Because it’s cheap and easy to make, and you have control over the ingredients.  This one is gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free.  Paleo or allergic to corn?  No prob.  Ditch the cornstarch in the recipe and use way less water when adding to your meat product.  That is the only purpose the cornstarch serves… it’s a thickening agent.

Ingredients:

5 TBl dried minced onion
3 TBl chili powder
2 tsp cayenne
2 tsp oregano
1 TBl salt
4 tsp cumin
4 tsp cornstarch
4 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder

Ready for the instructions?

Measure all of this into a jar.  Shake.
You’re done.

With the amounts listed, you will get about 1 C of seasoning.  Honestly, I usually double it and just fill my pint sized mason jar, but I already had half a jar on hand so I just did it as listed for this post.

Use 2 TBl of seasoning per pound of meat and add up to 2/3 C water.  I say “up to” because, well, when I’m using beef, I don’t drain it.  I use grass-fed beef and WANT all the yummy deliciousness of that high-in-omega-3s fatty goodness.  So I’ll cut my water down to 1/2 C or less.  Chicken usually takes the full amount of water.  Shrimp takes like almost no water at all.

If you’ve altered the recipe to take out the cornstarch, add your taco seasoning to your meat and just add a tablespoon or two of water to loosen it up a bit and allow the spices and dried onion something in there to re-hydrate themselves.

However you do it, allow the seasoning to simmer in your meat for 5-7 minutes.

Want a spicier seasoning?  Add a teaspoon or two of dried red pepper flakes.  Want it milder?  Use less cayenne.  The point here is YOU have complete control over what goes into it and how you want it.

Making it in such large batches allows you to have it on hand to just reach in your cabinet and grab.  In a hurry and need something for dinner?  Open a couple cans of  chunk chicken breast, drain (they’re usually super salty), plop them in a pot, add your water and taco seasoning, allow to simmer for that 5-7 minutes while you chop some quick veg, and viola!  Instant chicken nachos or tacos or salad.

Happy Eating!