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Taco Bar

Emeril Lagasse

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2007

Show: Emeril LiveEpisode: Emeril's Big Party

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (16)

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Times:

Prep
40 min
Inactive Prep
--
Cook
35 min
Total:
1 hr 15 min
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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups onion, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 3 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 12 to 16 taco shells or warmed soft tortillas, as desired
  • Grated Monterey Jack or Cheddar, for garnish
  • Diced tomatoes, for garnish
  • Minced jalapenos, for garnish
  • Sour cream, for garnish
  • Shredded iceburg lettuce, for garnish
  • Guacamole, recipe follows, for garnish
  • Salsa, recipe follows, for garnish
  • Chopped red onion, for garnish

Directions

Set a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, place the onions in the pan and saute until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin to the pan and continue to saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beef to the pan and cook, breaking the pieces up as they cook, until the meat is browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Season with the chipotle pepper and the salt. Add the beef broth and tomato paste to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook the meat, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve with the garnishes for guests to assemble their tacos to their liking.

For the Guacamole:

  • 3 ripe avocados, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon freshly minced cilantro leaves
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

In a small mixing bowl, combine the avocado with the onion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and salt and mash with the back of a fork until mostly smooth.

Serve immediately, or cover with plastic wrap (pressed directly onto the surface of the guacamole) and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

Yield: about 2 1/2 cups

For the Salsa:

  • 4 large tomatoes, about 21/2 pounds, seeded and roughly chopped
  • 1 cup chopped white onions
  • 5 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 4 serrano peppers, stems and seeds removed, minced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all the ingredients and stir well to combine. Let salsa sit for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend.

Serve as an accompaniment to fish tacos, or other dishes, as desired.

Yield: about 3 cups

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Read more Comments & Reviews (16)

Comments & Reviews

  • recipe Taco Bar
    Kim Park City, UT 10-06-2009

    Flag

    Best taco meat on the planet!

    Rated: 5 stars out of 5
    If nothing else (and everything else was delicious), make this taco meat. Outstanding!!
  • recipe Taco Bar
    Monica Montreal, AL 09-07-2009

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    Great Tacos!

    Rated: 5 stars out of 5
    This recipe was so simple to put together. I had everything on hand. The best part was that it was from scratch, therefore,... completely fresh and healthy. I will never ever use a spice pkg again! I do believe there might have been a typo when publishing this recipe, though. It asks for 3 tbsp of cumin (which is a whole lot!), but I think it probably means 3 tsps, which is what I used and the flavor was perfect. I also added some diced red and green peppers just because I had them and they added a nice flavor. The family loved them, even the picky 3 yr old said "mommy makes the best tacos!", need I say more?! Thanks Emril!Read more
  • recipe Taco Bar
    Katherine chciago, IL 09-02-2009

    Flag

    No more taco packets for me

    Rated: 5 stars out of 5
    This is a great recipe for for the seasoned meat. I used less cumin with chili powder and a little cayenne and it was... excellent. I had no beef broth on hand, so I used chicken broth instead - and it still tasted great. Read more
  • recipe Taco Bar
    Paula Port ST Joe, FL 06-30-2009

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    Taco filling to a whole new level - Extraordinary

    Rated: 5 stars out of 5
    I did not have one of those "seasoning packets" and went to Food Network to search for a from scratch recipe. This one is IT.... You will not be disappointed. I, like many others, tweaked the ingredients, using less cumin. I also added a diced jalapeno with the broth and tomato paste. For the chili powder, I added about 1 1/2 to 2 tsp of a mild pure chili powder (guajillo). The chipolte and jalapeno added sufficient heat. I am glad I increased the amount of chili powder, because the balance of spice was perfect. I used an entire 6 oz can of tomato paste rather than 1/4 cup. I used organic, low sodium beef broth and added salt to taste. My husband has a Mexican mother and he said these are the best he has ever eaten. I made my own guacamole and we had soft corn tortillas for a soft taco dinner. Please try it. And thanks Emeril and Food Network!!! PS. I simmered it for about 45 minutes to really develop the flavors. Paula - Port St. Joe, FLRead more
  • recipe Taco Bar
    Pam Pasadena, TX 05-12-2009

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    It was ok

    Rated: 4 stars out of 5
    The presentation was nice, but the flavor of the meat was average. I guess it's because I didn't use as much cumin and... chiptole pepper as he suggested. I was afraid of ruining the dish so I toned it down a whole lot. We also used ground turkey instead of beef. So the dish was ok. I don't know if I'll make it again.Read more
  • recipe Taco Bar
    Lisa Fowlerville, MI 05-06-2009

    Flag

    Wow

    Rated: 5 stars out of 5
    These were as good, or better, than any restaurant taco I've ever had. Like most people, I did a couple of things... differently. First, I had no chilpotle pepper, so I used cayenne pepper instead. I also made my own shells: frying small corn tortillas in vegetable oil and shaping them with tongs. Outstanding - I'm looking forward to making them for my son's birthday party.Read more
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