Try this Navajo tacos recipe, or contribute your own.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- salt and pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- ingredients:
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes drained
- 1 (4 oz) can diced green chilis
- navajo fry bread
- yields 8 (6 inch) fry breads
- 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
- 3/4 - 1 cup warm milk (110 degrees)
- 1 tbsp butter or shortening melted
- vegetable oil for frying (sometimes i use half olive oil)
- Carbohydrate 206.195826064164 g
- Cholesterol 330.238165464273 mg
- Fat 67.8384324093566 g
- Fiber 10.6885585427832 g
- Protein 123.00969027392 g
- Saturated Fat 27.6274967844627 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (945g)
- Sodium 3874.08613458492 mg
- Sugar 195.507267521381 g
- Trans Fat 7.63374192345132 g
- Calories 1962 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat.
- Once oil is hot, crumble beef into oil, add onions and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up beef when stirring, until beef has browned and cooked through.
- Drain fat from beef and return to skillet (my mom doesn't drain the fat, she says it gives it more flavor so you can leave it if you'd like).
- Stir in garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin, kidney beans, canned diced tomatoes and green chilis then season mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer, uncovered for 10-15 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, spoon mixture over Navajo Fry bread, then top with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and sour cream (and any of the other optional toppings listed).
- Serve immediately.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, yeast and salt.
- Whisk melted butter into warm milk and pour milk mixture into dry ingredients.
- Stir until mixture comes together and forms a ball, dough should be slightly sticky and elastic so add an up to an additional 1/4 cup milk as needed.
- Cover dough with plastic wrap and allow to rest 10 minutes.
- Heat 1 inch of oil in a large cast iron skillet to 350 - 360 degrees over stove top.
- Divide rested dough into 12 equal pieces.
- Working with floured hands and one piece of dough at a time, roll dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 6 inch circle and gently drop into hot oil, and cook until golden brown 1-2 minutes per side (second side will cook faster).
- Remove from oil and drain onto a plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels.
- Serve warm with Navajo Taco topping or for dessert, spread with honey butter.
Aromatic Maillard Reactions and Spice Bloom
Ground beef browned in a skillet undergoes the Maillard reaction, developing savory complex compounds as amino acids and reducing sugars react under heat. Cumin and chili powder contain fat-soluble volatile oils that release their full aromatic potential when bloomed directly in the warm meat fat rather than added to watery liquids. Garlic introduces allicin compounds that mellow when exposed to heat, blending with the earthy, rustic notes of paprika to build a robust flavor foundation for the beans and tomatoes.Yeast Fermentation and Gluten Development
Flour mixed with baking powder, yeast, warm milk, and melted butter creates a dual-leavened dough that relies on both chemical gas production and biological fermentation. Kneading aligns gluten strands into an elastic network capable of trapping carbon dioxide bubbles, which expands rapidly upon contact with hot oil. Milk provides lactose and fats that promote browning on the exterior crust while keeping the interior crumb tender and pliable.Thermal Control and Moisture Management
Maintaining the frying oil strictly between 350 and 360 degrees Fahrenheit prevents the dough from absorbing excess grease while ensuring the exterior achieves a crisp, golden-brown finish within two minutes per side. Overcrowding the skillet drops the oil temperature prematurely, resulting in a soggy, oil-logged product that destroys the necessary contrast against the moist meat topping. Draining the fried disks on paper towels removes surface oil before the savory beef, beans, and fresh dairy elements are applied.
