Copycat Taco Bell Tacos

Admittedly I'm not the biggest Taco Bell fan or a fan of fast food in general, however this does not mean that I don't indulge every once in a while. One night the hubby and I were discussing the merits of Taco Bell and how they get that very specific taste to their taco meat when he jumped up and returned a few moments later with one of Todd Wilbur's Top Secret Recipe books. Sure enough there was a recipe for a soft beef taco in the cookbook and the next night we found ourselves preparing this dish for ourselves and our cousins who were coming over to play some Italian cards...briscola anyone?

We prepared the meat in a slow cooker which I think really helps the flavors come together and create the signature flavor Taco Bell beef has.


I have to hit the pause button here to mention that with this post every time I attempt to type the word "beef" I somehow type "beer"....I wonder if that's my subconscious trying to tell me something! Hey it's 5 o'clock somewhere right?

But that's really neither here nor there so back to the recipe!

The outcome of this was....(drumroll please!) it actually tastes just like taco bell meat and you know it's good quality and that there's no artificial ingredients inside! It's a win/win in my eyes, so I highly recommend you go on and try this recipe out  for yourself.

If you want to check out Todd Wilbur's website and all the books and even some recipes he offers, you can check that out here.

Copycat Taco Bell Tacos
Yield: 4 Servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes     I     Cook Time: 6 hours on low

Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean chopped meat
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mince onion
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 3 teaspoons chili powder
• dash of both garlic and onion powder
• 1/2 cup water
• soft torillas or taco shells
• shredded iceberg lettuce
• dice tomato

Combine the meat and all of the seasonings in a large mixing bowl and mix together thoroughly. Brown the meat slightly in a large frying pan in a small amount of oil while stirring it frequently to ensure that the meat breaks down into small pieces. Then place all of the meat and the water into your slow cooker.

Cook the meat for 6 hours on low or until it is fully cooked through. (The longer it sits the better the flavors will be, but the meat is likely to be fully cooked in 4 hours).

Serve with warmed taco or tortilla shells and top with the lettuce and tomato.