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Alton Brown's homememade taco seasoning combines 7 ingredients into a smoky spice blend, perfect for taco night's ground beef or turkey.
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Course: Pantry
Keyword: Cinco de Mayo, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Hacks, Make-Ahead, Spices, Taco Potion #19, Tex-Mex

Taco Potion #19

Homemade taco seasoning ingredients lined up on a black cutting board.
ACTIVE TIME: 5 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 5 minutes
Yield: 6 tablespoons
This perfect homemade spice blend for taco night will turn ground meat into a flavor fiesta…and yes, I just said “flavor fiesta.”
Why number 19? Because there were 18 seasoning formulas before that didn’t quite reach my “fiesta” standards. Although I use this predominantly on beef, it works just as well with ground turkey.
This recipe first appeared in Season 14 of Good Eats.
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  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds, freshly toasted and ground
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons hot smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Homemade taco seasoning ingredients lined up on a black cutting board.
ACTIVE TIME: 5 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 5 minutes
Yield: 6 tablespoons

Procedure

  • Put all the ingredients in a small jar and shake to combine. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
  • To use, break up a half pound of ground beef or turkey in a wide skillet over medium heat. As soon as it starts to sizzle, sprinkle on a tablespoon or two and continue stirring. As moisture cooks out of the meat and simmers, it will be thickened by the cornstarch. It’s a darned tasty trick.
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