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1 h 20 min
15,738,585 views Spoiler alerts generally aren't an issue with single-camera sitcoms, but in the case of The Good Place, my video description will be understandably sparse. If you haven't already, just go watch it - if you have, join me this week as we come up with an excuse to celebrate national nacho day (which is in November for some reason)!
4 servings
US
original
metric
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
INGREDIENTS
For the Homemade Tortilla Chips
Corn tortillas
1 gallon canola oil
Kosher salt
For the Guacamole
3 small ripe avocados
1 clove fresh garlic
½ small red onion, minced
1 lime
1 tsp toasted and freshly ground cumin
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
½ jalapeño, finely choped
2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
For the Pickled Jalapeños
8 jalapeños
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups water
4 cloves smashed garlic
3 tbsp kosher salt
¼ cup plain white sugar
For the Taco Beef
1 lb ground beef
½ onion, finely chopped
½ cup chicken stock
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
For the Taco Seasoning
1 ½ tbsp chili powder
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground garlic
½ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
For the Queso
2 lbs sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 lbs pepper jack cheese, grated
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 ½ cups cold milk
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese
½ can Rotel tomatoes and chiles
For the The Nachos
Homemade tortilla chips
Hand shredded cheese
Taco beef
Homemade queso
Black beans
Chopped white onion
Chopped tomato
Homemade pickled jalapeños
Homemade guacamole
Sour cream
For the The Naco Redemption
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 tbsp corn starch
1 cup evaporated milk
½ cup pickled jalapeno brine
Tortilla chips
Tortilla
Taco beef
TOOLS
Babish Cutting Board
Babish Mixing Bowl
Babish Tiny Whisk Set
Babish "Clef" Knife
Babish Santoku Knife
Babish Measusring Cups and Spoons set
Babish Frying Pan
DIRECTIONS
1.
For the Homemade Tortilla Chips
1.
Carefully cut the corn tortillas into tortilla chip shapes.
Corn tortillas
2.
Dry the tortillas in a 200°F oven for about 10 minutes. After 5 minutes has passed, take the tortillas out of the oven and flip each tortilla for maximum dryness. Alternatively, let the tortillas sit out out overnight until they are thoroughly stale.
Corn tortillas
3.
Once dry, place the chips into canola oil at 350°F on the stovetop for 1 to 2 minutes. The chips will continue to darken after cooking. While the chips are still hot, season them with kosher salt. Repeat this step with the remaining tortillas. Then, drain the chips on paper towel lined baking sheets.
1 gallon canola oil
Corn tortillas
Kosher salt
4.
For the Guacamole
1.
In a medium bowl, combine small ripe avocados, crushed garlic, minced red onion, lime juice, toasted and freshly ground cumin, a pinch of kosher salt, a few twists of freshly ground pepper, finely chopped jalapeño, and finely chopped tablespoons of cilantro.
3 small ripe avocados
1 clove fresh garlic
½ small red onion, minced
1 lime
1 tsp toasted and freshly ground cumin
2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
½ jalapeño, finely choped
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
2.
Using a fork, mash the combination together until it is relatively smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and cover with plastic wrap, making sure to press it down directly onto the surface to prevent browning. Place in the refrigerator for later.
3.
For the Pickled Jalapeños
1.
Cut jalapeños into thick slices. For a quick pickling brine, into a medium saucepan, combine plain white vinegar, water, smashed cloves of garlic, kosher salt, and plain white sugar.
8 jalapeños
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups water
4 cloves smashed garlic
3 tbsp kosher salt
¼ cup plain white sugar
2.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and whisk until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Add the jalapeños, turn off the stove, and give the mix a stir. If you happen to see any garlic cloves that have turned blue, don’t fret because it is totally normal. Set aside and allow the jalapeños to cool.
8 jalapeños
3.
For the Taco Beef
1.
In a sauté pan, brown ground beef until it is barely pink in the center. Let the fat pool on one side of the pan and add small finely chopped onion into the fat. Sweat the onions for about 2 minutes prior to tossing with the beef and seasoning it (see seasoning method below).
1 lb ground beef
½ onion, finely chopped
2.
Allow the spices to mix for about 1 minute before pouring in chicken stock. Season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Let it reduce for another 2 to 3 minutes until it is thick.
½ cup chicken stock
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
3.
For the Taco Seasoning
1.
On top of the beef, add chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground garlic, dried oregano, and cayenne pepper.
1 ½ tbsp chili powder
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground garlic
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp dried oregano
2.
For the Queso
1.
In a large bowl, hand shred sharp cheddar cheese and pepper jack cheese. Avoid using pre shredded cheese because it will prevent maximum melting.
2 lbs sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 lbs pepper jack cheese, grated
2.
To make a roux, in a large saucepan on low-medium heat, add butter and flour once the butter is foamy. Whisk and cook together for about 1 minute before slowly starting to stream in cold milk to prevent lumps.
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 ½ cups cold milk
3.
Once it has cooked for about 2 minutes and it is a thick consistency, add sharp cheddar cheese and whisk until melted. Drain a can of Rotel tomatoes and chilies and then add the can to the mixture for some color as well as a nice kick. Season generously with kosher salt and make sure the mixture is melted and smooth.
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese
½ can Rotel tomatoes and chiles
4.
For the The Nachos
1.
On top of the first layer of chips, add a generous sprinkling of your hand-shredded cheeses, a cautious sprinkling of your taco meat, and a drizzle of your queso. Then, add a sprinkling of black beans, chopped white onion, chopped tomato, and a few of your homemade pickled jalapeños. Repeat this step three times on top of each layer of chips.
Homemade tortilla chips
Hand shredded cheese
Black beans
Homemade queso
Taco beef
Chopped white onion
Chopped tomato
Homemade pickled jalapeños
2.
Place your plate of nachos onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 350°F. Once 20 minutes has passed, top everything off with sour cream and your homemade guacamole.
Homemade guacamole
Sour cream
3.
For the The Naco Redemption
1.
In a separate bowl, combine hand-shredded sharp cheddar cheese with corn starch.
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 tbsp corn starch
2.
Then, to a small saucepan, add evaporated milk and pickled jalapeño brine. Stir constantly over medium heat until the cheese is melted and starts to resemble a thick nacho cheese. It may look a bit lumpy at first, but just keep stirring and it will eventually smooth out. Note that the cheese will coagulate quickly, so move as fast as possible.
1 cup evaporated milk
½ cup pickled jalapeno brine
3.
Place a few broken tortilla chips on top of a tortilla. Cover the broken chips with cheese sauce, taco beef, and more cheese sauce.
Tortilla chips
Tortilla
Taco beef
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