Taco Seasoning Mix...
Feb 24, 2025
I really like shredded beef flautas, and I used to be able to get them locally. Things change, however, and the regional chain restaurant I used to frequent closed: apparently along with all of the chain's other stores in the state. In my own defense, I found a need to make them myself. At least a close approximation.
I was first introduced to the flautas at a Tex-Mex fast-food restaurant located in a strip mall in a nearby town. Flautas are like taquitos, except larger, and made with a flour tortilla instead of corn.They were served along with some queso dip, guacamole, and sour cream, as well as a bit of finely-chopped garden salad.
Central to the Tex-Mex cooking to which I have been exposed, is that mixture of herbs and spices commonly known as "Taco Seasoning". For simplicity's sake I usually use the store-brand, pre-packaged taco seasoning mix available at our nearby German-owned, low-cost, chain grocery. Sometimes, though, I don't happen to have any on hand; and, of course some folks just have to mix things up for themselves. In either case the following mix should do nicely.
Suggested Equipment:
- Bowl, about 2 - 4 cups
- Dinner fork, large, or wire whisk (if you want to feel "professional").
- Seal-able container to hold the mix.
Ingredients:
| 1 | Tbs | Chili powder | |
| 1 | tsp | Onion, | Fine ground, dry powder |
| 1 | tsp | Garlic, | Fine ground, dry powder |
| 1 | tsp | Paprika, | Ground, dry powder |
| ½ | tsp | Cumin, | Dry, ground |
| ½ | tsp | Salt, | Common |
| ½ | tsp | Cilantro1, | Dry, crushed leaves |
| ¼ | tsp | Black pepper1, | Dry, ground |
| ¼ | tsp | Oregano1, | Dry ground |
| ⅛ | tsp | Red pepper1, | Dry flakes |
| ⅛ | tsp | Cayenne1, | Dry, ground |
Directions:
Add all spices to the mixing bowl, and stir with a wire whisk or large fork until thoroughly mixed. Store in the sealed container.
Makes enough to treat 1 lb of meat
Things like this go much more smoothly in a restaurant specializing in this type of cooking, where ingredients for many servings of many different dishes are prepared well in advance; and the final preparation consists only of assembling the end product from said ingredients. The process is much more labor-intensive in the home kitchen, preparing only one dish. It's worth it, though.
Catagories: Meat, Beef, Chicken, Ethnic, Tex-Mex