil
- 1 small onion, chopped small
- 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1lb ground beef (at least 90%lean)
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
Directions
- Heat oil in the skilled over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until softened.
- Add garlic, spices, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and stir, cooking until fragrant (about 1 minutes).
- Add ground beef, and brown. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to prevent scorching.
- Add tomato sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar, and vinegar. Bring to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to medium low to keep simmering, stirring occasionally. Make sure to break the meat up so there are no big chunks.
- Once the liquid has reduced and thickened (about 10 minutes), taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve in taco shells or tortillas, top as desired.
- Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from America’s Test Kitchen