Beef Tacos

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Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef
3 TBS flour
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2tsp ground black pepper
1/2tsp paprika
1/2tsp Mexican oregano (if you don’t have it – leave it out)
1/2to1 cup of water

In a skillet, brown your meat. Drain off all the fat as it cooks. I don’t season anything until I get rid of all the fat and till all the meat has browned nicely. Add your seasonings above. I hate to put measurements on seasonings. Everyone has their own tastes, but there is a balance to these seasonings. Notice that the salt and cumin are more pronounced than the cayenne, paprika, and black pepper. That is the main thing you need to know about the seasonings. Just play with them yourself till you get the combination you like. Sprinkle in about 3 TBS of flour. Stir until all meat is coated. Then add 1/2to 1 cup of water till it makes a nice gravy. Turn up the heat until it boils then back down to a low temp and let it simmer.

Sometimes I buy premade taco shells at the store in the Latin American section. You can also make your own taco shells:

Taco shells:

Put about 3 cups of oil in a large pan it should only fill up the bottom 2 inches of the pan
Using tongs, dip a corn tortilla in the hot oil (about 350 degrees)
Fold the tortilla in half – try not to let the sides touch and leave a space to fill them with beef and your toppings. Cook until crisp - about 30-45 seconds.
If you want to make a soft corn taco shell, just heat the tortilla on both sides for about 8 – 15 seconds,

Making the taco:

Fill the taco shell with the cooked beef mixture. Add shredded cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, and lettuce. You may want to top with sour cream.

This recipe should make about 16 tacos