30-60 min6-8 servingsAmerican

Turkey Tacos

By Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough

6-8 servings

30-60 min

Easy

Recipe Details

Course: Dinner, Main Dishes

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 45 min

Total Time: 30-60 min

Cooking Technique: Max Pressure Cook, Pressure Cook, Sauté

Cuisine: American

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

2 cups chunky-style mild or hot red salsa
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 1/2 oz can chopped mild or hot green chiles
1/2 cup frozen chopped onion
2 tsp standard chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp table salt
2 lbs frozen ground turkey
2 tbsp yellow cornmeal
Soft flour or corn tortillas or taco shells
Shredded lettuce
shredded cheese

We designed this recipe to make a lot of taco filling because 1) that filling is tasty enough for crowds, and 2) it freezes well for quick, microwave meals in the weeks or months ahead. You’ll need two 1-pound packages of ground turkey (rather than one 2-pound package). The blocks of frozen meat need to stand against each other in the cooker. Otherwise, they have a tendency to scorch— or one gets done while the other stays partially frozen. Frozen ground turkey can be difficult to break apart. After cooking, it stays in long, thin strands, about the way it comes out of the grinder. You’ll need to break these into smaller bits for a good taco filling

INSTRUCTIONS

Stir the salsa, broth, chiles, onion, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and salt (if using) in an Instant Pot. Set the two blocks of frozen turkey in the pot so that they look like an A-frame or a lean-to, sticking up out of the liquid and balancing against each other along their upper edges. Lock the lid onto the pot.
Option 1 Max Pressure Cooker
Press Pressure cook on Max pressure for 20 minutes with the Keep Warm setting off.
Option 2 All Pressure Cookers
Press Poultry, Pressure cook or Manual on High pressure for 25 minutes with the Keep Warm setting off.
Use the quick-release method to bring the pot’s pressure back to normal. Unlatch the lid and open the cooker. Use the edge of a large, metal spoon and a meat fork to break the ground turkey into tiny bits.
Press the button SAUTÉ, set it for MEDIUM, NORMAL, or CUSTOM 400°F. Set the timer for 5 minutes.
Bring the turkey mixture to a simmer, stirring quite often. Stir in the cornmeal and simmer until thickened, 2–3 minutes. Turn off the SAUTÉ function, set the lid askew over the pot, and set aside for 5 minutes to thicken some more. Serve warm in tortillas with shredded lettuce and cheese.

Notes

Beyond
• For an 8-quart Instant Pot, you must increase the broth to 1 cup., • Go beyond our serving suggestions: Add sliced radishes, thinly sliced red onion, sprouts (particularly radish sprouts), sour cream,and/or sliced pickled jalapeño rings to your taco., • Use the turkey taco filling (without the tortillas or lettuce) to stuff omelets on the weekend. Or serve it warm with a fried or poached egg on top. Don’t forget to top with grated cheese., • If you use this taco filling for burritos, make sure you drain it, especially if you intend to wrap those burritos up and eat them by hand at lunch., *Using a –20°F CHEST FREEZER? , There is no difference in cooking times.

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About the chef

Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough

In this duo, Bruce Weinstein is the chef and Mark Scarbrough, the writer. Together, they’ve published over 35 cookbooks, hit international best-seller lists, won national and international awards, and have been interviewed by the best, from Lester Holt to Barbara Walters. Weinstein also writes knitting books, designs patterns, and teaches knitting workshops. Besides writing their cookbooks, Scarbrough also teaches literature classes; has a podcast called Walking With Dante, where he takes you on journey from hell to paradise; and has written a memoir, BOOKMARKED: HOW THE GREAT WORKS OF WESTERN LITERATURE F*CKED UP MY LIFE.

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