Taco Meat (Beef, Chicken, or Tofu)

When I first left home I didn't know the first thing about cooking most things.  And tacos were one of those things I was absolutely confused by.  So, for the first decade or so I used those store-bought packages and called it good enough.

Then my health started to tank and my budget started to decrease, so I decided to learn how to make it for myself - for beef, chicken, tofu, and fish tacos.  (Fish tacos I'll post as a separate recipe, as it's cooked quite differently.)

And you know what?  It's ridiculously easy.  Like... so easy, I am ashamed I never bothered to try before.

Hint: as long as you have two magic ingredients you can fashion yourself a decent taco.

The Two Magic Ingredients:
Cumin
Ancho Powder

Key:
Palm = roughly a tablespoon
Pinch = roughly a teaspoon

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef or chuck, or 2 large chicken breasts diced, or cubed tofu
1/2 palm granular or powdered onion
1 palm cumin
1 palm ancho
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 pinch salt (good quality salt helps neurological processes - I prefer pink Himalayan)
1 glug (2 tbs approx.) of white vinegar
a bit of black pepper
2 tabs of butter
1 cup of filtered water

Directions:

Brown beef, chicken, or tofu with onion powder and butter on medium, then add the rest of the dry ingredients and let cook another 2-4 minutes.  Add the vinegar and water and let cook on medium low until all of the water has evaporated.

Feel like switching it up?

Replacement Ingredients:
Instead of the vinegar try adding a bit of your favorite salsa. 
Instead of 1/2 cup of the water try adding a small can of V8 (I like the spicy kind). 

Add-Ins
A squirt of tomato paste
Garlic salt (only at the end)
Diced peppers, onions, or other veggies

Alternate Cooking:
Try putting all of the ingredients into a crockpot instead.


So long as you have cumin and ancho powder, it will pretty much taste like taco meat no matter what you put in - so long as it's not sweet.


#staple
#MainDish

---

---