BBQ Beef Walking Tacos

Put some fun in your lunch with these easy to make BBQ Beef Walking Tacos! Ground beef gets combined with a homemade bbq sauce then gets served over ranch-flavored tortilla chips!

Whoever came up with the idea of a walking taco is nothing short of a genius. Go to any school event, festival, sporting event and I guarantee you will find walking tacos on the menu. I used to be grossed out by the idea of eating chip bags full of hot meat, but that was before I tried a walking taco for myself. Now I think they are the best thing ever.

There are several reasons why I think this meal has mass appeal. For one thing, the chips. Everyone loves chips. Secondly, the meat is completely adaptable, you can pair any saucy meat with salty chips and call it delicious and lastly, this meal is portable and features minimal cleanup. And just like this American Goulash Recipe, it is comfort food!

Walking tacos are perfect for football games, campfires, and school lunches! My kids are going to be thrilled when they open up their lunches to find a warm container of bbq beef, a bag of ranch flavored chips, cheese and ranch dressing in their lunches.

How to make BBQ Beef Walking Tacos

This recipe starts with lean ground beef. Beef with a little more fat (80%/20%) is perfect for hamburgers, that little bit of fat keeps burgers juicy and moist. But for a recipe like this, lean beef is perfect.

Lean beef is an important part of a healthy diet for kids. Research shows that including lean beef daily as part of a healthy diet can help lower cholesterol levels, plus, exercise is more effective when paired with a high-protein diet. For student athletes and active kids, there is no better choice than beef. The protein in beef helps build muscle and strong bodies.

To the beef, I added some of my favorite bbq sauce staples, like ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, and spices which are cooked together until they become rich and thick. I love making my own bbq sauce; sometimes I like to add cherries to my sauce, and other times I add Asian flavors, but I kept this recipe plain because I knew that would be how the kids would like it.

I used ranch-flavored chips (I used Doritos), but corn chips or plain tortilla chips would be great. All you have to do is pack the beef in a thermos, and when the kids get to lunch, they scoop the beef right into their chips. All the other kids will think that’s the coolest lunch ever, and you will be a hero!

I have created this recipe in partnership with Ohio Beef. Visit www.OhioBeef.org, and follow the Ohio Beef Council on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for beef nutrition facts, cooking tips recipes and to meet Ohio’s beef farmers.

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Yield: 8

BBQ Beef Walking Tacos

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Saucy beef bbq is cooked until thick and then spooned over ranch tortilla chips. This is one easy, family-friendly meal that is fun for any occasion!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 6 individual bags ranch-flavored tortilla chips
• Cheese
• Ranch dressing

Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, crumbling the beef as you cook. Season beef with salt and pepper.
2. Stir ketchup into the beef along with brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, oregano ,and cumin. Reduce heat and cook beef for 10-15 minutes or until sauce has thickened.
3. To serve, spoon beef mixture into an opened bag of ranch-flavored chips and top with shredded cheese and ranch dressing (or your desired toppings).

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 1123Total Fat 53gSaturated Fat 12gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 39gCholesterol 105mgSodium 1647mgCarbohydrates 117gFiber 6gSugar 23gProtein 45g

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