Who doesn’t love tacos, burritos, and enchiladas? With this simple slow cooker recipe for making your own taco meat, you can have a quick Mexican dinner whenever you want it, and because you make it yourself, you have the comfort of knowing exactly what is in your food and even more important, what isn’t.
When you have your own homemade taco meat made ahead of time, a terrific Mexican meal is ready in a flash. Add fresh lettuce, tomatoes, onions and peppers from the garden and your family favorites can be on the table in minutes. The best part is that because this recipe freezes well, it serves as a fantastic base for make-ahead meals during the week.
- 1 lb. ground beef, chicken or turkey
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 Tablespoons chili powder
- 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoons ground cumin
- ½ Tablespoons coriander
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 pints or 1 large can tomato puree
- sea salt & black pepper
- water
- Brown the meat and drain well. Add onion and garlic to the pan and toss until translucent.
- Add browned meat, onion and garlic to a slow cooker and add remaining ingredients along with just enough water to leave the mixture well-moistened.
- Turn the slow cooker to low heat and cover. Allow to cook for 4-6 hours, stirring occasionally and adding water only if necessary to avoid sticking or scorching.
NOTES: Don’t be afraid to tweak the amounts I listed – I always do. This is just a recipe that I created based on the packets of seasonings I used to buy all the time and it is what works in my house. Your mileage may vary.
The best part about this recipe is that you can make extra and freeze it in portions to reheat in a flash for ultra-fast home cooked dinners.
