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| Hard-shell taco with meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Beef
More than likely the most common type of meat used for tacos is beef. Ground beef is a staple for most restaurants including the popular Taco Bell. Ground beef is fairly inexpensive and only takes a few minutes to brown. Many beginners also like using this because you don’t have to worry about it becoming too tough or other texture issues you might have with other meat choices.
Another form of beef that is used in tacos is steak. Choosing the right part of the meat is what will be most important. Most experts say to use strip steak, or other thin pieces that cook fairly quickly and also are easy to cut into smaller pieces. When cooking steak however you have to make sure that it is well done without being tough. Tough taco meat means messy eating which no one wants to deal with.
Chicken
Another option is chicken. For those who are not lovers of red meat or simply want to try something different adding chicken is a great idea. When purchasing chicken from the store be sure to get boneless skinless chicken breast to avoid the hassle of removing bones, fat, and skin. Chicken can be shredded fairly easily and also cooks rather quickly.
Pork
Common in Hispanic and Mexican dishes is the use of pulled pork. Adding this to your taco for a change is a great way to spice things up. However, keep in mind that pork is naturally salty and therefore you don’t want to overdo it on the seasonings.
Seafood
Believe it or not, becoming increasingly popular is the idea to use seafood such as shrimp and fish in your tacos. Both are excellent choices and can easily transition this staple recipe into something new and exciting. When choosing the seafood you wish to use in your tacos there are some things to keep in mind. This includes remembering to avoid shrimp with shells to cut down on cooking time and to avoid fish that have scaly skin still on it or bones on the inside as this will not make for a great taco dish.
Any of these meat choices listed above would be great to improve upon your taco recipe. If you’re not sure what your guests will enjoy, you can always make a little bit of each type of meat and place it on the table and let them decide. Who knows, they may have fun mixing and matching the sort of the different meat of like a sample tray. But as long as you have a good recipe to follow, any of these meats will work great and taste even better.
