Easy Taco Skillet Recipe (Healthy & Quick!) - Oh Sweet Basil (2024)

FAQs

Do you put water in the pan when cooking taco meat? ›

Turns out it's essential for giving the proper consistency to the taco meat because those seasoning mixes contain cornstarch, which requires water and heat to create a sauce. What you're doing when you add water is helping the cornstarch create a smooth sauce flavored with the spices.

We absolutely adore our Mexican food, and woks can come in handy on Taco Tuesday! They are not only great for cooking up taco fillings quickly, but you can use woks for cooking or warming up the tortillas too.

Skirt steaks are the most common choice for tacos and for good reason. They have a unique, beefy flavor, and are cost-friendly. This is what most carne asada is made from. They're also easy to cook, perfectly lean, and a great match for a good marinade.

"No browned or fried ground beef here. This is cooked in water. YES, in water. Resulting in that nicely steamed, soft texture you get in most Mexican restaurants."

Blend in the onion, bouillon, and ground red pepper, stirring until all spices are well blended. Crumble the ground chuck into a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until browned. Remove from heat, rinse meat with hot water, and drain water and grease from beef.

Cook and stir ground beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain and discard any excess grease. Pour water and seasoning mix over beef; stir to combine.

Draining the grease from ground beef will make a dish healthier and is usually recommended. Brown the meat first to extract the fat. Then, you can spoon the grease out of the pan or use a colander to drain the grease.

USDA recommends against TikTok trend of washing ground beef. Food safety experts say washing beef can spread bacteria, and that only cooking it to a safe internal temperature is needed.

No one should eat a taco without a wedge of lime. The acidic tang complements the meat - whether it's fried fish or carnitas. When Mexicans marinate carne asada, they soak the beef in orange juice to tenderize the meat and boost the flavor profile.

What does adding water to taco meat do? ›

Turns out it's essential for giving the proper consistency to the taco meat because those seasoning mixes contain cornstarch, which requires water and heat to create a sauce.

Most taco seasoning mixes contain salt, warming spices (such as paprika, oregano, and chili), onion powder, and garlic powder. This top-rated recipe is made with chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, sea salt, black pepper, ground paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and crushed red pepper flakes.

Lime is probably the most essential of authentic Mexican taco toppings. A squeeze of lime adds a dash of acid that brings out the other flavors in a taco beautifully. Onions, cilantro, pico de gallo, sliced radishes or cucumbers, avocado, and chili peppers are also standard toppings for authentic tacos.

1/2 cup water: After you've browned your meat, add in 1/2 cup water with 3 tablespoons of the taco seasoning mix. Stir to combine and mix all together. Slowly add in another 1/2 cup water as some will begin to absorb – you want it with a little sauce, just not too watery!

Boiling your ground beef is a great idea if you want to cook with leaner, less fatty meat. This is a simple, quick, and easy-to-clean process where you cover the meat in water and brown it on medium heat for for 3-5 minutes or so. Boiled beef is also often used to feed dogs, as it is a great form of protein.

Should you add water to taco seasoning? Yes. Water is what gives it a saucy quality and keeps the meat from being too dry and crumbly.

Taco seasoning used on meat for the tacos needs a bit of water to help distribute the spice mix. Packaged seasonings may contain thickeners to keep the finished product from becoming watery. In other recipes you might use the seasoning without water but would need some moisture to make it stick.