I rarely come across someone whoโs not obsessed with this finger-licking street food. Somehow, tacos always seem to find their way onto my menu at least once a week. They have everything I crave in a meal: rich, spiced beef, something crunchy, something fresh and something creamy.
For this version, I wanted to swap the usual toppings for something a little different, so I went with quick-pickled Granny Smith apples. Their crisp texture and fresh acidity work incredibly well with the smoky beef, spicy chipotle mayo, pointed cabbage and fresh coriander.
๐ฎ Beef Filling
Ingredients
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500 g minced beef (20% fat)
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1 onion, finely diced
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2 garlic cloves, minced
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1 tsp ground cumin
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1 tsp smoked paprika
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4โ5 whole cloves
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2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
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150 ml beef stock
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1 tsp cornflour
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olive oil
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salt
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black pepper
Method
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Heat a little olive oil in a large pan.
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Brown the minced beef over high heat until deeply caramelised.
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Add the onion and cook until softened.
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Stir in the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and the whole cloves.
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Cook until the spices become fragrant.
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Pour in the apple cider vinegar and allow it to reduce slightly.
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Add the beef stock and simmer gently for 10โ15 minutes.
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Mix the cornflour with a little cold water and stir it into the beef.
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Simmer until the sauce lightly coats the meat.
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Remove the whole cloves before serving.
๐ Quick Pickled Apple
Ingredients
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1 Granny Smith apple
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pickling liquid (100g vinegar, 100 g water, 50g sugar, tbs salt, a couple of coriander seeds
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fresh coriander, finely chopped
Method
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Cut the apple into a small dice.
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Pour over the pickling liquid.
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Leave to pickle for at least 20 minutes.
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Drain well and mix with the chopped coriander just before serving.
๐ถ๏ธ Chipotle Mayo
Ingredients
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4 tbsp mayonnaise
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1โ2 tsp chipotle sauce or chipotle in adobo
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juice of ยฝ lime
Method
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Mix all the ingredients until smooth and creamy.
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Taste and adjust the heat if needed.
๐ฅฌ Toppings
Ingredients
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pointed cabbage, finely shredded
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fresh coriander leaves
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corn tortillas
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lime wedges
Method
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Warm the tortillas in a dry pan.
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Finely shred the pointed cabbage.
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Massage it with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime for about 30 seconds.
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Pick the coriander leaves.
๐ฝ๏ธ Finish
Method
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Warm the tortillas in a dry pan.
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Spread a generous spoonful of chipotle mayo over each tortilla.
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Top with a handful of the pointed cabbage.
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Spoon over the warm beef filling.
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Finish with the pickled apple.
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Scatter over plenty of fresh coriander.
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Serve with lime wedges on the side.
๐ Squeeze the lime over the tacos just before eating.
๐ Variations
This recipe also works beautifully with:
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pulled beef
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pulled pork
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grilled oyster mushrooms
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grilled eggplant
โจ 3xT โ Tips, Tricks & Twists
Tip: Brown the beef properly.
A deep caramelisation creates far more flavour than simply cooking it through.
Trick: Infuse with whole cloves ๐ฟ
Using 4โ5 whole cloves adds a subtle warmth and depth that pairs beautifully with the beef. Let them gently infuse the sauce while it simmers, then simply remove them before serving.
Twist: Pickled Granny Smith apples ๐
Their crisp texture and fresh acidity cut through the richness of the beef perfectly.
Bonus: Massage the pointed cabbage with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime. ๐ฅฌ
It softens slightly while keeping its crunch, making every bite even better.
Pa dober tek!๐จ๐ณ
