Planning the Perfect Walking Taco Fiesta: Ground Beef Guide for Feeding a Crowd

Walking tacos are a fun and portable twist on taco night swapping the shell for a snack size bag of chips. They’re great for potlucks, tailgates, and other large gatherings. But how much meat do you need for a walking taco feed with dozens, even hundreds of guests?

In this comprehensive guide we’ll break down how to calculate ground beef amounts for any size walking taco party. You’ll get portion size tips, bulk shopping tricks and plenty of cheesy, beefy recipes to build the fiesta of your dreams.

Walking Taco Basics

A walking taco features taco fixings piled into a small bag of corn chips or Fritos. The components are:

• Ground beef: The tasty protein base

• Chips: Bite size bags for easy eating

• Toppings: Cheese, lettuce, tomato, etc.

To assemble, simply spoon the heated taco meat into the opened chip bag, then add desired toppings. Crumble the chips over the fillings, shake to mix, and enjoy on the go!

How Much Ground Beef Per Walking Taco?

A standard walking taco should have about 1/4 pound or 4 ounces of ground beef. This fills an average single size 50 gram / 1.75 ounce bag of chips without overflow.

Some tips for nailing the perfect meat-to-chip ratio:

• Pack meat loosely into bags

• Consider using larger chip bags for very hungry guests

• Have extra bags on hand in case of breakage or overstuffing

• Allow guests to request more meat if desired

Shopping for Ground Beef in Bulk

When shopping for taco meat ingredients for a crowd, here is a basic estimate:

• 100 guests = need 25 pounds ground beef

• 200 guests = need 50 pounds ground beef

To save money, buy beef in bulk on sale and freeze until needed. Thaw in the refrigerator 1-2 days before the event.

Buying pre-formed taco seasoning mix packets can also be economical when purchased in bulk.

Tasty Taco Meat Recipes

Walking tacos allow room for creativity with the taco meat. Mix things up with recipes like:

• Basic Seasoned Beef: Brown beef with onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder.

• Cheesy Beef: Add shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, or pepper jack cheese to the meat.

• Southwestern Beef: Cook beef with corn, black beans, cilantro, and lime juice.

• Fajita Beef: Cook strips of bell pepper and onion with the ground beef.

• Ranchero Beef: Cook beef taco meat with salsa, tomatoes, chilies, cilantro.

• Picadillo Beef: Cook ground beef with raisins, tomatoes, potatoes, olives, spices.

Cooking Methods for Bulk Taco Meat

To quickly and easily cook pounds of taco meat:

• Stovetop: Brown beef in batches in a large skillet or pot.

• Slow Cooker: Cook 5-6 pounds in a large slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours.

• Instant Pot: Use pot-in-pot method to brown beef then pressure cook.

• Electric Roaster Oven: Cook up to 25 pounds of meat at once.

• Chafing Dishes: Keep meat hot and ready to serve.

Toppings Take it Over the Top

Let guests customize their tacos with fun toppings like:

• Shredded cheddar, monterey jack, pepper jack
• Diced tomatoes
• Shredded lettuce
• Chopped onions
• Sliced olives
• Sour cream
• Guacamole
• Salsa
• Jalapeños
• Chopped cilantro

Provide bowls for easy topping access. Include tongs, spoons, and gloves for hygienic self-service.

Crunchy Chip Considerations

Pick a chip that can hold up to meaty taco fillings:

• Small corn chips: Sturdy and scoop shaped to contain fillings.

• Mini bags Fritos: Sturdy crunch and great flavor for scooping meat and toppings.

• Doritos/Cheetos: Crunch and shape work well. Skip flavored dust varieties.

• Tortilla chips: May break easier but oven baked chips hold up better than restaurant style.

• Puffs/cheese curls: Fun flavor but very fragile – better for less juicy toppings.

Portion Planning Secrets

Cooking for big crowds always benefits from savvy portion planning. Keep these tips in mind:

• Have at least 20% more meat, chips, and toppings than your headcount.

• Leftovers keep well and make easy meals the next day.

• For events longer than an hour, increase portions since people often come back for seconds.

• Kids under 10 will likely eat less than a full portion.

• Teen boys and hungry dads may want 1.5 portions or extra meat.

Make Walking Tacos a Party Tradition!

With the right tools and techniques, you can fill any number of chip bags with amazing walking tacos. Follow this beef buying guide to ensure you have plenty of meat ready for the fiesta. Then get creative with recipes, toppings, and crunchy chip vessels to build the ultimate portable tacos. Your guests will walk away satisfied and already looking forward to next year’s walking taco extravaganza!