Mild Taco Beef / Seasoning for Two Pounds
New companion recipe matching the recorded request; not kitchen-tested
- YIELD
- 2 lb / 907 g ground beef
- PREP / WAIT
- 5 minutes
- COOK
- Approximately 15–20 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 lb / 907 g ground beef
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika, specifically not hot paprika
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano, rubbed between your fingers
- 1 tsp fine table salt, plus more only after tasting the cooked beef
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 3/4 cup / 180 ml water, plus a splash if needed
Method
- Mix the paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, and cornstarch in a small bowl.
- Cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it into small pieces. Work in batches if the pan is crowded. Spoon off excess fat, then return all the beef to the pan.
- Stir in the seasoning blend and water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for about 5–7 minutes, stirring, until the liquid lightly coats the meat. Add a splash of water if it becomes dry before the flavors combine.
- Check that the beef reaches 160°F / 71°C with a food thermometer; color alone is not a reliable safety check. Taste only after cooking and adjust salt if desired.
- Serve as taco or burrito filling. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers.
Notes & storage
- This blend is intended to be mild, but check the paprika label: hot paprika and some chile blends add heat. Sweet smoked paprika is an optional smoky substitution, not part of the base recipe.
- Refrigerate perishable leftovers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 90°F. Use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days and reheat to 165°F. USDA references are linked below.
- The quantities are a newly written starting recipe, not a recovered or user-tested original.