Baked Tacos
This is a great party meal. My daughter and I can make 12 dozen in a little more than an hour, with one person preparing the tortillas and the other stuffing them with the meat filling. On my large baking sheets, I can bake at least 3 dozen or more tacos at a time, so lots of people can be served simultaneously.
This is a great party meal. My daughter and I can make 12 dozen in a little more than an hour, with one person preparing the tortillas and the other stuffing them with the meat filling. On my large baking sheets, I can bake at least 3 dozen or more tacos at a time, so lots of people can be served simultaneously.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 potato
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef, lean
- 1 tblspoons fajita seasoning
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- 2 dozen corn tortillas ** look for tortillas for taco and tostadas, they are thinner.
- 1 bag lettuce shredded
- 1/2 onion diced
- 2 tomato diced
- 2 cup colby/jack cheese shredded
- Carbohydrate 19.094515625 g
- Cholesterol 86.4775 mg
- Fat 194.62230125 g
- Fiber 3.13040632554889 g
- Protein 23.824321875 g
- Saturated Fat 24.65885225 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (398g)
- Sodium 434.13875 mg
- Sugar 15.9641092994511 g
- Trans Fat 5.15661950000001 g
- Calories 1895 calories
Step-by-step
- Peel and dice potato into small (? inch) dice. Crumble ground beef into large skillet and brown over medium heat, adding spices and potato. Note: If using a good lean ground beef, there should be little fat, potato will absorb that. Cook beef until just brown and potato is translucent, do not overcook or the filling it will be dry. Spices are to taste, so adjust accordingly. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Heat vegetable oil very hot (not smoking). Fold tortillas in half, one at a time, and hold together at top of fold with tongs. (Thin tortillas work best here, thicker ones will break). Dip briefly into hot oil to just soften. Oil should bubble around tortilla if hot enough. Make sure entire taco is lightly coated with hot oil. Set aside on baking sheet. Line tortillas up on the baking sheet as they are removed from oil for easy access to opening.
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Fill each taco with one heaping tablespoon (I use a serving spoon not a measuring spoon) of the meat filling. You may have extra meat. It can be eaten with salad for another meal.
- Bake tacos for approximately 20 minutes or until just lightly brown and crisp on the top. You can tap the top of one with your finger to test for crispness.
- Remove from oven and serve with lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese and salsa. I set these out and let eveyone fill their own tacos with their favorites.
When preparing large batches of tacos for a crowd, handling brittle corn tortillas presents the primary logistical hurdle. Standard thick tortillas snap immediately upon folding. Selecting thin tortillas designed specifically for tacos and tostadas solves this breakage issue entirely, allowing them to bend safely after a brief flash in hot oil. Dipping the folded shell into oil heated below its smoking point softens the masa so it retains its curved shape during baking.
Incorporating finely diced raw potato directly into the ground beef mixture serves a vital structural purpose. As the meat browns over medium heat, the potato pieces absorb excess rendered fat while releasing starch. This starch binds the lean meat filling together, preventing the mixture from tumbling out of the crisp shells during assembly. Cook the filling only until the potato dice turn translucent to ensure the beef remains moist inside the oven.
Determining doneness requires tactile feedback rather than internal temperature measurement. Bake the assembled tacos at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes until the edges take on a pale golden hue. Tap the top edge of a shell firmly with a finger; if the surface resists indentation and feels rigid, remove the pans immediately.
Substituting ground turkey or pork changes the fat output significantly. Lean poultry requires an added tablespoon of neutral oil to the pan so the potato can soften properly without scorching.
