Goodbye Ground Beef Taco
If you haven't made it to Taqueria Distrito Federal yet and are craving Mexican that isn't covered in cheap sauce and cheese, you should do yourself a favor and devote a weekend to making the real deal at home. The beef taco commonly prepared in the American kitchen is one of the biggest culinary travesties DCist has encountered to date. Ground beef beaten to a pulp and over seasoned with a packet of salty herbs and spices. It's enough to bring tears to our eyes; not in a good way either.
Braising beef low and slow in a spicy tomato mixture yields a filling that puts ground beef tacos to shame -- and embraces a cooking style that welcomes the fall. Add a corn tortilla shell that will forever quell the crunchy/soft debate, some chunky guacamole, radish matchsticks and cilantro, and you will have one fine taco. Finally, an innovative pomegranate cocktail will have guests singing your praises, while they wipe taco remnants from their faces. Though somewhat time consuming, this recipe is simple, relatively fool proof, and perfect for a lazy Sunday football day.
Shopping list
2lbs beef chuck roast
Cumin
Oregano
Jalapeno chili
Large yellow onion
14 oz can organic tomatoes
Garlic
Corn tortillas (thin; up to 20)
Avocado
Lime
Cilantro
Note: If you have the time the braised beef will benefit from chilling in your fridge for 24 hours before serving. Just reheat over low heat. If you don't have the time though your tacos will be plenty tasty without refrigeration.
Start by cutting the chuck roast into four to six pieces and seasoning with salt and pepper. In a heavy and deep pan, or dutch oven, brown the meat well on all sides in a small amount of oil, working in batches if necessary. When the meat has been seared, set aside and cook the diced yellow onion and minced jalapeno pepper in the drippings until translucent. Stir in three cloves of crushed garlic, a tablespoon of ground cumin, and a teaspoon of dried oregano. Cook three more minutes, stirring to coat the onion in the spices. Add the canned diced tomatoes, again stirring to combine. Return the beef to the pan, add enough water to just cover the it, and bring to a slow simmer.
After simmering for two to three hours the beef will start to break down and be easy to pull apart with a pair of forks. Shred all the beef on a cutting board and return to the pan. Increase the heat slightly to a fast simmer and cook, stirring often until all the liquid has evaporated. While reducing the beef you can turn your attention to the taco shells, guacamole and radishes.
The crunchy or soft debate ends today. For the only answer to the question on which is better is inevitably neither. Using a gently heated shallow pool of vegetable oil, you can create taco shells that absolutely destroy out of the box crunchy versions. They are soft enough to not fall apart while enjoying, but still retain a satisfying chewy crisp. This extra step adds a bit to the meal's prep time but is entirely worth it.
Heat about a centimeter of oil in a shallow skillet till it begins to shimmer, but don't let it heat so much that it smokes. Using tongs, gently lower half of a corn tortilla into the oil while holding the remaining half out of the oil at a 90° angle. When the portion of the tortilla in the oil blisters and begins to turn golden, rotate the shell so the other half cooks similarly, and a traditional taco shell shape is formed. This takes a bit of practice but is simple when you get the hang of it. Turn the shells upside down on a cooling rack placed on a cookie sheet in a warm oven as you cook the and move on to your toppings.
For the guacamole, mash as many avocados as you like into a coarse mixture. For each avocado add one-half teaspoon or so minced garlic, a teaspoon of lime juice, and as much cilantro as you desire. Salt to taste and cover tightly with plastic. For a little extra crunch slice radishes into matchsticks and soak in cool water in the fridge until ready to serve. Construct your tacos in traditional taco fashion topping the braised beef with guacamole, radish and, if you wish, a sprig or two of cilantro.
For a perfectly devilish accompaniment, try a cocktail of three parts tequila, two parts pomegranate juice, and one part limejuice shaken over ice with a thin sliver of jalapeno for a slightly spicy flavor. Be sure to cut only the green part of the pepper with no seeds. Strain into a martini glass, raise it high, and repeat after DCist -- "Ground beef crunchy taco may you rest in peace."
