Taco Ring

Everyone knows one. Chefs dread them. The picky eater can be found in every aspect of life, child and adult. Both my boyfriend and my brother are extremely picky. They like meat and bread and that's just about it! Forget vegetables! Forget anything fancy!

Still, I have found a few recipes that will please just about every picky eater. My cousin introduced me to this recipe some years ago and I've had nothing but success with it. The Taco Ring is simple to make and delicious. Kids like it because it is a new twist on an old favorite. Get ready to revamp an old favorite, and plan on making this at least once a month once the kids try it!

EDIT
I haven't been online much lately and I just wanted to thank everyone for their wonderful comments. It's interesting to see what you guys are doing to the Taco Ring. Thanks again. <3

Step 1: Tools

• a skillet for cooking ground beef
• a spatula/spoon/what have you
• a round cookie sheet or pizza pan
• a tallish bowl
• optional: a colander

Comments

[ryoo818]

One ring to feed them all~

[nightninja87]

one ring to fill them all~

[mmould03]

One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them? But really, JUST made this for the fam and they're LOVING it.

[mmould03]

<img src="http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g180/mmould03/TacoRing.jpg"></img>

[kttecatt]

I know it's been awhile since you posted this recipe; but, I wanted to say that it became a family favorite from the first baking and all of my grown children now make it for their families as well. Thank you for posting it.

[kkoene]

OK, just pulled it out of the oven. OMG!!! Let the Nomnom begin!!!

[kkoene]

Making this right now for dinner! Can't wait!

[Woogaus]

My wife showed me the best way to cook ground beef for this type of recipe, we boil it, comes out perfectly done and once you drain it all the fat and grease is gone.

[curiousmomma]

We don't completely boil it but we do Put a cup of hot water in at the end of the browning and it pulls out the grease. Then when you drain the meat it takes the grease out but leaves all the flavor.

[imboox2]

I have done that for decades and also get the best ground meat I can. Friends tell me I'm crazy spending more, but when I cook a pound of 97% or 98 % ground sirloin I have nearly a pound of cooked meat with little having gone to fat. It taste much better too in my opinion. As lean as it is the water is not really needed, but when doing meat for something like tacos, cooking in water makes the meat fall apart easily. No big chunks to chop up.

[jehan60188]

Can't say I approve of your choice in sustenance, but this is an EXTREMELY well made instructable.

[nosemeat]

Hello dinner tonight! We used to make a kind of taco dip that incorporated all the ingredients and cooked in a bowl, but it more or less was a bowl of grease at some point, not to mention having to find taco seasoning without MSG. This looks far better, though. Also, when (or if) you cook it with veggies, does it soften them significantly?

[eash]

The way this is done there is hardly any grease at all. What grease remains after I rinse it off is usually baked off in the oven. But by no means is it dry! I normally don't concern myself with MSG. I know that it's bad and that I should, but living on a limited budget means buying whatever is the cheapest. In this case, the name-brand seasoning was on sale so I got to use the kind I like. To be honest, I've never cooked it with fresh veggies. My boys are really picky and won't eat them. I just use salsa, which is already fairly soft. If you decide to use veggies, let me know how it turns out. I might end up putting some fresh veggies in my pieces and leaving it out of theirs. Also, thanks for the comment!

[deLaRosa]

I know what you mean about the picky eaters - to add some veggies in a covert kind of way, shred some carrots and zucchini, and add them when the meat is about halfway done (so they cook down and get nice and soft - this way kids will never know!). Then continue with the recipe as is, and it's a great sneaky veggie.

[eash]

Great idea! I love sneaky veggies!

[deLaRosa]

I wanted to make it a little fancy for some friends, so I just topped the regular taco meat with the cheese, and then some veggies on top of the dough. I filled the bell pepper with some sour cream, and the crowd went wild.

[curecreator]

 That is freaky I was watching that in another tab while reading this. (the wall)

[comodore]

Looks Delicious!!!

TACO TACO; BURITO BURYTO;
TACO FLAVOURED KISSIS! xD
(in case you don't know its from South Park)
The second part, roll to the middle...

[cowscankill]

What did I just watch?!

[caityjay]

Alternatively, you could fill the center with those optional taco fillings, almost like a layer dip. Less picky-eater friendly that way, of course ;) This looks absolutely delicious, and reminds me of something one of my former roommates makes called Trilobite (her dad modified a recipe he found to make it breakfasty- it's basically crescent rolls wrapped around scrambled eggs, diced ham and cheese and is oh-so delicious!). I will definitely be trying this one!

[caityjay]

Ugh, you watched The Wall in elementary school? Poor you! *pats* I'd be scarred for life! However, I do like the idea of rinsing the ick from the block of meat (weird movies aside, I'm not a huge fan of raw ground beef, either). I'll have to try that the next time I use it!

[ElectroFox]

I made this last night. I first spread a thin layer of refried beans on the bottom, then I crushed a few handfuls of tortilla chips (like little triangles, not tortilla crumbs nor powder), half the meat, layer of sliced black olives and diced red bell pepper, then the other half of the meat. I also added 1 cup of frozen roasted corn from Trader Joe's (Excellent! You MUST seek it out!) to my ground beef mixture. When done I topped it w/a few dollops of sour cream and sprinkled with chopped cilantro. Everyone loved it so much, I am making it today, but I'm going to put in my smoker in the backyard for about 3-4 hrs @ 250 with lots of hickory and mesquite. I will let you know how the 'Smoked Taco Ring' comes out. Should be good. Betcha never had smoked blackberry cobbler... Thank you for a wonderful Instructable Eash! You have given us all a base to start from and I love to read the comments to see what other resourceful individuals have come up with, kinda like an original song gets 'remixed'...

[eash]

Thanks for the comment. You must let us know how the 'Smoked Taco Ring' turns out. Post pictures, if you can! Also, I haven't ever had smoked blackberry cobbler. It sounds divine.

[Chicken2209]

Im trying to imagine, cooked crescents and taco meat, just cant put those two together

[very small rocks]

I made it and it was awful. I just wanted to try something different with ground beef, since I never use that in real tacos anyway. I'm glad I didn't try to feed this to any friends, or I'd have lost all my cooking cred. :(

[eash]

I admit, it does seem a little strange lol. It's kind of like a taco biscuit. The croissants don't get really fluffy, so they really do just taste like thin, flat biscuits. To each their own, though.

[aeray]

Hideous. I love it. Now try artisan bread dough bits instead of the croissant dough and let us know how it is...

[riku-riku-chan]

i made this with morningstar farms fake meat crumbles and it was soooo yummy... i liked it better than with taco shells or tortillas!

[HelmusMkII]

I made this for my family and girlfriend and they loved it!
Added some paprika and lettuce =)
Thanks for this great idea =)

[8bit]

Very tasty. Even without the seasoning.

[cantonsouthbob]

made this for a super bowl party...should have 3 or more it went so fast. what a great dish

[mmould03]

OMFG Best meal idea ever. My kids are the pickiest mo-fo'n kids in the world. One day they LOVE something (anything) the next time I serve it... "I don't like pancakes" or "I don't like chicken nuggets" - BULL #@%#! This looks like too much fun for them to turn down. Excellent instructable.

[brianfss]

Hey mmould03
Family site--no need for the profanity--Even the &^%& kind. Do you really think your kids are mo-fo'n ?

[Yerboogieman]

When you were cooking that meat, all i could think of was "I hope she's not scratching that pan with the spoon."

[el greeno]

Now i know what my girlfriend and me are having for dinner tomorrow/today (its 1 am here). I'm cooking this and i cant wait. Great idea.

[riku-riku-chan]

i'd like to try this with vegetarian meat crumbles! mmmm, taco-y and biscuit-y!

[SinAmos]

Making taco seasoning is cheaper and easier.

[jessyratfink]

The most American meal ever concocted? Possibly! :O

[jongscx]

heh heh... with primarily french (croissant) and mexican/spanish(taco) undertones :-D If we added some raw-fish ("far-eastern"), yams (african), yougurt and curry (indian), and something from australia, it'd be an international dish...

[mmh]

Well, actually chop suey is an American version of Chinese vegetables with noodles. You can't find it in China.