Name: Spoonable Mexican Restaurant-Style Taco Meat
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 5 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef, 80/20; 1 small onion, roughly chopped; 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped; 1/2 medium russet potato, peeled and chopped; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 1/4 cups beef broth or water; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp chili powder; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper

Steps

Place the onion, carrot, and potato in a food processor and pulse until very finely minced, almost a paste.
Add the vegetable mixture, raw ground beef, tomato paste, broth or water, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper to a saucepan.
Mix thoroughly while the beef is still raw.
Bring slowly to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
During the first 15 minutes, stir frequently and break the beef into very fine crumbles with a potato masher or sturdy spoon. 15 min
Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 45–60 minutes, stirring occasionally. 52 min
During the last 15 minutes, stir more frequently and allow the mixture to reduce until moist, cohesive, and spoonable. 15 min
Remove from heat, cover, and let rest for 15–20 minutes before serving.

Chef's notes

This filling keeps refrigerated up to 4 days and freezes well for up to 3 months. Spoon into soft or crispy taco shells, use on nachos, or serve over rice. The potato and vegetable base creates the authentic restaurant texture—do not skip the food processor step."

Spoonable Mexican Restaurant-Style Taco Meat

Ingredients

Nutrition per serving, estimated

Steps

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