Faith's Tacos

You will never find ground beef /mince tacos in Mexico. Authentic beef tacos are either sliced seared steaks (like Carne Asada), or marinated beef chopped into thin strips that are pan fried to get golden crispy edges (taqueria style), or slow-cooked and shredded into sauce like Shredded Beef Tacos and Beef Barbacoa.

Ancient Mexicans used freshly made, soft, flat corn tortillas and filled them with things like fish and cooked organs. The taco was first introduced to the United States in 1905. Mexican migrants were coming in to work on railroads and other jobs and started to bring their food with them. Tacos were essentially a street food at this time since they were highly portable and cheap. In fact, Americans first became exposed to tacos through Mexican food carts in Los Angeles that were run by women called “chili queens”. By 1920, the food Mexican immigrants brought in started to fuse with American ingredients. Organ meat was replaced with the more palatable ground beef and chicken. Cheddar cheese, cool lettuce, tomato became standard fillings. This became known as the ultimate taco to Americans whose traditional cuisine favored more subtle flavors. The pre-fried crunchy taco shell we love didn’t come into existence until the 1940s. Mexicans patented this idea first to expedite the taco-making process. Taco Bell took this idea 10 years later to streamline their operations. The pre-made crunchy taco shell made it easier to mass-produce the taco in America.

Instead of using Monterey Jack or Cheddar, which is Tex-Mex, the Mexican cheeses cotija (a salty aged cheese similar to parmesan) or queso fresco (a fresh cheese that crumbles easily) could be used.

Also see Taco Seasoning Mix for alternative seasoning ideas.

To have a change of pace, instead of using any leftovers to make tacos again, they could be used to make Nachos or Taco Salad.

Crumble the hamburg and fry in a hot pan. When the hamburg starts to cook and change color, add the onion and garlic. Continue frying until the meat is done and the onion is cooked through. Add the jalapeno pepper, cumin, paprika, chili powder and oregano. Mix together and add a few tablespoons of tomato sauce just to coat the mixture; add a little water if the mixture is too thick and dry. Taste and adjust the seasonings. The mixture should be spicy and hot; it won't taste as hot in the finished taco. Keep warm.

To fry the tortillas, put a small amount (just a teaspoon or so) of corn oil into a clean and heated cast iron frying pan. Place the tortilla in the pan and move it around to pick up a little of the oil. Fry on one side until it is turning brown in spots, flip and fry the other side. You are looking for a tortilla that is nicely brown in spots and crisp, yet still pliable so that it doesn't break when you fold the taco in half.

To assemble, spread a warm tortilla with a little refried beans, then the meat mixture, the cheese, and fresh chopped vegetables. Top with sour cream, guacamole, and salsa.

To Make for a Crowd: As you fry the tortilla shells, when they are crisp, but still pliable, bend into a U shape. Add some refried beans, the meat mixture and cheese. Stack the filled shells side-by-side in a baking pan. Continue frying and filling the taco shells. Place the shells in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, or until hot and the cheese has melted. Serve, passing the toppings (onion, tomato, lettuce, sour cream and/or guacamole, salsa) so guests can add the toppings they prefer.