Mexican restaurants like Taco Bell, Chipotle, and taquerias are known for their incredibly soft, finely crumbled ground beef filling. This texture is a signature part of beloved dishes like tacos, burritos, nachos, and more. So how do they achieve that perfectly smooth, paste-like ground beef consistency?
While specialty equipment can be used, the techniques are actually quite simple and can be easily replicated at home. In this article, we’ll uncover the secrets behind Mexican restaurants’ super finely crumbled ground beef.
Start With The Right Cut
The starting point for getting finely crumbled ground beef is using the optimal cut of meat, Beef chuck is ideal because it contains marbling that keeps the texture moist while also allowing the meat to break down into tiny pieces
Most restaurants use beef chuck shoulder clods trimmed of fat and sinew. Choosing a good quality chuck roast at your grocery store will provide similar results. Stay away from leaner cuts like sirloin as they can turn dense and dry.
Grind It Fresh
Restaurants grind their beef fresh rather than using pre-ground beef. This allows complete control over attaining the perfect texture.
You can do the same by purchasing beef chunks and running them through a meat grinder at home. Grind the meat using the finest die possible. Some grinders even have a paste die to grind meat into an ultra-fine mince
If you don’t have a meat grinder, ask your local butcher to freshly grind beef twice for the finest texture. Pre-ground beef from the store just doesn’t get as delicately crumbled.
Cook Low and Slow
Here is where restaurants really achieve that smooth, velvety texture in their ground beef:
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Brown the beef over medium heat first, breaking it up thoroughly as it cooks.
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Add just enough water or broth to barely cover the meat, about 1 cup per pound.
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Simmer the beef over low heat for 1-2 hours, stirring frequently
Cooking the beef low and slow in liquid keeps it moist, preventing the proteins from binding together into dense chunks. The extended time over gentle heat also allows fat to render out while keeping the texture uniform.
Drain Well
After simmering the ground beef for 1-2 hours, it will be fall-apart tender with an incredibly fine texture. Restaurants will then drain the meat well in a colander, pressing out any excess fat.
This leaves just the ultra-finely crumbled ground beef ready for seasoning.
Add Starch
Some restaurants take an extra step to further ensure a smooth, fine consistency. After cooking and draining the beef, they mix in a small amount of masa harina (corn flour). This adds a little thickness while binding any remaining fat and juices for a silky texture.
About 1 tablespoon per pound of cooked ground beef is sufficient.
Use The Right Tools
You don’t need any fancy equipment to get finely crumbled beef at home. The basic tools are:
- Meat grinder to freshly grind beef twice
- Heavy bottomed pot for simmering
- Wooden spoon to break up any clumps
- Colander and/or masher to drain fat
With standard kitchen tools and the right technique, you can easily achieve restaurant-quality fine ground beef.
Tips for Perfectly Crumbled Beef
Follow these tips for the finest ground beef every time:
- Simmer for 1-2 hours for fall-apart tender crumbles
- Stir and break up meat often during cooking
- Add corn flour after cooking to bind fat and juices
- Portion cooked beef for quick weeknight meals
- Cook fresh each time for ideal texture
- Add seasonings after cooking to keep texture fine
With a few simple secrets, you can enjoy ultra finely crumbled beef just like your favorite Mexican restaurant. Low and slow moist cooking while breaking up the meat is key. Start with fresh beef chuck, grind it twice, and simmer in broth for 1-2 hours. Drain extremely well before seasoning for recipes like tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and more!
About Restaurant Style Mexican Ground Beef:
So while I wanted my Burrito filling to taste like a restaurant’s of course, I wanted this filling to be easy and fast, too! Asking too much? I think not! And I think you’ll love this easy well-seasoned ground beef.
I took a few cues from Mexican recipes and would call this something along the lines of a carne picada or molida, which are prepared sometimes with ground or “minced” beef, and sometimes with other proteins. This is a good but simplified version. I know it sounds almost too simple to be true, but trust me! You’re going to feel like you’re transported to a restaurant. You might even be asking for a tip!
How to Use Your Beef:
The dishes you can make with this are almost endless! You’ll want to use your cache of seasoned Restaurant Style Mexican Ground Beef however you want, but here are a few things I made with mine.
- I used some for burritos and napped my Denver Green Chili over the top.
- I used some for plain old-school stateside tacos. Gotta love those crunchy shells with ground beef, cheese, and all the fillings – especially a little taco sauce. My gosh, I make all kinds of Scratch Salsas, but I’m a sucker for Ortega on my tacos, and no, they aren’t paying me!
- And I just couldn’t resist a platter of nachos. You know, this beef with your fave toppings is going to beat anything you’re going to get at the bar/restaurant. Especially a version with queso instead of shredded cheese. I’ll post that queso sometime!
How to make Taco Meat Exactly like Taco Bell,,, Taco Bell Ground Beef Clone Recipe
FAQ
How do Mexican restaurants get their ground beef so tender?
“No browned or fried ground beef here. This is cooked in water. YES, in water. Resulting in that nicely steamed, soft texture you get in most Mexican restaurants.”
Why does Mexican restaurant ground beef taste different?
Texture and Preparation: The ground beef is cooked and seasoned in a specific way to maintain consistency across locations. This can affect the texture and flavor, making it taste different from fresh, homemade ground beef.
How do Mexican restaurants make their ground beef so good?
Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants boil raw ground beef with water and seasonings until cooked through to achieve a super fine texture, and the aforementioned Maid Rite sandwiches (aka Loose Meat Sandwiches, which are NOT Sloppy Joe’s!) use steam to keep the cooked ground beef soft after cooking.
How do Mexicans get ground beef so fine?
Mexican restaurants, however, use a different approach—simmering the beef in liquid instead of just frying it. This method involves adding water or broth to the pan along with the raw beef, breaking it up with a spoon or spatula as it cooks.
How can I make Mexican ground beef delicious?
Mexican restaurants make their ground beef delicious by choosing the right cuts. They use three cuts: sirloin, chuck, and brisket. Sirloin provides great flavor, while chuck and brisket provide the fats.
What is Mexican restaurant-style ground beef?
Let’s unlock the mystery behind the magic of Mexican restaurant-style ground beef! Browning ground beef over high heat, a technique called searing, is one of the most important steps to getting the crumbly texture that falls apart on your tongue.
How do you make Mexican meat taste better?
Splash in some lime juice right at the end for a tangy kick. Here’s a secret trick used by some Mexican restaurants: Use a potato masher right in the skillet to break up any larger chunks, evenly distributing the flavorings and achieving the finest texture. The stiff wires are perfect for gently separating the meat into an ultra-fine crumble.
What to eat at a Mexican restaurant?
Warm tortillas, salsas, guacamole, beans, rice, onions, cilantro, lime wedges—the accompaniments accentuate the flavors of the star ground beef. Their contrasting textures and bright flavors complement the rich, savory meat. Think about the entire dish, not just the beef, for that cravable Mexican restaurant experience.
Why do Mexican restaurants use a comal griddle?
In Mexican restaurants, you’ll often spot cooks using a flat griddle called a comal. The sturdy metal pans get seasoning built up over time from the fats and juices of multitudes of ground beef batches. This well-seasoned surface helps provide an ideal low-stick surface for evenly cooking the meat without it clumping together.
How do you make Mexican tacos taste better?
A pinch of cinnamon brings warmth and complexity. Splash in some lime juice right at the end for a tangy kick. Here’s a secret trick used by some Mexican restaurants: Use a potato masher right in the skillet to break up any larger chunks, evenly distributing the flavorings and achieving the finest texture.