8 COOK’S COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019
I’VE BEEN KNOWN to use a prefab
packet of taco seasoning in a pinch, but
there’s something disappointing about
the resulting tacos. There are flavors
I like but also a lingering dullness. I
challenged myself to do better, to cre-
ate a quick, weeknight-friendly ground
beef taco filling using fresher ingredi-
ents but without creating more work.
I knew I wasn’t the first person to
consider this idea, so my first move
was to hit the books and cook through
some existing recipes. Some of the
resulting tacos were packed with flavor,
while others were lackluster. Some
were a snap to prepare, others a chore.
I wanted simplicity, a list of mostly
pantry ingredients, and a high return
on minimal effort.
The first idea I latched on to was to
mix a bit of fresh Mexican-style chorizo
with the ground beef. This superflavor-
ful pork sausage delivers a range of
flavors including garlic, chile, and vin-
egar (see “Use the Right Chorizo”).
I added a bit of cumin, for its
warming flavors and aromas, and
some canned chipotle chile in adobo,
which provided a beautiful smoky,
spicy backdrop. (This is one of my
favorite pantry items; I always keep a
few cans on hand.) For a fresh burst of
heat and some peppery depth, I added
some chopped poblano chile. Garlic
and onion contributed their signature
pungency to round out the flavors.
We spent a lot of time in the test
kitchen debating whether tomatoes
belonged in the taco filling, and after
much testing, we decided that yes, they
add nice acidity and beautiful color. We
tried canned tomato products, but when
we compared them with cut-up plum
tomatoes, the plums delivered better
flavor (they’re available year-round).
Cooking the mixture was almost
absurdly easy: Brown the meats, add the
aromatics and spices, cook a bit more,
stir in the tomatoes and a little water
for sauciness, and simmer while people
come to the table. With some fresh
cilantro tossed over the top and a pile
of warm tortillas, plus fixings such as
shredded cheese and lettuce, I had a su-
pereasy, superflavorful, crowd-pleasing
supper in about a half-hour.
Weeknight Ground Beef Tacos
Rich poblano chile and spicy,
smoky canned chipotle chile
in adobo sauce make this easy
weeknight taco filling sing.Our goal: a taco filling
flavorful enough to
make you want to ditch
the prefab spice mix.
by Ashley Moore