Taco 'Bout a Delicious Meal!

I make tacos every week. At least once. I also use that term pretty loosely. Tacos can mean enchiladas, tacos can mean fajitas, tacos can really mean anything with a south american flavor or a Tex-Mex vibe. In this blog post, we'll guide you through the basics of making tacos at home.

Choosing Your Base

I know I say I make tacos every week, but I usually skip the tortillas on my plate. I use a base of greens, whatever kind we have (if we have them). I also keep on hand a stack of flour street taco shells for Mr. Butchershop. To be honest you don't have to have tortillas to pull a taco night, but I do like to keep tortillas and tortilla chips on hand for emergencies. 

Preparing the Filling

The fact that I own a butchershop, makes the options for tacos endless. But there are a few Tacos that I have on repeat, some because they are easy, some because I have an abundance of a certain cut and some because I just love certain types of tacos. Really the toppings pull everything together. So don't get too wrapped up in making a decision on the protein. Have left over grilled chicken? Use it. Leftover burgers? Use them. Anything can be chopped up and stuck in a tortilla. 

Option #1: Brisket Burger Taco Meat Recipe

I love to make brisket burger tacos when we have an abundance of Brisket Burgers around. They are so easy to pull together and the brisket blend really gives a nice beefy flavor to the mix.

Instructions:

• Preheat a large skillet with a few drops of oil
• Add 3 brisket burger patties
• Break them up with a wooden spoon into crumbles
• Once the meat starts to cook, add 1 cup (ish) beef bone broth (or water)
• Add 1 packet of Siete Taco or Fajita seasoning
• Break these pieces down as the water simmers
• Once pieces are the size you like turn the heat to low and let simmer

Option #2: Chicken & Chorizo Taco Meat Recipe

I overheard someone talking about mixing ground chicken with chorizo for a taco and I immediately asked Emily to mix some chorizo for me and went home and cooked this. This is my new favorite! Sometimes I find ground chicken to be dry and the combination of the pork and the sausage is just right!

Instructions:

• Preheat a large skillet with a few drops of oil
• Add 1 pound of Chorizo and 1 pound of ground chicken to skillet
• Break up with a wooden spoon into crumbles
• Once meat starts to cook add 1 cup (ish) chicken bone broth (or water)
• Break these pieces down as the water simmers
• Once pieces are the size you like turn the heat to low and let simmer

Option #3: Picanha Taco Meat Recipe

We deal in a ton of Sirloins and I get so excited when Emily the butcher tells me we have an extra picanha laying around. We sell these as steaks most days, but a whole picanha roasts up so perfectly and makes a great beef taco or any kind of sliced beef. Honestly sometimes I cook these and cool them and then eat them the next day cold. Such a great flavor.

Instructions:

• Preheat your oven to 450° Fahrenheit 
• Season Picanha with Siete Beef Fajita seasoning packet - just shake it over the top and bottom and press into the meat with your hands
• Place Picanha on a rack in a rimmed baking sheet, fat cap side up and put in the center of the oven
• Roast until internal temperature rises 115° - ish, this should take 25-50 minutes depending on size
• Once Picanha comes to 115°, turn on the broiler for the last 5-8 minutes (Don't set your house on fire! Watch this closely)
• I take this to 135° - then remove the heat and let rest for 15 minutes (or longer)
• Slice against the grain into thin slices

Option #4: Tri-Tip Taco Meat Recipe

Tri-Tips are my favorite piece to cook. They are consistently delicious and very forgiving when you cook them. They make a killer taco when sliced thin and can be used for a second or third meal when necessary.

Instructions:

• Preheat your oven to 220° Fahrenheit
• Season Tri-Tip with Siete Beef Fajita seasoning packet - just shake it over the top and the bottom and press into the meat with your hands
• Place tri-tip in the center of the oven 
• Roast tri-tip until internal temperature reaches 100° - ish, this should take 25-50 minutes depending on the size
• Preheat grill or cast iron pan, add lard, butter or oil to pan or flat top
• Remove the tri-tip from oven and place onto preheated grill
• Seer for a few minutes on each side until you reach the desired temperature, I go for 135° in the center
• Remove meat from heat and let rest for 15 minutes (or longer)
• Slice against the grain (this goes two separate directions in a tri-tip) into thin slices 

Adding Toppings

The toppings are where you can really personalize your tacos. But no need to go nuts here. Sure a great taco bar looks amazing, but do you really want to dice a whole tomato so you can put 3 cubes on your taco and then pick them off? Go for the toppings that make or break the taco and then keep some items on hand that have a long shelf life. I really only need the white cheese dip and 1 more topping to feel like I really accomplished a meal. It really is the luck of the taco, sometimes I have all the toppings available, sometimes I have a few. But any way you look at it, a taco is made. Anything you add on top of this is extra. I love a great pineapple salsa so if i'm planning tacos we will probably have it, but if tacos happen spontaneously … chances are slim I’ll have pineapple laying around. 

• Kansas City Canning Taco Kit: I like having this kit around, everything is pickled so they keep for a long time and the colors are bright so I feel like I've pulled together a great meal. These pickled radishes are unique and delicious with a great texture.
• Salsa: I don't believe in expiration dates on salsa. I mean I have thrown away salsa before, but maybe like 1 time and I think I was moving. So find 1 or more that you love and keep them on-hand. 
• Avocado: This is a toss up. I hate throwing away avocados, so I buy them in a set when I know I have a week coming up where I will use them, or I get 1 single avocado that is soft to the touch and use it that day. There is no inbetween, it's either a 6 day wait or use immediately. 
• Cheese: I keep Sam’s club brand white cheese dip on hand … at all times. There is no substitute. I used to imagine that I would bring home fresh cheese from the shop and grate it, but seriously that never happens. White cheese dip is like salsa, no expiration date. 
• Lettuce: I keep greens on hand for all my lunches so I just slam some of those in there. I cannot stomach buying a bag of shredded iceberg (hello $4.99 GE? Seriously.) and honestly I think that lettuce is the scariest food hazard … 
• Rice: We love vigo yellow rice, but 1 bag makes enough for 5 taco nights. So I make this and I freeze 4 snack size bags of it. Then I reheat the rice on the stove with some water. It makes the rice a bit softer than we love, but I hate throwing out so much rice, so we just have ok rice 4 out of 5 times. 
• Beans: I keep refried beans on hand so that we can have them to build a more robust taco. I use them the next day in leftovers for lunch or add them to soup in the winter. 

Putting It All Together

There is no correct way to assemble. You lead with your heart here. Build your taco. Shell, protein, toppings. It will be messy. It is a taco. Enjoy the chaos.