Nilgai Breakfast Tacos
Nilgai Recipe
1Setup & Prepare
About This Recipe
Texas-style breakfast tacos with spiced ground nilgai, scrambled eggs, and fresh toppingsâmorning perfection.
Cultural Context
(130 words) Breakfast tacos represent Texas morning cultureâsoft flour tortillas filled with scrambled eggs, meat, cheese, and salsa. Austin and San Antonio claim breakfast taco supremacy, but the tradition spans all of Texas, particularly South Texas where nilgai roam. Ground nilgai breakfast tacos have become popular at hunting lodges and South Texas cafes, offering lean protein alternative to traditional bacon or chorizo. This preparation represents Texas's embrace of nilgai as everyday protein, not just special-occasion game. The simplicityâspiced ground meat with eggs in fresh tortillaâproves wild game can be approachable breakfast food. Nilgai breakfast tacos demonstrate that exotic game has become naturalized in Texas cuisine, appearing at morning tables alongside coffee and conversation as normal breakfast fare.
2Ingredients
Shopping List
*For the Nilgai
*For Assembly
3Cooking Instructions
- Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic and jalapeĂąo. Cook 1 minute.
- Add ground nilgai, breaking it up with spoon. Cook until browned, about 8 minutes.
- Add cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Remove to bowl and keep warm.
- Scramble eggs in butter until just setâslightly soft is ideal for tacos.
- Warm flour tortillas on griddle or directly over gas flame.
- Assemble tacos: place warm tortilla on plate, add spoonful of nilgai, top with scrambled eggs and shredded cheese.
- Top with pico de gallo, diced avocado, fresh cilantro, and hot sauce to taste.
- Fold and serve immediately with coffee and fresh orange juice.
4Chef's Notes & Pairings
Chef's Notes
- Don't overcook scrambled eggsâthey continue cooking in warm tortilla.
- Fresh flour tortillas make enormous differenceâseek out local tortilleria.
- Nilgai can be cooked day before and reheated quickly in morning.
- Build-your-own taco bar works great for feeding crowds.
- These are proper breakfast, not appetizerâserve 2-3 per person.
Wine Pairing
Fresh Coffee or Michelada â Strong black coffee is traditional morning pairing, or spicy beer-based michelada.
Nutrition Facts
(per taco) Calories: 285 | Protein: 22g | Fat: 14g | Carbohydrates: 18g | Iron: 3.2mg
