Seasoned Taco Meat (Recipe)

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posted on

June 10, 2024

You’re gonna love this recipe for Seasoned Taco Meat.

It’s a must-have if you're looking to put healthy, junk-free, delicious food on your table.

Truly, hardly a week goes by that we don’t use it in one dish or another.

Because it’s not just for tacos, which is one of the main reasons I always make a big batch to have some on hand in the refrigerator.

Now, we do have tacos most weeks. The little Farmhands look forward to taco night, and the Farmers do, too.

There’s something about getting to build your own meal that appeals to the bourgeoning independent spirits of the littles.

And Farmer Mama appreciate that it’s full of nutrition and you control the ingredients.

Have you ever looked at the ingredient list on a typical taco seasoning packet?

Yuck.

Who wants to add those preservatives, anti-caking agents, and who knows what else into premium, super clean meat..

You don't want to take that natural goodness and fill it full of chemicals.

Instead, whip up your own with our nutrient dense grass-fed beef and/or pasture-raised pork plus a few simple ingredients from your spice rack.

But like I said, this delicious seasoned meat isn’t just for stuffing in your favorite tortilla.

When my girlfriends and I get together, I always suggest we make taco salads. Especially during the Spring and Summer when there is such amazing local lettuce to be had.

With a set all-in-one menu like that, it’s sooo easy to delegate tasks for a potluck style gathering.

Make a list of toppings and dole them out. No worries that everyone will bring potato salad.

Of course, I always volunteer to bring the meat. Haha.

Along the same lines, this seasoned taco meat is perfect for adding to mixed bowls with rice and beans.

Mixed bowls are another delicious dish of the build-your-own sort that has wide appeal – and are super economical for a crowd.

On top of which, they make it easy to accommodate multiple dietary needs and account for picky eaters.

Actually, I look forward to mixed bowls for lunch several times a week.

The fridge usually harbors leftover rice from one meal or another. Cooked beans, too. Though of course you can always open a can of lovely kidney or black beans.

Stir in random bits of leftover cooked vegetables, top with some leftover seasoned taco meat, and you have a gourmet lunch made from leftovers.

Makes me hungry thinking about it.

And then there’s Sunday afternoon…

I make breakfast on Sunday morning, but after that everyone is on their own.

Luckily, Martin makes a mean pan of nachos.

With a few spoons of seasoned taco meat that’s already in the fridge, tasty nachos are fast, filling and sure to please.

Can you tell why I suggest making a big batch?

It disappears fast.

Seasoned taco meat freezes well, too.

So at the very least you can make enough ahead for future taco nights, too.

Cook once, wash the pan once, eat as many times as possible…

And make everyone’s taste buds and tummies happy in the process.

Bliss.

The pan juices contain so much flavor, along with healthy fat. Don't drain it all away.

Instead, store with any leftover taco meat. The pan juices may make for soggy tortillas, but they are perfect for adding to rice and bean bowls or taco salads for a bit of extra sauce or dressing.

Seasoned Taco Meat

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef or ground pork or a combination

2 tsp cooking oil

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp dried oregano

Directions

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Swirl in the oil.

Add the ground beef and/or pork to the pan.

Break the meat up with a wooden spoon or metal spatula as it cooks.

As the meat browns, add in the seasonings. Mix thoroughly.

Stir occasionally until cooked through.

Put on a lid, reduce the heat, and allow to simmer for a few minutes.

Don't discard the pan juices. Store them with any leftover taco meat - they're especially delicious on rice and bean bowls or taco salad.

Click here to buy ground beef now.

Top 3 Secrets for Great Kabobs (Recipe)

Have you grilled shish kabobs yet this summer? I have to say, they’re one of my favorites and something I look forward to making every year as soon as the sun starts to shine. Shish kabobs are simple, healthy and so perfectly suited to the fresh tastes of summer. Quick enough for a weeknight, they can also be prepped in advance for a sunny deck party. Their roots are in multiple culinary traditions. Sometimes they’re just called Skewers. In Greece they’re called Souvlaki, which is what I made this week for my family. So what are they? At the most basic level, shish kabobs are bits of meat and/or vegetables placed onto skewers and grilled. The combinations of ingredients and flavors are endless, so they easily suit dietary needs, flavor preferences, and whatever is fresh for the season. But there are a few ways kabobs can go wrong if you don’t have the right methods in place. To help you get it right and have the best eating experience, today I’m sharing my top 3 secrets for great kabobs. Follow these 3 top rules and I can nearly guarantee you’ll create a delicious outcome every time. 1. Remove any connective tissue from the meat before grilling. Skip this step and you’re going to be disappointed. Connective tissues, like the fascia and silver skin, add a nutritious element to stews - but are enemies to a quick cooking dish like kabobs. Leave them in the kabobs, and you’ll end up with a tough nightmare you can’t chew. So, depending on the cut you choose, make sure to carefully remove any connective tissue before cutting the meat into one inch cubes. Following this advice is especially imperative if choosing a more economical cut of beef, like London Broil, stew meat or Denver steaks. They are delicious and can make great kabobs, but the tradeoff is a bit of extra labor on your part. You don’t have to throw away the trimmed bits, either. Save them in the freezer to add extra flavor and nutrition to your next batch of bone broth. Or cut them up for your dog or cat – best friends for life! Now, don’t confuse undesirable connective tissue with intermuscular marbling. You can tell it’s connective tissue to be removed if the muscle pulls away on both sides (see photo). Marbling, on the other hand, is the thin white veins of fat that run through the muscle. Marbling is delicious and highly desirable in kabobs. Leave it in! For the easiest to prepare and most tender bite, choose a quality steak like the New York Strip, Rib Eye or Top Sirloin. These cuts have very little, if any, connective tissue, so you’ll save the trimming step. Plus the NY and Rib Eye especially have the perfect amount of marbling to make for a super tender bite. Since our steaks are cut at 1” thick, all you need to do is finish cutting them into 1” cubes. Click here to buy steak for kabobs now. If you’re looking for a pork options, pork chops and kabobs are your best bet. They’re both delicious, but make sure to follow the rule on removing connective tissue when opting for the kabob. 2. Place meat on separate skewers from the vegetables. This is important because the vegetables are going to take waaaayyy longer to cook than the meat. Put them on the same skewers like in the pretty magazine pictures and you’re either going to have shoe-leather meat or raw vegetables. Which leads to… 3. Don’t overcook the meat. Overcooked, dried out meat is tough meat. I probably sound like a broken record on this point, but it’s so easy to get this step wrong. And it's important because I want you to enjoy every bite of our premium grass-fed beef - every time. So first grill those vegetables (the ones you placed on separate skewers) until they’re lovely and crisp-tender. Set them aside and THEN throw on the meat skewers. Now, don’t blink. Definitely don’t walk away to fill your drink, set the table, or mediate a kid dispute… In a flash, those succulent meat skewers will reach an internal temperature of 140 degrees. You’ll just have time to turn them and get lovely grill marks on all sides. Take them off the heat and rest them on a plate for 5 minutes. The internal temp will raise another 5 degrees and the meat juices will reabsorb for the most tender, juicy bite. Use a medium (not high) flame, for best results. Bonus Tips Get the family into the action. Cut up all the vegetables, toss them in olive oil, and then let everyone make their own skewers with whatever ingredients they prefer. When we made kabobs this last week, the Farmhands each made their own skewers and had so much fun in the process. Farmhand Vera eschewed the mushrooms. For Farmhand Eli, no onion. Farmhand Grace put on everything because that’s most fun - especially the “vacchinnies” (translation: zucchini). And no one punctured their hand with the sharp skewers! At least after I showed them how to put the veggies on a cutting board instead of the palm of your hand :) Final flavor tip - Be sure to marinate the meat skewers for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. My absolute favorite marinade is from my Greek Souvlaki Recipe, because it complements both One Straw beef and pork without covering up the inherently luscious flavor. And don’t forget to make the tzatziki dressing from the same recipe. Drizzle it over the meat and vegetables on your plate. Then dust with parsley, salt and fresh ground pepper for the perfect finish. Are you hungry yet? I just finished up the last of our kabob leftovers for lunch and I’m wishing I’d made more… Click here to order beef or pork for kabobs now.