Beef Taquitos

Ingredients

• ½ tablespoon Chili Powder
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
• ½ teaspoon Cumin
• ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon Canola Oil
• 1 pound Ground Sirloin (use the leanest ground beef you can find)
• 1 (8 ounce) Can Tomato Sauce
• 2 tablespoons Water
• 20 Small Flour Tortillas
• 1½ cups Shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese

Make the beef filling

• Add the chili powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin and black pepper to a small bowl, stir to combine.
• Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the ground beef. Sprinkle the top with the prepared seasoning mix.
• Start to stir and fold the ground beef to incorporate the seasoning mix. Cook the ground beef until browned. This will take approximately 4-5 minutes. Stir and break up any large pieces of meat with a wooden spoon or spatula.
• Now that you’ve browned the ground beef, add the tomato sauce and water to the skillet. I like to add the tomato sauce first, then add the water to the empty can and give it a swirl. That way I get every last drop out.
• Stir the beef and sauce well. Lower the heat to medium-low and cover the skillet. Cook the ground beef for 20 minutes until cooked through, stirring occasionally.
• We also want most of the liquid to cook out. The meat cannot be too wet to make the taquitos. If you have too much liquid, uncover the skillet. It will dry out quickly.
• Take the skillet off the heat and let it cool. Give the ground beef a stir every once in a while to let the steam escape. It will cool quicker.
• Before you start building the taquitos preheat the oven to 350°F

How to make beef taquitos

Place a tortilla wrap on a flat surface. Add 1 heaping tablespoon of the ground beef a little off center towards the side closest to you.

Arrange the beef filling in a line so that it’s not mounded. Add a generous pinch of the cheddar jack cheese over the ground beef.

Roll the tortilla tightly, away from you.

Place it seam side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Some liquid may come out of the taquito during the rolling process, keep a paper towel handy. Repeat until all of the ground beef filling is used up.

Bake the taquitos for about 20-25 minutes until the tortillas are crispy on the outside. Keep an eye on them, check after 15 minutes or so, to gauge the remaining cooking time.

Storing and reheating instructions

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To freeze, cool completely, place it in a freezer-safe container, cover, and freeze for to 2-3 months.

Reheat them in the microwave or in the oven (350°-375°F) until hot throughout. Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of at least 165°F. For more information on food storage and safety guidelines visit U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.