The 3-Ingredient Taco Meat Marinade You Need To Memorize For A Cheap And Easy Dinner

Tacos can be as simple or as intricate as you want them to be, which often depends on how much time you have to fuss over making them. But no matter how much you want to load your tacos, prepping a marinade is a solid way to elevate whatever protein you intend to put inside your tortillas. Marinades can have a slew of ingredients or just a couple, but in either case, there's no reason to resort to a store-bought, pre-made option. That's because a cheap-but-delicious marinade for any taco meat only requires a few simple ingredients: chipotle in adobo sauce, lime juice, and a bit of cumin, according to our friends at Chowhound. Not to mention it's super easy to make.

The three ingredients work together to make a meat marinade that's equal parts spicy, acidic, and flavorful. The chipotle chili peppers in the adobo sauce add spice and a smoky flavor, while the lime juice offers fresh acidity to balance it out. Meanwhile, cumin adds an earthy, savory flavor that's often used in Mexican dishes, including various types of tacos. You could always customize this recipe to match your specific cravings, but these three core components are really all it takes to make your taco meat more flavorful. You can steep your meat in this marinade for anywhere between a few hours and a full 24 hours.

You can use this affordable three-ingredient marinade for pretty well any type of meat you want to use for taco night, including chicken, steak, shrimp, and even pork. The precise amounts of each ingredient you'll need largely depends on the type and quantity of meat you're cooking, but you can start with a few basic guidelines.

For every two to three pounds of meat, such as flank steak, prepare a teaspoon of chopped chipotle peppers from the adobo sauce for some heat. If you really want to feel the spice, you can increase the amount a little. Squeeze 1/3 cup of fresh lime juice, then shred some lime zest into the liquid to bring out additional lime flavor. One tablespoon of ground cumin should be just enough for this marinade. If you want to increase that amount, be mindful that it might overpower your other spices, so proceed with caution.

An easy way to combine your marinade ingredients is to throw your chipotle peppers, lime juice, and cumin into a blender. If you don't have one, you can try using an immersion blender. Once blended, give your marinade a taste — if you want more spice or acidity, add a few tablespoons of adobo sauce. You can also add salt to bring out the flavors. Other ingredients you can add to this marinade include taco seasoning, chili powder, fresh cilantro, grated garlic, or other citrus juices, such as orange juice. This marinade would go wonderfully with our recipe for ground beef street tacos, given it calls for the same three ingredients. For some extra flair, serve the tacos — or whatever dish you make — alongside some crave-worthy homemade guacamole.

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