Alton Brown's Taco Seasoning

[Granny Smith]

This is the mixture~

Taco Potion

2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons hot smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

This is how you're supposed to make the filling, but I forgot most of it and just added the spice mix to plain ground beef then stirred in about half a cup of water. It was a little salty, but still very good.

1 medium onion, chopped
16 ounces ground sirloin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 recipe Taco Potion (above)
2/3 cup low-sodium beef broth
6 ounces panela cheese, crumbled
12 pickled jalapeno slices
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce, optional
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped, optional
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, optional

Heat about 2 T. of oil in a skillet. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and cook until softened and lightly browned around the edges, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ground meat, 1 teaspoon salt, and garlic. Cook until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, to break up the meat. Add Taco Potion and beef broth. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until sauce is slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

Assemble each taco with meat mixture, panela, jalapeno slices, lettuce, tomatoes, and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Of course, I didn't follow the assembly instructions, either. I just slapped some of the meat on a flour tortilla then added some shredded cheddar and sour cream and ate it. Then I did it again.

Original recipe~
www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/all-american-beef-taco-recipe/index.html

[Valerie]

"Of course, I didn't follow the assembly instructions, either. I just slapped some of the meat on a flour tortilla then added some shredded cheddar and sour cream and ate it. Then I did it again. "

Musta been pretty good! That taco potion does sound like a fine mix. Cumin absolutely makes taco and chili seasoning.

[Granny Smith]

I put cumin in anything Mexican. It just doesn't taste right without it. The coriander is a new one for me, but it makes perfect sense - it's the seed of cilantro. Don't know why I never thought to put it in my mix before.

[Sheila]

The Portuguese use cumin in all there cooking,good stuff.

[Valerie]

My mom told me recently that she was disgusted because her chili just wouldn't taste like chili. She kept dumping chili powder in and it still just tasted like hot beans. I asked her did she use cumin. Nope. That right there is the key ingredient.

[Granny Smith]

When I was first learning to make chili, and didn't want to use the mix, I didn't know about cumin, either. I would add so much chili powder that it tasted odd - kind of powdery. Then, to cover up that off taste, I'd add cayenne pepper. It was so hot I was the only one who could eat it. I finally read the ingredients on the Chili-O package and figured out what it needed.

[Granny Smith]

I've changed the recipe so you don't have to add anything but meat. Last night, I added it to pulled pork, along with about a cup of water. It was delicious. Here's my altered recipe~

2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons hot smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

[meemo]

Yummy. I'm goin to make this tomorrow night to go with beans.
If you love cumin try the whole seeds sometime. Its like the difference between using powdered nutmeg and grating your own.

[Granny Smith]

I recently bought whole cumin, but haven't tried it yet. I think I'll grind some the next time I make this. I've taken to carrying a whole nutmeg in my pocket, like AB does. I don't use it that much, but it makes the kids laugh. I don't think I'll carry any cumin seeds, though. I'd rather not smell like that all the time. Dan might think I was hiding chili.