Homemade Beef Tacos

Ingredients

For the recipe

• 500 g raw minced beef, 90% lean / 10% fat
• 12 small soft corn tortillas, about 15 cm / 6 inches across and 25 g each (300 g total)
• 100 g peeled onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves (6 g), finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons olive oil (9 g)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste (30 g)
• 120 ml water
• 1 tablespoon mild American-style chili powder spice blend (8 g), not pure hot chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin (2 g)
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (2 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt (3 g)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (0.5 g)
• 100 g romaine lettuce, washed, dried and finely shredded
• 200 g fresh tomatoes, diced
• 150 g ripe avocado flesh, weighed without peel or stone, diced
• 60 g cheddar cheese, freshly grated
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (30 g)
• 10 g fresh coriander / cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped

Instructions

1. Prepare the lettuce, tomatoes, avocado and coriander using a clean board before handling the raw beef. Toss the avocado with half the lime juice. Refrigerate the prepared toppings while you cook the filling.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring, until softened.
3. Add the beef and increase the heat to medium-high. Break it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon and cook for 6-8 minutes, allowing released water to evaporate so the beef can brown.
4. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste, mild chili powder blend, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper; stir for 1 minute without letting the spices burn.
5. Pour in the measured water, scrape up the browned bits and simmer gently for 4-5 minutes. The filling should be moist but not watery. Check that the beef reaches at least 71°C / 160°F; add a little plain water only if the mixture dries out too quickly.
6. Warm the corn tortillas in a separate dry frying pan over medium heat, about 20-30 seconds on each side, until flexible. Stack them in a clean towel as they are warmed to stop them drying out.
7. Divide the cooked beef evenly among all 12 warm tortillas. Add equal shares of the lettuce, diced tomatoes, avocado, grated cheddar and coriander to each taco.
8. Drizzle the remaining lime juice evenly over the tacos. Fold loosely and serve immediately, allowing 3 tacos per serving. Additional sauces, sour cream or side dishes are not included in the nutrition.