Josh Rising

Building the Future of Local AI, One Local Model at a Time.

Practical deep-dives into AI engineering, local LLMs, and custom software infrastructure optimized for consumer hardware.

Learn from my experiments.
local_inference.py 
import llama_cpp

llm = llama_cpp.Llama(
    model_path="gemma-4-12b-it-qat.gguf",
    n_ctx=131072,
    n_gpu_layers=-1
)

print("Initializing local session...")

Taco Seasoning and Taco Ground Beef

Written by

zero4281

in

Prep Time Cook Time Yield
5 mins 20-25 mins About 2 1/2 tablespoons of seasoning, enough for about 2 pounds of beef

Equipment

  • Small bowl
  • Spice shaker or bottle
  • Ceramic nonstick skillet with a lid
  • Bamboo spatula
  • Liquid measuring cup

Ingredients

Taco seasoning

  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (up to 1 teaspoon, to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, measured after cracking
  • 1 pinch chipotle powder

Taco ground beef

  • 1 pound 90/10 ground beef
  • 1 rounded tablespoon taco seasoning (above)
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/3 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon Base (Beef), the same 1 teaspoon of base to 1 cup of water as always

Instructions

1. Make the seasoning

  1. Add all ten ingredients to a small bowl and stir until the color is even. The pepper flakes and oregano are bigger than the powders, so an under-stirred blend leaves them in whichever shake comes last.
  2. Pour the blend into the shaker.

2. Cook the beef

  1. Preheat the skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Add the beef and break it up with the bamboo spatula. Cook until no pink remains.
  2. Don’t drain it. 90/10 gives up very little fat, and what’s there is what carries the spices.
  3. Add the seasoning right on the beef and stir for a few minutes. Spices cook in fat before they ever touch liquid; the stock comes after, so nothing is steaming while it should be blooming.
  4. Stir the base into the water in the measuring cup until it dissolves, then pour it into the pan. Dissolving it first keeps a lump of paste from landing in one spot.
  5. Cover and simmer at medium to medium-low for at least 20 minutes.
  6. Remove the lid and keep simmering, stirring now and then, until the liquid cooks down and the sauce sticks to the beef. If liquid still pools in the pan, it’s not done.

Notes & storage

  • Ratio: 1 rounded tablespoon of seasoning per pound of beef. This batch of seasoning covers about 2 pounds.
  • Salt: The sea salt in the blend seasons the beef, so there’s no separate salting step. The base has salt too, so taste the finished beef before adding any more.
  • Make ahead: The seasoning is the make-ahead. Mix it once and the beef takes 5 minutes of attention.
  • Storage: The seasoning keeps indefinitely in a sealed shaker.

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