TACO SEASONING

Steps:

• 1. In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container.
• Note: I browned ground beef, drained the fat, used 3 Tbsp per pound of meat and I added 1/2 Tbsp flour to the seasoning and mixed thoroughly before dusting the meat with it. I added 2/3 cup of water, mixed it up with the ground beef and let it simmer down. would be great with shredded beef or chicken too.it is def hotter than the packaged stuff, so if you don't like hot, would reccommend cutting the red pepper flakes. it is salty too. don't substitute sea salt for table salt. it is not an even swap. I did cut the sea salt down slightly -- I am making a huge batch of this, sealing it in mason jars with my foodsaver and giving as gifts for christmas.Close lid securely, and shake well to mix contents. One half cup is equivalent to 1 (1.25 ounce) package of taco seasoning.
• I found that 2 *very* heaping tablespoons of the seasoning equals about one regular seasoning packet. My family likes things a little spicy though, so two regular tablespoons would probably be sufficient. I substituted 1/8 teaspoons of cayenne pepper for the red pepper flakes, (I would however suggest maybe just the 1 teaspoons of cumin). We figured out that 2 1/2 - 3 tablespoons = one 1.25 oz. packet, which I will NEVER go back to!
• Sometime I tweaked it to up the garlic and onion to a TBS each. I'm a garlic/onion lover. I added 1 tsp of cornstarch into the mix (you can use 2tsp flour as an equivalent) to help the sauce cling to the meat. Good, but there was still something missing -- and I just didn't know what -- While making this, I searched and found elsewhere that someone listed a beef bullion cube in their recipe. I have the concentrated "Better than Bullion" paste, so I added one teaspoon of that to the beef. AAAHH! SOO GOOOD! Whichever taco seasoning recipe you use, try adding the beef bullion or paste. It really ups the meaty flavor! Turns a 3 star into a 5 star! Also, this recipe doesn't mention it, but it's good to add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water with the mix after the beef has browned. This lets the seasoning become a clingy sauce and it all mingles happily.
• Chili Tips:.
• "When the recipe calls for 'hot chile peppers' you're not going to find them in the market marked as such, there are MANY kinds of chile peppers and the ones you choose will make your recipe more or less hot.".
• "I blended all the wet ingredients into a dutch oven and refrigerated it for 24 hours-giving it a chance to meld."
• "I squish stewed tomatoes thru my fingers to break them up before adding them to the pot."
• "I would encourage everyone to check the age of the spices they're using. If they're more than a year old, you probably need to pump it up a little as spices lose their punch as they age."
• "Our family eats it with rice the first night (Friday), Saturday is 'let's be lazy day,' so we eat it over hot dogs, and Sunday -- can you say football and fritos and chili over cheese!"
• Spices vs. Herbs: What's the Difference?.
• Herbs are the leafy part of plants, while spices are the dried seeds, bark, fruit, or ground roots of a plant.
• Dried Spices are Stronger Than Fresh:.
• If you're subbing in fresh herbs, you'll have to use more. One teaspoon of dried herbs is the equivalent of one tablespoon of fresh herbs (three teaspoons).