Substitute Water With This Flavor-Boosting Ingredient When Cooking Taco Meat

Tacos have become an incredibly popular homemade meal choice because there are so many ways to customize them to your preference. Maybe you have a soft spot for hard-shell tacos or prefer your tortillas stuffed with breakfast foods, Wrangler-style. One thing we can all agree on, though, is that if you're going to keep it simple and straightforward — ground meat, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, etc. — your ground beef, chicken, or turkey has got to be super flavorful. If you are in the habit of adding water to your meat while it's cooking to activate or rehydrate your seasoning, you should go ahead and use a bit of broth or stock instead.

If you're cooking ground beef, you can use beef broth, and if you're cooking ground chicken or turkey, you can use chicken or even vegetable broth. Honestly, any meat benefits from just about whatever stock you're using; all you need to do is add about a ½ cup of stock per every pound of meat. The flavors of these stocks will complement the meat and other ingredients, resulting in a richer, more savory, and impressive taco filling. As an added bonus, any remaining liquid will form a delicious, rich gravy that you can dip your finished tacos in.

This broth swap should really make your taco meat sing, but there are other ingredients you can add that will also boost its flavor and make your taco night — dare we say it — the best taco night ever. First up is one that might leave you scratching your head: tomato paste. Think about it, though. Tomatoes are full of naturally occurring MSG, a flavor enhancer that's packed with umami. Tomato paste, thanks to its concentrated nature, adds complexity and depth to your taco meat, creating a very satisfying final dish.

Also, ditch the store-bought taco seasoning packets and make your own. There is something muted about the taco seasoning packets you get from the grocery store and, in contrast, something so vibrant when you make your own blend using whole spices. What's more, making your own seasoning from whole spices not only ensures the blend is fresh (ground spices lose their flavor quicker than whole spices), but also gives you the opportunity to toast your spices before grinding them. Heating the spices in this way causes them to release intense flavors, greatly benefiting your tacos.