Crispy Beef Blackstone Smash Taco (Printable Format)
Juicy smashed beef with melted cheese on crispy tortillas, cooked to golden perfection on a griddle
# What You Need:
→ Beef
01 - 1 lb ground beef (80/20 recommended)
02 - 1 tsp salt
03 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
04 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
05 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
→ Cheese
06 - 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
07 - 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
→ Taco Shells
08 - 8 small flour or corn tortillas
→ Toppings
09 - 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
10 - 1/2 cup chopped lettuce
11 - 1/4 cup diced red onion
12 - 1/4 cup sour cream
13 - 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
14 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
→ For Smash & Cooking
15 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil or melted butter
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat your Blackstone griddle or large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly oil the surface.
02 - Divide the ground beef into 8 equal balls (about 2 oz each).
03 - Season each ball with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder.
04 - Place each tortilla on the griddle. Immediately top with a mound of shredded cheese (cheddar & Monterey Jack mix) covering the center of the tortilla.
05 - Place a beef ball on top of the cheese mound. Using a spatula or burger press, smash the beef ball firmly down to spread it thinly over the melted cheese and tortilla.
06 - Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the beef has a crispy edge and the cheese is golden and bubbling beneath.
07 - Flip the entire taco (tortilla, beef, and cheese) quickly so that the tortilla side crisps for 1-2 minutes.
08 - Remove from heat and transfer to a platter.
09 - Immediately top each taco with lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño slices, cilantro, and a dollop of sour cream.
10 - Serve hot and enjoy!
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The cheese actually melts into the tortilla creating a crispy cheesy foundation that keeps everything together
- Smashing the beef thin means maximum crispy edges in every single bite
- Everything cooks on one surface so you're not juggling pans and the assembly happens right on the griddle
02 -
- Work in batches because overcrowding the griddle lowers the temperature and you lose that crucial crispy edge
- The cheese needs to hit the griddle before the beef or it wont melt into the tortilla properly and create that fused layer
- Let the beef develop a crust before flipping even if it looks done sooner that crispiness is the whole point
03 -
- Warm your tortillas at room temperature for 10 minutes before cooking so they don't tear when you smash the beef onto them
- Have all your toppings prepped and ready before you start cooking because these come together fast and you want to assemble them while the cheese is still melty