Beef Tacos

Method

1. sear7 min
   medium-high, breaking up
   beef spread flat and left a minute before crumbling — browning happens where meat touches steel, and constant stirring keeps every crumb grey; pour off all but a tablespoon of fat at the end, or the filling arrives greasy
2. saute3 min
   medium
   + onion in the same pan until soft, garlic for the last thirty seconds — garlic added with the onion is burnt by the time the onion is done
3. toast1 min
   medium, stirring
   + chili powder + cumin + paprika + oregano + salt + tomato paste straight onto the meat — thirty seconds of dry heat blooms the spices' oils and cooks the paste's tin flavor out; this minute is the difference between tasting spices and tasting dust
4. simmer8 min
   medium-low, until thick
   + water, scraping the pan, until it coats the meat with no puddle — the liquid carries the seasoning into the beef and then leaves; stop while it still looks juicy, because it keeps tightening off the heat
5. toast3 min
   dry skillet or open flame
   tortillas until spotted and pliable, held in a towel — an unwarmed tortilla cracks at the first fold, and the steam in the towel is what keeps the stack soft
6. top3 min
   at the table
   meat first, then cheese while it is hot enough to melt, lettuce last so it stays cold and crisp — build order is the difference between a taco and a pile