One of the go-to favorites in our house is tacos (or nachos). Because I have long since given up on packaged taco spice mix, I came up with this mix of spices that adds just the right zing to ground beef. It took a couple adjustments to get the right balance of flavor and heat, but if you prefer a hotter mix, simply increase the red pepper flakes to taste or add a pinch of cayenne pepper.

For preparation, use one batch of this recipe for one pound of ground beef. I prefer to use beef with a low fat content (6% or less). Inside of draining the beef, I use the drippings to help the seasoning coat the beef. If you are using a higher fat content, drain the beef before adding the seasoning.

Homemade Nacho/Taco Seasoning

1 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 dried oregano

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

When preparing, brown ground beef in a skillet and drain. Reduce heat to low and return beef to skillet. Add seasoning and stir until beef is evenly coated. If pan is too dry, add a little water or reserve some of the drippings. Remove from heat and serve as desired.

This entry was posted on Monday, December 28th, 2009 at 5:05 am and is filed under Recipes, Sauces Dips & Rubs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.