Best Ever Taco Meat- a combination of ground beef and chorizo, plus some chipotle peppers makes for a deliciously-flavored taco filling. This recipe is easy to make, but is completely from scratch. No packet seasoning needed.
This taco meat is loaded with flavor. There’s onion, garlic, poblano pepper, chipotle pepper, cumin, and chili powder. Some diced plum tomatoes add a little tomato flavor without being overpowering.
With the added chorizo, this taco meat is so much more flavorful than one made with just ground beef. Chorizo is made with pork so you get some added pork flavor. Chorizo also has dried chili peppers added, making it a little bit spicy.
This taco filling is the perfect base for a taco salad, quesadillas, or burritos.
Best Ever Taco Meat Recipe Tips:
You want to use Mexican-style chorizo for this recipe, not Spanish. The Mexican-style is uncooked and sometimes comes in casings and sometimes doesn’t. If it comes in casings, remove it from the casings.
If you like taco meat that is finely ground like at Mexican restaurants, once it is cooked, place it in a food processor and pulse it a few times.
The chili powder and chorizo add some spice to this recipe. For more heat, add Cholulu hot sauce to taste.
Will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days or it can be frozen in a ziplock bag for up to 2 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat in the microwave.
Great Mexican Sides to Serve with Tacos:
- Mexican Coleslaw
- Mexican Chorizo Rice
- Slow Cooker Spicy Pinto Beans
- Spicy Black Beans
- Black Bean and Corn Salsa
- Fire-Roasted Salsa
Best Ever Taco Meat
Ingredients
- 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
- 8 ounces Mexican chorizo,, casings removed
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion,, finely diced
- 1 poblano pepper,, seeded and finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves,, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- 4 plum tomatoes,, cored and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When starting to get hot, add ground beef and chorizo. Cook and break apart the meat with a wooden spoon.
- When meat is about halfway cooked, add salt, pepper, onion, and poblano pepper.Continue to cook 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, and chipotle pepper and cook 1 minute.
- Add tomatoes and water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for about 8 minutes to break the tomatoes down.
- Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe adapted from Cook’s Country
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Great taste. I used tomatoes from a 14 oz can of diced tomatoes. Delicious and flavorful. Not too spicy. Lots of requests for this recipe.
It is fabulous! Just made it for the second time and had to tweak it slightly when I realized I had no tomatoes. Used a can of no salt petite diced tomatoes instead and left out the water. Seemed just as good and a bit easier prep. It’s definitely become our taco meat of choice.
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What does your reply have to do with the posted recipe?
It was indeed the best taco meat! All four of my boys raved about the flavor… and they have discerning palettes. I did make my own chorizo so it wouldn’t be too spicy, and I omitted the water since I could see the tomatoes were already pretty wet. No one wants a drippy taco! The only thing I would change is hire a sous chef to do all the prep work 😆
A prep person and also a dishwasher!
I am a big fan of takoo and i had never tried meat ones but after trying this, meat ones are my favorite. Thankyou for sharing this recepie.C&T Wok
There are so many ads and pop-ups on your site I cannot stand the struggle to see the actual recipe. I will never know if it was good.
Have you actually tried to look at your own site on mobile?
Dave you need to chill and enjoy the experience this lady produces.
Seriously. Chill out Karen. I mean Kevin.