After last weeks recipe for El Pollo Loco Beans, I figured why not follow up with some tacos. I’ve never eaten at a Jack In The Box, but I love tacos. This easy recipe is sure to keep your family happy and prevent them from having to make a run for the border !
(89 votes, average: 3.47 out of 5)
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On May 11th, 2007
Pat Said:
I really enjoy the copy cat recipes… Now that I live in the UK, they are a little bit of ‘home’ that I can put on my dinner table.. ButI never felt so far from home till I tried to recreate this recipe Jack in the Box Taco recipe..
Refried beans?? There seems to be a misunderstanding here about exactly what these are… I can’t even find dry pinto beans in the store to make my own..
Nope… and no Ortega taco sauce either…
Corn Tortillas?? Nope… those are out too.. We can actually get flour tortillas and if we’re lucky, we can get El Paso Mexican meal kits that have flour tortillas in them with an expiration date on them of about 5 months from now… A far cry from the warm ones I used to get at the market in So. Calif…
Ah… Crisco… I can get several brands of cooking oil, but good old Crisco is not on the shelf.. If I drive down to Manchester… About 45 minutes away.. and go to the foreign food section in Selfridges, I can get little containers of Crisco shortening, but you can imagine the price since it’s imported…
But the best one was the American Cheese… The British version of American cheese is about as authentic as their verison of American hot dogs… So called American Hotdogs come packed in water in a can or bottle and taste like Vienna sausages… Rather limp and squishy… Certainly not Oscar Meyer quality…
Unfortunately, things like cheese and meat products can’t be imported and I can’t even sneek them into my luggage.. so I suppose this recipe will simply have to be left for those who still reside in the USA…
On May 27th, 2007
Christi Said:
Jack in the Box tacos don’t have beans in them at all, refried or otherwise.
On June 2nd, 2007
Esther Said:
My favorite fast food is JITB tacos! Unfortunately there are none where I live. This is a great copy cat recipe. And to the other comment about the beans, the beans are used to get the meat to be the same texture and consistency as JITB tacos. I’ve heard that you can use potato flakes to do the same thing. You can’t taste the beans in the tacos. They are GREAT!
On June 5th, 2007
Michelle Said:
Jack in the Crack tacos … something my family back home in Texas tease me with “Oooo, guess what i just ate…Ha Ha.” I can’t tell you how excited i was to come across the recipe. Of course trying to re-create those wonderful greasy things was not easy and turned out to be a waste of time, effort, and a special trip to the store.
I agree 2 key ingredients are the American cheese & the taco sauce–i have my doubts about the refried beans–but trying to fry the things turned into a large mess and a couple nasty grease burns. What is supposed to keep the tortilla from opening once you throw it in the pot?
On June 24th, 2007
Tisha MaGouirk Said:
I’ve been researching this exact dilemma. It’s very useful to type in Jack In The Box, and read the company’s web page. They explain exactly how they’re made. That’s half the battle. There are NO BEANS. Also, when you fry them, lower the heat, and either hold them closed with a kitchen tool of some sort, or use toothpicks to hold them together. Hope this helps. When you’re jonesin’ for a taco, you’re jonesin’ for a taco…!
[...] That all changes this week. The Secret Recipe Blog has the recipe for Jack In The Box Tacos. I will be making these before the weekend. Technorati Tags: Secret Recipes, blog, jack in the box, tacos [...]
On December 29th, 2008
Ray Said:
I used to get JITB tacos for 10 cents when in high school in Phoenix. Sure would lieke to get the mix for the secret sauce they used on their little burgers 10 cents too!
On March 5th, 2009
Matt Said:
There isn’t beans in the tacos… Its Tofu
On March 15th, 2009
Stacey Said:
OMG! My husband was traveling on business and just discovered that JIB tacos have been taken off the menu as of the end of February. Hope this recipe lives up to the JIB reputation.
On March 25th, 2009
mary Said:
i just came back from Texas, jack in the box, did take their monster tacos off the menu…BUT FLOKS !! they still have them good ole regular TACOS !! and they were delicious !! i hope they move to florida soon !! there’s a lot of southerners here waiting for them !!
On March 25th, 2009
DanB Said:
Do you have any idea how many tacos the average Jack In The Box sells every day? They were not “taken off the menu as of the end of February,” and they’re not going anywhere any time soon. Wonder what other lies Stacey’s husband has been telling her about his adventures on the road.
Oh, and also, while this is a very nice recipe, it’s not even close to what JITB does. That filling is almost 100 percent textured vegetable protein.
On May 8th, 2009
burrito recipes Said:
3 cups of cooking oil and yet the beef is drained 
On May 9th, 2009
Arturo Said:
The JITB do have beans in the tacos, they also have anchovies which no body taste…
On May 23rd, 2009
Tea Said:
Here’s what you need to do. Buy some GimmeLean textured soy “beef” (it’s not real meat, but it’s just like JIB’s stuff, and you won’t get e-coli eating it). It comes in one-pound logs frozen at health food stores and sometimes in retail markets. The taco mix has Worcestershire sauce and chili powder in it. You need to throw your thawed-out soy log into a food processor with the W sauce and chili powder (you won’t need much of either), and blend it into a paste.
PREPARATION: First, STEAM your tortillas lightly, just enough to make them pliable. Spread a couple of tablespoons or so of the soy mixture with one slice American cheese onto each tortilla, fold it, and lay it on a piece of wax paper. Continue this process until you run out of paste, cheese and tortillas.
Now, take your pile of tacos and FREEZE them. This way you can indulge your craving instantly by snagging a few from the freezer as needed. This is what JIB does. They do not make their tacos from scratch. Once the tacos are frozen, you cook them in the deep-fryer till barely golden, add sauce and lettuce, and ole! You have a reasonable facsimile of the original Monster Taco.
On June 5th, 2009
Todd Said:
The taco ingredients are listed on JIB’s Web site: http://www.jackinthebox.com/pdf/Ingredients.pdf
No. 1 ingredient is “beef.” Because it is listed first, that means it is the largest single ingredient in the filling. Next ingredient is water, then textured vegetable protein, then soy grits. TVP and soy grits can be had at Whole Foods Markets. Also there’s salt, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce, which can also be had at any grocery store. Parts of this that would be hard to duplicate at home include the “seasoning” portion of this ingredient list, No. 5 on the list of ingredients, which includes several industrial food additives and flavor enhancers as well as the non-specific “spices” — which could include any number of things. Also, while the ingredients are listed in descending order of weight, there’s no way to know the exact proportions. As a former JIB employee (18 years ago), I can tell you the tacos start out frozen, the filling is nearly a paste, which means you’ll need a blender, and the tacos are fried using a specially made multi-taco clamp that holds the folded halves of the shells together during cooking. As far as anchovies are concerned, they are not listed in the ingredients at all. Anchovies are usually one of the last ingredients listed on a bottle of Worcestershire sauce — so it is a nominal ingredient there. And Worcestershire sauce, being listed last in the filling ingredients, is itself a nominal ingredient in the JIB taco filling. Additionally, on their Web site, the individual ingredients of the Worcestershire sauce used are broken out — and they do not include anchovies as an ingredient, though “natural flavors” could include anchovies. As far as “beans” are concerned, the only beans here are soy beans, and only after they have been processed into industrial food additives, including: soy flour as part of the TVP, soy grits, hydrolyzed soy protein and soybean oil.
JIB out to sell these damn things frozen in your grocer’s freezer. The closest JIB to Washington, D.C. is in North Carolina. The next four-day weekend I’m driving down there for some. Or on my next trip home to St. Louis.
On June 5th, 2009
Todd Said:
Oh, one more thing. From experience frying up thousands of these things in the mid-1990s, the cheese is added after the taco is fried, not before. The frozen, uncooked tacos include only the shell and the beef. This ensures the cheese is not liquified during cooking and that customers who don’t want cheese can order without.
On July 21st, 2009
Hawkins Said:
Worcestershire contains anchovies…the meat itself doesn’t
On August 1st, 2009
yoo Said:
When I left texas, I actually bought a block of 50 frozen tacos from jack in the box and a bag of buttermilk sauce and hot sauce, packed a cooler for ice and took them on a 22 hour trip home. I still cook one from time to time, but I just can’t master the frying. Even though it’s the actual frozen product, and i add the hot sauce, i cant make them taste right.
On November 14th, 2009
Kerrie Said:
You Have to deep fry the tacos in Crisco oil and Make sure it is hot. If you have problems with them coming open put tooth picks in them.
I get JIB Tacos first thing everytime I stip off of the plane in Houston, the on to Whata Burger!
These are close and great in a pinch.
On January 6th, 2010
cytheria Said:
i would love to knowhow to order a case of frozen jib tacos help!
On April 9th, 2010
Frank Anconia Said:
Pleasssssse! Your taco recipe sounds good and tasty, but it is nothing like the good old traditional greasy and unhealthy JIB taco of my teen years (I’m 57 now).
In general I like your recipes, but please get them (all) right!
On April 10th, 2010
Al Said:
I worked at a JIB in Detroit back in the late 60s, Maybe early 70s ……. Tacos were my favorite menu item…. A Bonus Jack was second.
On May 20th, 2010
flowers and flies Said:
It is a “knockoff” meaning it tastes the same, made at HOME. It is not the original recipe, that would be secret (hence, “spices” etc..)
The beans are for texture, ya’ll would be freakin out if you had to put TVP in there. Make it first, then complain about the recipe, sheesh!
On June 22nd, 2010
Kerrie Said:
These are good. Put three toothpicks on the outside edge to keep them together while they fry.
If you freeze them 1st that helps too. I cooked them in high school, they were frozen.
My family sends me the sauce and I ask for extra when I go home to TX. as soon as you tell them you can’t get it they are very generous.
My nephew got them to sell him a case of frozen ( they usually won’t but ask) and he mailed them to me in VA best B-Day present!
On July 2nd, 2010
Jeff Said:
I used to eat JITB tacos growing up in detroit in the early 70′s before they closed all the ones in the midwest. I recently worked on the west coast for a month and brought 16 of them home rapped in dryice in my suitcase for my parents. I tried many times to get a manager to sell me some of the frozen tacos but they NEVER would. I too would like to know how to get them now that i am back home.
On July 17th, 2010
Cheryl Nicholas Said:
I used to get a deep fried something stuffed with beans and meat and a dipping sauce from JIB back in Newport News, Va in the 70′s. Does anybody know what I am talking about? Can I get a recipe? Thanks!
On July 24th, 2010
CC Said:
Sounds like the burrito, jack in the box sold
In the 70′s that was soo darn good, it was
Deep fried stuffed with meat, beans and cheese
It had a cool name too. But I dinna can remember it. I wish they would bring that back
That and secret sauce on the burgers.
On August 20th, 2010
Pete Said:
Pat from UK,
Do you know anyone in England who is in the US military. If so have them pick up mexican food items. They have them in the commissaries.
On September 2nd, 2010
kerry Said:
You’ve never eaten at Jack in the Box but you post a Jack in the Box Copycat recipe from your home files. Boy were you way off on this one. This is not a Taco Bell taco….
On October 28th, 2010
Sophia Said:
These have anchovies? Weird. I love this for a late night snack.. made them the other night for my husband because he was watching football re-runs and was starving. We wanted J n the B but it was closed… these are pretty darn close! YUM!
-Sophia
On December 23rd, 2010
TODD Said:
Bonus Jack IS BACK! And so is Jack in the Crack in Kansas City KS! As a Texas boy in KC for dam near 20 yrs, I can’t tell you how happy my fatass is! Now Jack, quit screwing around & break us off some MONSTER TACO’S! And a little Rodney Allen Widbey commercial! Much Thanks JACK!
On April 26th, 2011
tracy autry Said:
JITB tacos are easily the best fast food creation EVAH! I once traveled three hours to get some only go be told “our microwave is broken” so no dice on the tacos (I literally cried) but was really curious what difference the microwave made…. any ideas?
On May 13th, 2011
Stephen Brandt Said:
I found this on the web, I think that this one makes more sense than anything else I have seen. I have not made it yet:
Ingredients:Serves: 8,
Yield:
16 16 16Servings Size
tacos
Update
tacos
TACO BEEF
1 lb ground beef
SEASONING MIX
3 cups cold water
1 cup texturized soy protein
2 tablespoons defatted soy grits (or soy flour)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 teaspoons dried onion flakes
1 tablespoon plain chili powder
1 tablespoon masa corn flour
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon Accent seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 dash ground black pepper
1 dash cayenne pepper
1 dash citric acid (natural flavor enhancer)
TACO SHELL (PER SERVING)
1 stone-ground corn tortilla
DEEP-FRYING OIL
pure canola oil
REMAINING TACO FILLING (PER SERVING)
1 teaspoon taco sauce (Recipe #423994)
1/2 slice American cheese, divided diagonally
2 tablespoons shredded iceberg lettuce
Change Measurements: US | Metric
Directions:
Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
1 PLEASE NOTE: THESE ARE MAKE-AHEAD TACOS. YOU MUST FILL THEN FREEZE TACOS BEFORE FRYING FOR AUTHENTIC RESULTS. PREPARE MY “COPYCAT JACK IN THE BOX TACO SAUCE” RECIPE (RECIPE #423994) BEFORE ASSEMBLING DEEP-FRIED TACOS.
2 POUR 3 cups cold water into a medium bowl; ADD the remaining SEASONING MIX ingredients (1 cup texturized soy protein, 2 tablespoons defatted soy grits (or soy flour), 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 4 teaspoons dried onion flakes, 1 tablespoon plain chili powder, 1 tablespoon masa corn flour, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon Accent seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 dash ground black pepper, 1 dash cayenne pepper, 1 dash citric acid); WHISK mixture well until dry ingredients are thoroughly dissolved; SET aside.
3 BROWN the ground TACO BEEF in a skillet over medium-high heat while stirring without overcooking (drain ground beef if necessary); POUR the blended SEASONING MIX into the 1 lb browned TACO BEEF in skillet; RAISE heat to high and BOIL mixture for one minute, stirring; REDUCE heat to medium and COOK mixture, stirring occasionally, until very little liquid remains and ground beef is moist yet not soggy.
4 COVER beef mixture and reduce heat to low; SIMMER for 5-7 minutes to steam and tenderize meat, and for flavors to infuse fully (ADD more water to refresh consistency if needed); DIVIDE enough needed American cheese slices diagonally; SHRED enough needed iceberg lettuce.
5 WARM a stack of corn tortillas on a plate sealed with plastic wrap in microwave for 30 seconds; ALLOW to rest for 2 minutes until pliable (this helps tortillas from tearing).
6 SPOON 3 tablespoons of beef filling mixture into each tortilla; FOLD tortilla in half; PRESS bottom filled half carefully without tearing tortilla using a taco press or makeshift mold ); LEAVE taco tops open by about 1 inch; PLACE each filled, formed taco side-by-side carefully into large Ziploc bags; FREEZE overnight or until ready to deep-fry.
7 PREHEAT deep-fryer with manufacturer’s recommended amount of canola oil to 220 °F and then RAISE heat to 350 °F.
8 FRY tacos one at a time for 45 to 60 seconds at 350 °F while supporting each taco with a taco press or tongs; PLACE cooked tacos on absorbent paper to drain slightly (I recommend one person frying and one person assembling for better efficiency and fresh, hot tacos!).
9 TO ASSEMBLE TACOS: OPEN each fried taco carefully; POUR 1 teaspoon prepared Jack in the Box Copycat Taco Sauce (Jack in the Box Copycat Taco Sauce); PLACE one cut American cheese triangle into one side; GARNISH with 2 tablespoons shredded iceberg lettuce.
10 ENJOY your Jack in the Box Tacos and say, “EAT YOUR
Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/jack-in-the-box-classic-beef-tacos-433674#ixzz1MGxWgf7S
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