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Restaurants›Barrio Tacos Lakewood›Chili-spiced Ground Sirloin Taco Recipe

Chili-spiced Ground Sirloin Taco Recipe

Name: Barrio Tacos Lakewoods CHILI-SPICED GROUND SIRLOIN TACO Recipe
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 lb lean ground sirloin; 1 tbs olive oil; 2 tsp chili powder; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp onion powder; 0.5 tsp garlic powder; 0.5 tsp dried oregano; 0.25 tsp crushed red pepper flakes; 1 tsp kosher salt; 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 0.25 cup beef or chicken broth (optional, to moisten); 0.5 cup sour cream; 2 tsp mayonnaise; 1 tsp chipotle in adobo, minced; 1 tsp fresh lime juice; 0.25 tsp honey or agave (optional, to balance heat); 0.125 tsp salt; 1 cup ripe tomatoes, seeded and finely diced; 0.25 cup finely diced white or red onion; 2 tbs fresh cilantro, chopped; 1 tbs fresh lime juice; 0.25 tsp salt; 1 tsp finely diced jalapeño (seeds removed for less heat); 1 cup smoked cheddar, shredded; 2 cups iceberg or romaine lettuce, shredded; 8 each small corn or flour tortillas; 2 each fresh lime wedges; 1 tsp neutral oil or butter for warming tortillas

Inspired by Barrio Tacos Lakewood

Time40m

Serves4

smoked cheddar, lettuce, pico de gallo, chipotle crema

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Ingredients

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Ground Sirloin & Spice Mix

1 lb lean ground sirloin

1 tbs olive oil

2 tsp Chili powder

1 tsp Ground cumin

1 tsp Smoked paprika

1 tsp Onion powder

1/2 tsp Watkins garlic powder

1/2 tsp Dried oregano

1/4 tsp Crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup beef or chicken broth (optional, to moisten)

Chipotle Crema

1/2 cup Sour cream

2 tsp Mayonnaise

1 tsp chipotle in adobo, minced

1 tsp Fresh lime juice

1/4 tsp honey or agave (optional, to balance heat)

1/8 tsp Celtic sea salt

Pico de Gallo

1 cup ripe tomatoes, seeded and finely diced

1/4 cup finely diced white or red onion

2 tbs Fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tbs Fresh lime juice

1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

1 tsp finely diced jalapeño (seeds removed for less heat)

Assembly & Toppings

1 cup smoked cheddar, shredded

2 cups iceberg or romaine lettuce, shredded

8 each small corn or flour tortillas

2 each fresh lime wedges

1 tsp neutral oil or butter for warming tortillas

Method

Ground Sirloin & Spice Mix

Prepare spice blend

In a small bowl, combine chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir to blend evenly.

Cook beef

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When hot, add the ground sirloin, breaking it up with a spatula. Cook until it starts to brown, about 4–5 minutes.

Season and finish

Sprinkle the prepared spice blend evenly over the meat. Continue to cook, stirring and breaking up clumps, until the meat is well browned and fragrant, about 3–4 more minutes. If the pan becomes dry or the meat seems tight, add up to 1/4 cup beef or chicken broth to loosen and concentrate flavors; simmer 1–2 minutes until the liquid is mostly absorbed. Taste and adjust salt/pepper as needed. Keep warm off the heat while you prepare the other components.

Chipotle Crema

In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, minced chipotle in adobo (start with 1 teaspoon and add more to taste), lime juice, and honey or agave if using. Season with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Taste and adjust acidity or heat; if too thick, thin with 1–2 teaspoons water or additional lime juice. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Pico de Gallo

Combine the diced tomatoes, onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and jalapeño in a bowl. Stir gently to combine. Let sit for 10–15 minutes at room temperature to allow flavors to marry, then taste and adjust salt or lime as needed.

Assembly & Serving

Warm tortillas: heat a cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Lightly brush each tortilla with a little neutral oil or melt a small pat of butter in the pan. Warm tortillas 20–30 seconds per side until pliable and slightly charred in spots. Keep warm wrapped in a clean kitchen towel.

Assemble tacos: divide the shredded lettuce among the warmed tortillas (about 1/4 cup per tortilla). Top each with a generous scoop of chili-spiced ground sirloin (about 2 oz / 1/4 cup per taco). Add a tablespoon of pico de gallo on top of the meat, sprinkle with smoked cheddar (about 2 tablespoons per taco), and drizzle with chipotle crema to taste.

Finish and serve: garnish with an extra sprinkle of cilantro if desired and serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing. Serve immediately while hot.