Taco Seasoning
Why buy taco seasoning from the store when you can easily make your own using ingredients you likely already have? I usually make a larger batch (five times the recipe) and store it in a jar for convenience. This seasoning is also great for slow-cooked meats like fajitas.
Why buy taco seasoning from the store when you can easily make your own using ingredients you likely already have? I usually make a larger batch (five times the recipe) and store it in a jar for convenience. This seasoning is also great for slow-cooked meats like fajitas.
- Carbohydrate 1.03800560941794 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.320009301506482 g
- Fiber 0.493689626091642 g
- Protein 0.283769468127525 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0412308000154728 g
- Serving Size 1 1 ounce (2g)
- Sodium 67.2986000016442 mg
- Sugar 0.544315983326298 g
- Trans Fat 0.0483321013164333 g
- Calories 6 calories
Step-by-step
- Combine all ingredients in an air-tight container; store in a cool, dry place.
- When ready to prepare taco meat, brown ground beef and drain off fat.
- Add 2 Tablespoon mix per 1 lb. ground beef, with 3/4 cup water.
- Bring to boil and simmer covered 10 minutes.
- Serve with toasted or soft taco shells, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, sour cream and taco sauce.
Limited pantry space makes single-use spice packets inefficient, requiring a modular approach that relies on bulk jars already sitting on the shelf. Blending dry spices manually allows control over the ratio of ground cumin, chili powder, and aromatics without commercial anti-caking agents. Storing the mixture in an airtight glass jar protects volatile oils from degrading under light and heat exposure.
Flavor development depends on fat-soluble compounds present in spices like paprika and chili powder bonding with cooking fats during the browning process. Toasting ground cumin briefly in a dry skillet before mixing releases its cuminaldehyde compounds, sharpening the overall aromatic profile. Salt acts as a flavor amplifier, drawing moisture out of the meat to concentrate savory notes as the liquid reduces.
Maintaining proper texture in the final dish requires managing water content during the ten-minute simmer phase. Adding three-quarters cup of water per pound of meat dissolves the spice particles evenly, allowing the starches in the chili powder to hydrate and thicken the sauce. Excess moisture destroys mouthfeel by turning the meat watery, so boiling off the liquid until the sauce clings to the protein is critical.
Keeping the spice blend in a cool, dark cupboard preserves its potency for up to six months. Measure two tablespoons of the dry mix for every single pound of protein, adjusting the cayenne pepper increment up or down to modify the heat level. Ground spices lose potency rapidly once exposed to humidity, so always ensure the storage container lid seals tightly after each use.
