Any taco experts?

FlaMtnBkr

FlaMtnBkr

Joined
Oct 20, 2004
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I was wondering if anyone knows how most (that I have been to) authentic mexican restaurants prepare the taco meat.

They are not full of spices like taco bell or the packets of seasoning you buy in the grocery store. Its almost like plain browned ground beef. However, when I brown hamburger with some salt and pepper its not the same.

Also, they usually put a soft white cheese that has a distinct taste to it but I have not been able to find anything in the store that is similar.

Anyone know the taco secrets?

Thanks!

Ryan
 
Yep, most places I've had tacos use plain ground hamburger with maybe a bit of seasoning. Cumin is usually the dominant spice, if it's spiced at all. Rotel, canned diced tomatoes with green chili peppers, is a good addition to burrito meat or taco meat. The Herdez Salsa Verde (green salsa) has a great flavor too when added to taco meat.

Just depends on what you like.
 
The cheese is queso blanca. it comes in crumbly and meltable styles. the crumbly kinda is queso fresca or farmers cheese
 
FlaMtnBkr said:
I was wondering if anyone knows how most (that I have been to) authentic mexican restaurants prepare the taco meat.

They are not full of spices like taco bell or the packets of seasoning you buy in the grocery store. Its almost like plain browned ground beef. However, when I brown hamburger with some salt and pepper its not the same.
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Most tacquerias in SoCal use chopped chuck, which has been stewed first, or carne asada which is hanger steak-beef diaphragm. The don't use ground beef at all.

It is usually marinated, in a combination of chili peppers, kosher salt, garlic, onion, lemon & orange peel, various herbs & spices, including cumin or comino, for at least 4 hours. Beer or red wine in the marinade makes a nice addition.

Then you can do your salt and pepper, while cooking.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
If you know what's in the meat, you ain't gonna be eatin' the food. This isn't exclusive to Mexican joints either. The Waffle House is one of the olny places that's fit to eat in. And that's ONLY because you can actually SEE them manipulate the food. Don't eat out. Please. You might as well be licking the floor of a public bathroom. Sheesh. I can't believe people still eat out. YUCK!!
 
A lot of weekends while stationed in Germany back in 1971-72 we used to whip up tacos. The Chicanos in our company taught us right... ground beef was cooked up with jalapeno peppers. Woe be to you if it was your turn to chop up the jalapenos and you had a cut on your finger!
 
Truth is the real tacos that you find in Mexico are usually not ground beef (picadillo), there are surely as many variants as you can find in sandwiches in the USA.

I just had tacos for breakfast today, beef and nopales (cactus), we get them at the local Sunday street market. We often also buy them in mixiote (spicy lamp) and tinga de pollo (spicy shredded chicken), they are great when made with blue tortilla.

Some tasty popular taco types are in pork, such as: pastor (don't forget the pineapple), carnitas (deep fried) and cochinita (typical treat at the local baseball park). Beef and others are served in too many varieties to mention here. If you ever come to Mexico pay a visit to any local "Tacos al Carbon" place.

As for the cheese in tacos, there are different kinds also, from the smooth soft quesillo to the hard añejo types, tacos are often topped with cream, shredded lettuce and white cheese (usually a soft, mild, fresh style).

Hey, now I 'm getting hungry...

Luis
 
Thanks for the replies everyone.

I guess living in the southeast we dont get 'authentic' mexican food. I have eaten at probably a dozen restaurants in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama and the meat almost always tastes the same.

It is a finely ground beef (I assume). That is seasoned but very mildly.

The tacos usually come with the meat, some lettuce, and a bunch of a shredded soft white cheese with sides of salsa/picante.

They are quite good but nothing that I am able to duplicate. Maybe I should bring home some leftovers and spend an afternoon in the kitchen and see if I can get close.

I have bought several cheeses that look like they could be the right one in the package but normally turn out to be harder and salty more along the lines of feta. Guess if I could read spanish it might make things easier. I will try the queso blanco but for some reason that sounds like one I have tried.

Thanks again!

Ryan
 
FlaMtnBkr said:
I was wondering if anyone knows how most (that I have been to) authentic mexican restaurants prepare the taco meat.

They are not full of spices like taco bell or the packets of seasoning you buy in the grocery store. Its almost like plain browned ground beef. However, when I brown hamburger with some salt and pepper its not the same.

Also, they usually put a soft white cheese that has a distinct taste to it but I have not been able to find anything in the store that is similar.

Anyone know the taco secrets?

Thanks!

Ryan
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Mercy! Where did you find these "authentic Mexican restaurants" that serve tacos with "plain ground beef". Must have been in New Jersey.

STeven and Don Luis have it right. There are many varieties of taco. But only anglo cooks who don't know any better use ground beef in them unless they have no other choice. And no matter what the variety, it is well seasoned meat.

Darn, now I'm hungry too. No matter. When you live 5 miles from the border, finding a good taco shop is simple.

Note for those in the North or elsewhere:
Neither Taco Johns nor Taco Bell serve Mexican food. Not sure what to call it, but it is not Mexican.
 
Maybe 'authentic' is the wrong word. But they are normally family owned by what I assume are people from Mexico who normally speak little english.

They will serve carne asada in other dishes, normally burritos and it is a marinated steak that is really good. But it is completely different than what goes into the tacos.
 
Sorry, that came out harsher than I was intending.

I never see ground beef used in tacos except when I travel to the east coast and midwest.
 
knarfeng said:
Sorry, that came out harsher than I was intending.

I never see ground beef used in tacos except when I travel to the east coast and midwest.
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Ahhh, you need to rephrase that, amigo....

" never see ground beef used in tacos except when I travel to the east coast and midwest".,,,In a restaurant.
Plenty of mehicanos use ground beef at home, they just use real tortillas. The price difference is substantial, even at the mercados.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Kohai999 said:
Ahhh, you need to rephrase that, amigo....

" never see ground beef used in tacos except when I travel to the east coast and midwest".,,,In a restaurant.
Plenty of mehicanos use ground beef at home, they just use real tortillas. The price difference is substantial, even at the mercados.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
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ive been to several restaurants in east la that use ground beef. and i guarantee they aren't "anglos" cookin in the kitchen. ;)
 
The closest waffle house is 4 hours away! Oh what I wouldn't give for a double order of hashbrowns with cheese chili and onions.
 
tyr_shadowblade said:
If I want good "Mexican" food I need to go to a Cuban or Bolivian restaurant -- costs quite a bit more, but the food is outstanding and you won't be on the crapper for the rest of the night.
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then its not mexican!! :p


but i agree, i prefer peruvian, argentinian, brazilian, or cuban to mexican food.
 
MORIMOTOM said:
ive been to several restaurants in east la that use ground beef. and i guarantee they aren't "anglos" cookin in the kitchen. ;)
Click to expand...

Not down here, brother.....I have eaten in just about every Mexican restaurant from the border to O'side, and have never eaten ground beef tacos.....you Los Angelenos must have it REALLY hard!:D

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Back when I lived in the San Fernando Valley of LA there was a local taco bar that sold everything that Don Luis mentioned. They were little soft tacos and they made a pile of them to order. I haven't had any decent Mexican food since I moved to Colorado. I don't even care that much for the stuff in New Mexico, I think it has a bit too much authentic American Native influence for my taste.
 
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