Jack in the Box to the Rescue!
Before I discuss the Jack in the Box taco recipe, I want to share a story about my experience with understanding Jack in the Box from an East Coast kid.
I grew up in the East Coast, so I never had a chance to experience Jack in the Box until I moved to Los Angeles in 2001. I used to watch movies like Menace 2 Society where they would refer to Jack in the Box as ‘Jack in the Crack’ and I never really understood what they were talking about until I got here.
Jack in the Crack?
For those of you that are as clueless as I was, the nickname was given to Jack in the Box because the food is so addicting; when people used the slang term if something is compared to ‘crack. I still hear the term thrown around to this day.
Why is Jack in the Box Addicting?
This phrase was something I had to discover on my own through my LA adventures, but it really comes down to three main points:
- Price: Jack in the Box is extremely cheap! If you are old enough to remember the Taco Bell menu from back in the day, Jack in the Box can be compared to that.
- Simplicity: They know their lane. Simple foods where someone can grab some tacos, burgers, all day breakfast, chicken. A little bit of everything.
- Flavors: As you’ll see below for the spices, Jack in the Box has some great flavors and they use some great seasoning tactics to get people to come back for more.
When I eat at Jack in the Box, I normal enjoy the classics; I tend to not fix something that isn’t broken. Tacos, Burgers, and some sides is the perfect quick cheat meal I love to get on a Friday night.
Let’s Taco Bout the Jack in the Box Taco Recipe
Jack in the Box tacos have been around since the 1950’s! There is so much history behind this classic Mexican cuisine and they’ve perfected their recipe to this day. You can even get two tacos for $0.99 as of this writing.
Who is this Jack in the Box Taco Recipe For?
If you live near a Jack in the Box, grabbing a couple of tacos is a no brainer, even grabbing a bunch for a small gathering will do the trick. You don’t need this recipe unless they ‘Jack up the price’ (haha).
If you are meal planning for a full week or need to do some serious tacos to impress someone, this recipe is for you. You can get all of the seasonings and they’ll be pricey at first; but the costs per taco will be pennies for two, not $0.99 for two (especially when making the homemade tortillas). I do recommend getting yourself a tortilla press because this will save you a lot of time to make tacos / tortilla chips in the future.
Jack in the Box Tacos Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Food Processor Used to process the meat to the right consistency
- 1 Electric Deep Fryer For frying the tacos to get a crisp texture
- 1 Tongs To hold and flip the tacos while deep frying
- 1 Skillet For heating the tortillas and cooking the taco filling
- 1 Tortilla Press Optional but will make your tortillas much faster
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
Seasoning Mix
- 3 cups cold water
- 2 cups soy protein or tempeh
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 tsp onion flakes
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp masa corn flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Accent seasoning
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp citric acid
Taco Sauce
- 1 cup cold water
- 1/4 cup chili sauce
- 2 1/2 tbsp white vinegar
- 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp season salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 tsp coriander
- 1/8 tsp ground cumin
- 1 pinch ground clove
- 1 pinch smoked paprika
Cooking / Preparing
- shredded iceberg lettuce
- American cheese slices
- canola oil for deep frying
- 2 cups masa harina flour for homemade tortillas
- 1.5 cups water for homemade tortillas
Instructions
Preparation
- Begin with the taco sauce. Combine water and all seasoning ingredients.3 cups cold water, 2 cups soy protein or tempeh, 4 tbsp tomato paste, 4 tsp onion flakes, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp masa corn flour, 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp garlic powder, 3/4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/4 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 pinch cayenne pepper, 2 tsp citric acid
- Prepare the taco meat seasoning by combining all the dry ingredients: onion powder, chili powder, corn flour, salt, Accent, garlic powder, sugar, ground cumin, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and citric acid in a bowl with cold water.1 cup cold water, 1/4 cup chili sauce, 2 1/2 tbsp white vinegar, 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp season salt, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/8 tsp coriander, 1/8 tsp ground cumin, 1 pinch ground clove, 1 pinch smoked paprika, 1 tsp Accent seasoning
- To make homemade tortillas, start by mixing 2 cups of masa harina and salt in a large bowl, then gradually add 1.5 cups of hot water to form a dough. Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes until smooth and cohesive, adjusting with extra flour if too wet or more water if too dry. Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Portion the dough into 2-tablespoon balls, then press each ball between two pieces of plastic using a tortilla press until they form 4- to 5-inch tortillas, ensuring they don't stick to the plastic.2 cups masa harina flour, 1.5 cups water
- Heat corn tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20 seconds per side to make them pliable. Wrap them in a dish towel to keep warm.
Cooking / Creating
- In a skillet, cook ground beef and chicken until brown, then drain excess grease.1 lb ground beef
- Return the meat to the skillet and add the seasoning mix. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat to medium and stir until thickened.
- After cooked, let the meat cool and then process in a food processor to achieve the right consistency.
- Take the warmed tortillas and place a heaping tablespoon of the taco meat in the center, fold in half, and press down to seal.
- Place the folded tacos in sandwich bags and freeze.
Serving / Presentation
- Heat oil to 365°F for deep frying.canola oil
- Deep fry each taco for one minute, holding the taco together with tongs.
- Carefully open the hot tacos and add a triangle of American cheese, a spoonful of the prepared taco sauce, and a sprinkle of shredded iceberg lettuce before serving.shredded iceberg lettuce, American cheese slices