NEVER Buy Taco Seasoning — Try This Old MEXICAN Trick

Store-bought taco seasoning or the way Grandma made it? Mija, let's settle it at the stove. If your taco night tastes exactly like last week's, the meat comes out gray and watery, and the shell splits on the first bite, none of that is your fault. Today I'll show you why the little envelope does that, and how to make a jar of real red chile powder in about twenty minutes that seasons your Fridays for two months. No packet, no mystery, just a few things already in your cupboard. My name is Elena. I'm Tejana, and I've been cooking on my grandmother's comal since I was seven years old. Nobody in my family ever wrote these recipes down, so I'm writing them down for you. There's nothing to buy in this video. No links, no sponsors. Just my mother's kitchen. 🌶 ELENA'S RED CHILE POWDER (about ½ cup) - 3 dried ancho chiles - 5 dried guajillo chiles - 1 tablespoon whole cumin seed (comino) - 1 teaspoon black peppercorns (pimienta) - 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano Stems and seeds out. Toast the chiles in a dry comal or skillet over medium heat, about 10 seconds a side, just until they smell like raisins. Toast the cumin and pepper about 30 seconds. Cool completely, grind, stir in the oregano. No salt, no garlic. Keep it in a tight jar away from the stove. Best within 3 months. 🥩 TACO MEAT (1 pound ground beef) - ¾ teaspoon fine salt, worked into the cold meat - Hot heavy skillet, one flat layer, hands off for 4 minutes - Pour off most of the fat, keep a spoonful - 1 clove garlic, 30 seconds - 1 tablespoon of your chile powder, 30 seconds - No water. If it looks dry, 2 tablespoons from the kettle - Cook through to 160°F 🥔 PICADILLO CON PAPAS (fills about 17 tortillas) - 1 pound ground beef, browned the same way - ½ onion, chopped + 1 clove garlic - 2 medium russet potatoes, ½-inch cubes, patted dry - 1 tablespoon chile powder - ½ cup tomato sauce + ½ cup water Lid on, low heat, 12 to 15 minutes, until a potato cube squashes against the pan. 🫓 TORTILLAS Dry comal, medium-high. Flour: about 20 seconds a side. Corn: about 30 seconds a side. Wrap the stack in a clean dish towel so it steams soft. Lime goes on at the table. ⚠️ A FEW SAFETY THINGS - Toasting chiles puts a little smoke in the air. Open a window, run the fan, and send the little ones outside. - Wash your hands after tearing chiles, before you go near your eyes. - Leftover taco meat goes in the refrigerator within 2 hours. It keeps 3 to 4 days. 💬 Tell me in the comments where your family's from, and which one gives you the most trouble: the meat that comes out gray and watery, the taco that falls apart on the first bite, or the taco night that tastes just like the envelope no matter what you add. I read every single one. Waste nothing. Feed everybody. Buen provecho. #tacoseasoning #elenacooking #mexicanfood #mexicanamerican