Seared Ground Beef Nachos

Seared like a steak, then loaded up

Hi, it's Chef Ali! Every cook has those happy-accident nights, and this was one of ours. We make nachos on the Blackstone all the time, but this time, instead of crumbling the ground beef into the griddle right away, I left the whole pound in one block and seared it hard on every side first — exactly the way you'd sear a steak. The crust that built up on those flat faces gave the beef a deep, browned, almost steakhouse flavor that you just don't get from loose crumbles. Only after both sides had a real sear did I break it apart and finish cooking it through.

One trick worth knowing: on a flat-top you can't pour water into a pan the way you would on the stove, so I sprinkled the taco seasoning right onto the meat and then squirted a little water over it from a bottle, mixing it in as the beef finished. It worked perfectly. Pile it all onto chips with charred onions and peppers, warm cheese dip, and the usual fixings, and you've got what was honestly some of the best nachos we've ever had.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Whitt's Place ground beef, kept in one block
• 1 packet taco seasoning (or to taste)
• A little water, for working in the seasoning
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced (a whole one works too)
• Tortilla chips
• Pancho's cheese dip, or your favorite cheese dip, warmed
• Century Farm Hot & Sweet Jalapeños
• Salsa
• Sour cream
• 1 avocado, diced
• Lettuce, chopped

Instructions

1. Heat your Blackstone or a large griddle/skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion and red pepper to one side and cook, stirring now and then, until softened and nicely charred. Push them aside or set aside.
2. Place the whole 1-lb block of ground beef on the hot griddle and leave it alone — let it sear undisturbed until a deep brown crust forms, just like searing a steak. Flip and sear the other side (and the edges) the same way.
3. Once the block is well seared on all sides, sprinkle the taco seasoning over the top, squirt a little water over the meat from a bottle, and start chopping and breaking the block apart, mixing the seasoning through as the beef finishes cooking.
4. Warm the cheese dip, and pop the tortilla chips in the air fryer for a few minutes to warm them up too. Spread a generous layer of warm chips on a platter and drizzle with the cheese dip.
5. Pile on the seared, seasoned beef and the charred onions and peppers.
6. Top with avocado, salsa, sour cream, Hot & Sweet Jalapeños, and chopped lettuce. Serve right away while everything's warm.

Chef Ali's Tips

• The whole-block sear is the magic here — resist breaking the meat up too soon. Letting a crust build on the big flat faces is what gives this beef its steak-like, browned flavor.
• No pouring water on a flat-top: sprinkle the seasoning on, then squirt or splash a little water from a bottle and mix it in as the beef finishes.
• Warm the cheese dip before you build so it drizzles smoothly over the chips.
• Build on a big platter and dig in together — this one disappears fast.

Give the seared-block method a try the next time you make nachos. It's a small change to how you cook the beef, but it makes a big difference — these were some of the best nachos we've ever had, and we think they'll become a regular on your griddle too.