Crunchy Ground Beef Tacos

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Corn tortillas fried into crisp, shatter-thin shells in about five minutes, filled with saucy ground beef built on a from-scratch spice blend. It costs less than a taco-kit dinner out, takes barely longer than the boxed version, and the shells actually crack instead of crumbling into dust.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp onion powder
• 3/4 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1 lb ground beef, 80/20
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 3/4 cup water or low-sodium beef broth
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

• 12 corn tortillas, 5 to 6 inch
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable, canola, or peanut oil for frying
• fine salt, for sprinkling

• 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
• 6 oz sharp cheddar, freshly grated
• 1 cup diced tomato
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• hot sauce and lime wedges

Instructions

1. Stir all the seasoning ingredients together in a small bowl. You'll have about 3 tablespoons; it all goes into the beef.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Add the onion and cook 3 minutes until softened at the edges. Add the ground beef and break it into rough chunks with a wooden spoon. Cook undisturbed 3 minutes to get some browning, then continue breaking up and stirring until no pink remains, 4 to 5 minutes more.
3. Spoon off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat. Push the beef to one side, add the tomato paste to the bare spot, and fry it 45 seconds until it darkens. Sprinkle in the entire seasoning mix and stir everything together for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Pour in the water or broth and the vinegar. Simmer, stirring often, 4 to 6 minutes until the liquid thickens into a glossy sauce that clings to the meat rather than pooling. Taste and add salt as needed, then reduce heat to low and keep warm, covered.
5. Line a sheet pan with paper towels. Pour 1/2 inch of oil into a small, heavy saucepan or 10-inch skillet and heat over medium until it reaches 350°F on a thermometer, about 6 minutes. A tortilla edge should bubble vigorously on contact.
6. Slide one tortilla into the oil and let it soften and puff for 15 seconds. Grip one half with tongs and fold it over on itself, holding the fold about 1 inch open, and fry 45 to 60 seconds until the underside is stiff and pale gold. Flip and fry the second side 30 to 45 seconds until the whole shell is crisp and lightly blistered.
7. Stand the shell on the paper towels to drain and sprinkle immediately with fine salt. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, adjusting the heat to hold the oil at 350°F. Two at a time works once you have the rhythm; fried shells stay crisp at room temperature for an hour.
8. Fill each shell with about 1/4 cup warm beef, then layer on cheddar (it will melt against the hot meat), lettuce, tomato, and a stripe of sour cream. Serve right away with hot sauce and lime.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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