Crock-Pot Taco Junk Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Will taco meat dry out in the crockpot? ›

Taco meat can dry out if you don't add extra water to the slow cooker. I suggest adding water before turning on the heat.

Absolutely, which is why you should always adjust times and amounts as needed. Smaller amounts of slow cooker hamburger only need a few hours before they are done.

A typical 12-serving taco seasoning mix recipe uses about 1 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch. If you want to skip the cornstarch in your homemade seasoning to use it for other purposes, just sprinkle ⅓ to ½ teaspoon of cornstarch per pound of browned, spiced meat before adding ¾ cup of water and heat until thickened.

What you're doing when you add water is helping the cornstarch create a smooth sauce flavored with the spices. The heat then activates the cornstarch, thickening the mixture.

Ground beef can be pink inside after it is safely cooked. The pink color can be due to a reaction between the oven heat and myoglobin, which causes a red or pink color. It can also occur when vegetables containing nitrites are cooked along with the meat.

If you simply pop some raw meat in your slow cooker, it won't have a chance to brown, which adds some much-needed flavor and cuts down on plenty of unappealing grease. Instead, you're better served by browning raw meat in a skillet before adding it to the slow cooker with your other ingredients.

Do you have to brown the meat for slow cooker chili? Technically, no. The beef, bell pepper, onion, and garlic will all cook in the slow cooker, but browning the meat and sautéing the vegetables in a skillet before adding it to the slow cooker brings much more flavor to the chili. You'll be glad you did—promise!

To keep a pot roast from drying out, your slow cooker needs liquid to create a moist environment, and that can include meat or vegetable stock, wine or water. This doesn't mean the meat should be submerged; a cup or two of liquid will be enough, since the cooker is covered and liquids stay trapped inside.

How do I prevent the ground meat from becoming dry while cooking? To keep the meat juicy, avoid overcooking it. After it has browned, add a small amount of water or broth to maintain moisture. This step helps prevent dryness and enhances the flavor.

A beef joint in a crock-pot also needs about a ½ cup of liquid – beef broth is usually an excellent choice – to keep it tender and flavorful as it cooks. Place it on the lowest setting and only open it to add a small amount of liquid, if needed, and to stir your veggies.

Does slow cooker make meat dry? ›

Browning helps the meat retain its moisture during cooking in a slow cooker. Leaner cuts of meat will become a bit dryer in a slow cooker than fatty cuts. Sometimes, you have to work to find that balance of “not-too-dry” and “still healthy”.