Malo’s Beef and Pickle Tacos

There’s a place in Los Angeles where you can drink feisty margaritas made by half-rude actor/bartenders, munch on half-bad chips and salsa, and watch awkward Tinder dates buzz around you.  It’s happy hour, half-dark at your table, and there is tequila, so… most anything is tolerable.  

The bright spot, the salvation from the meh bartenders and awkward dates around you, the comfort supreme:  Beef and Pickle Tacos!    Crunchy, salty, and cheesy.  Simple flavors and textures combine to make everything right in the world.  Well.. not everything, but most things.  The wonders a pickle can provide.  

See:  Peanut Butter and Pickle Sandwich

Here’s what we’ll need for taco dinner, at home, where it’s cozy.  

Ground beef:  lean is cool.  

A big ol’ boiled Russet Potato:  help extend the meat with cheap potato starch.  

Sharp cheddar cheese: finely shredded  

Kosher dill pickles:  sliced and snacked on.  

Spices:  cumin, garlic powder, sea salt, black pepper, and smokey paprika.  It’s like making your own taco seasoning.  Extra delicious.  

Tequila:  a sip for us and for good measure.

While you’re at it… maybe make a full jar of taco seasoning for future taco adventures?  Yes:  Taco Seasoning + Charred Corn Tacos.  

Ground beef is browned until cooked through.  Spices are added and the mixture becomes fragrant and flavorful.  Good spice.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Don’t be shy, we’re adding a potato to the mix that will such up lots of flavor, too.  

A boiled potato (skin on and coarsely chopped) is added to the seasoned beef mixture.  Stirring the potato into the taco meat will break the potato down perfectly.  No need to formally dice it.  

The meat mixture is browned and just slightly crisp and now it’s time to fry the corn tortillas! I like to pan-fry my tortillas in a bit of oil.  Feel free to char them over an open flame if your prefer a more fresh, less fried taco.  

ps.  These tacos are really good with a little fry action.  

Crisp tortillas and it’s time to assemble. 

Ready the pickle slices.  Grate some extra cheese.  More is more when it comes to these tacos.  

These tacos are crispy and spicy, savory and salty.  The pickles add just the right amount of salty crunch.  Like pickles on a cheeseburger, in a taco, with hot sauce.  

I consider this comfort food and I’d like some privacy while I eat waaaay too much.  

Malo’s Beef and Pickle Tacos

Print Recipe

• Author: Joy the Baker

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1lb ground beef
• 3–4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large boiled russet potatoes, peel left on, sliced
• 1 heaping teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 heaping teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 heaping teaspoon dry oregano
• 2 tablespoons paprika (I used smoky paprika)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Corn tortillas
• Canola oil for frying tortillas
• Kosher dill pickle slices
• Finely grated cheddar cheese
• Hot sauce

Instructions

1. In a medium saute pan over medium heat, sauté ground beef in olive oil until browned through. Use a spoon or spatula to break the ground beef up as it cooks.
2. Add all the dry spices and cook for 3 minutes more making sure that the ground beef is cooked though completely.
3. Add the sliced potatoes and toss to combine. Remove from heat and place in a bowl. Clean the saute pan.
4. Add a few tablespoons of canola oil to the saute pan and place over medium heat until oil heats through. Fry tortillas until each side is crisp and lightly golden brown. Drain tortillas on a paper towel.
5. To serve, spoon beef mixture into fried tortillas. Add a few slices of kosher pickles and grated cheese. Add hot sauce. Fold and enjoy!