# Tacos



## giggler (Sep 24, 2011)

We eat a Lot of Tacos here.. but I'm in search of ..Something New!

We have many new people in this area from Southern Mexico and Central America.. so the Taco Fillings and Various Salsas are changing rapidly..many fillings are quite different and often the Salsas are Fruit based and very Good..

do Y'all have any New Taco Recipes?

I pretty sure they use Fish in Southern California! I've tried these before and liked.

Eric, Austin Tx.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Sep 24, 2011)

I like Chicken Tacos, dark meat chicken poached in adobo sauce and water then shredded.  Mango and chipotle salsa with green onion slices.  Shredded Napa Cabbage with a lime and chile dressing.  Place all in a warmed flour tortilla.  yummy!


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## niquejim (Sep 24, 2011)

Here's some ideas
The Serious Eats Guide to Taco Styles | Serious Eats


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## Aunt Bea (Sep 24, 2011)

How about dessert tacos with ice cream, fruit, sauce, peanuts, etc...

Kind of a TexMex banana split.


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## chopper (Sep 24, 2011)

Aunt Bea said:
			
		

> How about dessert tacos with ice cream, fruit, sauce, peanuts, etc...
> 
> Kind of a TexMex banana split.



Wow...that is a great idea. Just drizzle on the hot fudge, and we are ready to go!


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## Uncle Bob (Sep 24, 2011)

I had some Shrimp Tacos once....Shrimp in place of fish.......


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## giggler (Sep 25, 2011)

Ha Ha, leave it to this group to come up with The Banana Split Taco!

I think I'll try this today for my friends while watching the Nascar Race... but I'm afraid ( after a few beers) that if I put ice cream into a tortilla, and then you try to take a bite, all the filling will wind up on my floor!

I do like the Adobo Sauce Idea though. That sort of sauce and creamy sauces, and fruit type salsas are what are suddenly showing up here lacally..

along with strange new meats like Lengua (tongue), and Chicharones ( sort of soft fried pork skins , kinda like bacon)!

Thanks, Eric Austin Tx.


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## DMerry (Sep 25, 2011)

If you have a steamer, do a search for Tacos al Vapor (steamed tacos) at: Allrecipes México - Recetas y tips de cocina para Cocineros Mexicanos.  They are really different but also taste really good.  The recipe I have is in English.


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## texherp (Sep 25, 2011)

I don't like tacos made with ground beef anymore after having them carnitas-style with shredded pork or beef some time back.  That's not really new but people around here only eat them with ground beef and flour tortillas from a bag.  

I tried making corn tortillas from scatch a couple weeks ago, they taste so good.  I can't get enough of that corn flavor!  I don't have a tortilladora/tortilla press so it's kind of a pain, but if I had one it would be worth doing it every time I needed some.


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## Timothy (Sep 25, 2011)

Hey Texherp, a side question for you, (or anyone). 

I love the flavor of corn tortillas, but don't like the crunchy ones. Is there such a thing as soft corn tortillas that taste the same mostly, but can be folded like a warmed flour tortilla? If so, and someone knows how to make them this way, would you post a recipe in the recipe area, to explain how to make them? I've never made *any* tortillas, so step-by-step directions would be awesome! 

Thanks!


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## PrincessFiona60 (Sep 25, 2011)

Timothy said:


> Hey Texherp, a side question for you, (or anyone).
> 
> I love the flavor of corn tortillas, but don't like the crunchy ones. Is there such a thing as soft corn tortillas that taste the same mostly, but can be folded like a warmed flour tortilla? If so, and someone knows how to make them this way, would you post a recipe in the recipe area, to explain how to make them? I've never made *any* tortillas, so step-by-step directions would be awesome!
> 
> Thanks!



Try:  Gorditas Recipe - Allrecipes.com


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## Timothy (Sep 25, 2011)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Try: Gorditas Recipe - Allrecipes.com


 
Thanks PrincessFiona! I'm not experienced in making Mexican or Latin type foods. Until now, I've never even heard of a "Gordita".

I looked it up; Gordita , and it sounds wonderful! I'll try it! Meat-Stew pies are popular in every country I've heard of. They go by a zillion names, but all are some type of bread wrapper filled with meat stew of some kind.

Yum!


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## roadfix (Sep 25, 2011)

I love my tacos as simple as they can be.  Usually the best come from street vendors and taco trucks.


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## pacanis (Sep 25, 2011)

roadfix said:


> I love my tacos as simple as they can be. Usually the best come from street vendors and taco trucks.


 
Just out of curiosity... Do you suppose street vendors make their own tortillas before they hit the road, or use a brand unavailable to commercial grocery stores? Kind of like how chain Chinese restaurants always use the same menus, duck sauce packets, etc... My area is taco truck poor


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## Dawgluver (Sep 25, 2011)

pacanis said:
			
		

> Just out of curiosity... Do you suppose street vendors make their own tortillas before they hit the road, or use a brand unavailable to commercial grocery stores? Kind of like how chain Chinese restaurants always use the same menus, duck sauce packets, etc... My area is taco truck poor



I have a couple good friends who own restaurants in Mexico, and when down there, frequently find them shopping at the same grocery stores we go to!  Will have to ask them.

I didn't find out till recently that the same big city Chinese place supplies all the surrounding area Chinese restaurants!  And they're not chains.


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## pacanis (Sep 25, 2011)

The Chinese restaurants and take out places around here aren't chains either, but they are so similar they might as well be. If you walk into one you've walked into them all. I'm really curious if the Mexican food vendors are ran the same way.


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## Dawgluver (Sep 25, 2011)

pacanis said:
			
		

> The Chinese restaurants and take out places around here aren't chains either, but they are so similar they might as well be. If you walk into one you've walked into them all. I'm really curious if the Mexican food vendors are ran the same way.



Am thinking the Mexican loncherias (small, cheap lunch places with prix fix menus) make their own tortillas.  I think they all have tortilla presses, and learned the technique from their mothers.  

We have great Mexican places here too, will have to remember to ask about the tortillas.  One of my former secretaries also owned a Mexican restaurant here, and made weekly trips to Chicago for her ingredients.


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## chopper (Sep 25, 2011)

giggler said:
			
		

> Ha Ha, leave it to this group to come up with The Banana Split Taco!
> 
> I think I'll try this today for my friends while watching the Nascar Race... but I'm afraid ( after a few beers) that if I put ice cream into a tortilla, and then you try to take a bite, all the filling will wind up on my floor!
> 
> ...



You may have to eat the "banana split taco " over the sink!


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## spork (Sep 25, 2011)

Most Mexican restaurants, food trucks too, buy their tortillas commercially.  If from scratch, they'd make a big deal out of it, advertising it.  It tastes different, less dry, more doughy.

I've often thought that tacos could evolve like maki-sushi.  California taco, Philadelphia taco, etc.  I like PrincessFiona's combination, it's almost a Filipino taco.


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## babetoo (Sep 25, 2011)

i use store bought extra thin corn tortillas. i make a soft taco, put scant amount of oil in skillet. drop tortilla, almost immediately turn it over. again almost immediately fold in half in oil. drain and you have a lovely soft corn tortilla. doesn't pay me to make from scratch for just me. usually buy in dozen package. that lasts me about a month and they keep well in fridge.


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## Chef Munky (Sep 25, 2011)

giggler said:


> We eat a Lot of Tacos here.. but I'm in search of ..Something New!
> 
> We have many new people in this area from Southern Mexico and Central America.. so the Taco Fillings and Various Salsas are changing rapidly..many fillings are quite different and often the Salsas are Fruit based and very Good..
> 
> ...



If you've never had it before your going to love taco's, taquito, just about anything made using Mexican Chorizo. It's mostly made from ground pork that's seasoned with chili pepper, paprika, salt ,cumin, oregano, garlic powder. Depending on how you prefer it. It can be put into links, or kept ground without the casings.

The links that I've bought at the store were horrible. I swore I'd never try it again.
If you can get to a butcher that makes the Chorizo freshly ground I highly recommend it. Keep in mind that a little bit goes a long way in flavor. You won't even need to add spices. Just cook it until it's crumbly. It won't have the fat content that ground beef does. After having a taco made with it I can't go back to beef or chicken. It's just not the same.

Before you head out to get some. Chorizo is not cheap. I pay well over $9.00 a Lb for it. It's worth it to try.
Good luck.

Munky.


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## texherp (Sep 25, 2011)

Hey giggler, sorry about going off topic...

In Texas and throughout the SW, most Hispanic families buy their tortillas from a tortilleria which is a shop that does nothing but make corn tortillas!  They are made fresh daily so they're just as good as homemade.  The better Mexican restaurants probably buy their tortillas from these same places too.  

Tim, soft corn tortillas are probably used more often than wheat by most hispanic families, so yes they exist.  I find the ones from the grocery stores are really stiff and crumbly, but fresh made ones are soft but strong.  I just bought a pack of the corn flour called _maseca_ from the grocery store in the hispanic foods section and followed the instructions on the back.  Corn tortillas are literally made out of hominy corn, salt and water, that's it.  When you roll them out, you will need to put them between sheets of plastic wrap and you will have to play around with the amount of moisture to get it to not stick.  The rolling out part is the hard part, so a tortilla press is really worth it.  Then you just flop it on a hot skillet (a _comal_ if you want to go all the way), turn it, and it's done.  On the bag, they also give a recipes for huaraches which I might try sometime.

Nowadays, at least down here, you can find raw flour tortillas in the refrigerated section that you cook on a skillet at home.  They are soooo much better than the crud in the bag!  They taste more like fresh baked bread.  And you can slightly under cook them so their extra soft and doughy.







P.S. Giggler, when I was going to UT, we would go to the Fiesta supermarket downtown and buy pork carnitas tacos at their little stand inside the store.  They were awesome with the pico de gallo.  You should go there if you're in the area.


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## DMerry (Sep 25, 2011)

Timothy:  If you have a source for corn tortillas that have not been fried crisp, you can heat some oil in a smaller sized skillet, maybe to cover the bottom by 1/4 inch and when the oil is hot fry a tortilla for 3 seconds (1-one thousand, 2-one thousand, 3-one thousand) then turn and fry on the other side for another 3 seconds.  The tortillas will be limp when you lift them out of the oil and you can then fill them with whatever down the middle and fold both the sides over to form the taco.  I use a non-stick skillet and it works really well for me.


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## spork (Sep 25, 2011)

Thumbs up for Munky's chorizo cooked with diced onions in tortillas with scrambled eggs, leftover potato chips, and grog con leche.


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## Timothy (Sep 25, 2011)

texherp said:


> Tim, soft corn tortillas are probably used more often than wheat by most Hispanic families, so yes they exist. I find the ones from the grocery stores are really stiff and crumbly, but fresh made ones are soft but strong. I just bought a pack of the corn flour called _maseca_ from the grocery store in the Hispanic foods section and followed the instructions on the back. Corn tortillas are literally made out of hominy corn, salt and water, that's it. When you roll them out, you will need to put them between sheets of plastic wrap and you will have to play around with the amount of moisture to get it to not stick. The rolling out part is the hard part, so a tortilla press is really worth it. Then you just flop it on a hot skillet (a _comal_ if you want to go all the way), turn it, and it's done. On the bag, they also give a recipes for huaraches which I might try sometime.


 
Thanks for all of that information,TexHerp. I'll look in the store and see if I can find the Maseca. There is a Mexican food store near me that almost for sure would have it. 

I'll try my hand at making my own tortillas. It'll be fun!



DMerry said:


> Timothy: If you have a source for corn tortillas that have not been fried crisp, you can heat some oil in a smaller sized skillet, maybe to cover the bottom by 1/4 inch and when the oil is hot fry a tortilla for 3 seconds (1-one thousand, 2-one thousand, 3-one thousand) then turn and fry on the other side for another 3 seconds. The tortillas will be limp when you lift them out of the oil and you can then fill them with whatever down the middle and fold both the sides over to form the taco. I use a non-stick skillet and it works really well for me.


 
Thank you DMerry! I'll keep looking, but the only corn tortillas I've seen here are the crispy ones that are flat, but like a hard taco shell. If bent a little, they snap and break. I don't care for them. They're too crunchy for me.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Sep 26, 2011)

Timothy said:


> Thanks for all of that information,TexHerp. I'll look in the store and see if I can find the Maseca. There is a Mexican food store near me that almost for sure would have it.
> 
> I'll try my hand at making my own tortillas. It'll be fun!
> 
> ...



The soft corn tortillas are found with the flour tortillas, usually on the bottom shelf.


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## Timothy (Sep 26, 2011)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> The soft corn tortillas are found with the flour tortillas, usually on the bottom shelf.


I've never looked for them, but I'll bet they've always been right in front of me and I just didn't see them.

I'll look tomorrow if I go in the store.


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## 4meandthem (Sep 26, 2011)

I go to the mexican market and get my tortillas when they are still warm and the bag is moist on the inside. I also get a hybrid tortilla that is corn and flour based from my supermarket.

As far as different tacos go some of more exotic ones here are 

lengua=tongue
Al Pastor = beef in a chili sauce
sesos=brains...delicious if you can bring yourself to order them.
tripas=milk glands fried until crispy
birria=goat
cabeza= head and cheek meat (beef)

I have tried and loved them all.


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## Timothy (Sep 26, 2011)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> The soft corn tortillas are found with the flour tortillas, usually on the bottom shelf.


 
They were in two places. One batch in the cooler by the cheeses and also in the Ethnic area with all the other Mexican foods.

I got a 24 pack of "Mission" Extra Thin Yellow Corn Tortillas. 

Soft tacos tonight!

Hamburger, Refried beans, Maters, Sweet onion, lettuce, 3 types of cheeses and some fresh jalapenos. 

I got some adobo salsa to go on them also. Yum! Oink! Snort! 

Thanks for the help!


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## CWS4322 (Sep 26, 2011)

If you don't have a tortilla press, you can use two flat plates. However, the tortilla press makes all the difference when making corn tortillas. I use the recipe on the bag and add some ground chilpolte to the recipe. You can make flour ones without a tortilla press. I like to cook mine on my lefse griddle--it heats to 500 and the tortillas cook in about 30 seconds each side. To make perfectly round, uniform ones, I use an 8-inch round cake pan to cut any excess off. 

I made deep-fried walleye tacos on homemade whole wheat tortillas when I was in MN. They were awesome. The garnishes were the same as one would normally use, but for the sauce I made a salsa verde.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Sep 26, 2011)

Timothy said:


> They were in two places. One batch in the cooler by the cheeses and also in the Ethnic area with all the other Mexican foods.
> 
> I got a 24 pack of "Mission" Extra Thin Yellow Corn Tortillas.
> 
> ...



Must be a Montana thing, they are in every aisle except the ethnic aisle.  Usually Dairy and Bread aisles.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Sep 27, 2011)

Carne Asada Filling for Soft-fried Corn Tortillas;

1 lb. flank, round, or skirt steak.
1 green bell pepper, fine dice
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, fine dice
1 clove fresh garlic, diced
1/2 onion, peeled and diced
3 tbs. minced, fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. fresh lime juice.

Fire up the grill, salt the meat, and cook that steak until medium rare.  Remove and let the steak cool.  Dice the steak into small pieces (1/4 inch dice).  Place the meat, and remaining ingredients, except the lime juice, into a very large, oiled, heavy frying pan and cook until the meat is just barely well done.  Remove to a large bowl and drizzle the lime juice over the top.  Stir.  Serve in taco shells with guacamole and diced tomato.

For me, that's the best tacos ever.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## Timothy (Sep 27, 2011)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Must be a Montana thing, they are in every aisle except the ethnic aisle. Usually Dairy and Bread aisles.


 
Grocery stores don't put anything in logical places. I'll never figure out their manner of thinking.

The Tacos turned out very well. I was starving and ate 8 of them! Ha!


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## PrincessFiona60 (Sep 28, 2011)

Timothy said:


> Grocery stores don't put anything in logical places. I'll never figure out their manner of thinking.
> 
> The Tacos turned out very well. I was starving and ate 8 of them! Ha!



Oh, it's too bad you didn't like them


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## Zereh (Sep 28, 2011)

My son used to eat these tacos until he was sick (if you've ever fed a hungry teenager you'll know what I'm talking about ). My beautiful Spanglish friend Olivia taught us how to make these. Brisket isn't the traditional cut of meat for tacos but it sure works perfectly.

Buy a beef brisket, rinse it off and put into a crockpot. If you have leftover coffee, throw a half a pot in and add enough water to cover the brisket; using all water works just fine if you don't have coffee. Add a tablespoon of liquid smoke. Put it on low and let it do it's magic. It's probably fine at eight hours, but up to 10 works fine as well.

Remove the meat from the crock pot and shred (discarding the fat).

Fry a thin corn tortilla for a couple seconds in a thin film of oil on each side over med-high heat. Sprinkle a quick, light dash of salt on one side while it's still piping hot.

Add a small amount of taco meat, top with a tiny handful of diced white onion, a squeeze of fresh lime juice and a bit of cilantro.  My son insisted on adding cheese but I preferred them without.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Sep 28, 2011)

Zereh said:


> My son used to eat these tacos until he was sick (if you've ever fed a hungry teenager you'll know what I'm talking about ). My beautiful Spanglish friend Olivia taught us how to make these. Brisket isn't the traditional cut of meat for tacos but it sure works perfectly.
> 
> Buy a beef brisket, rinse it off and put into a crockpot. If you have leftover coffee, throw a half a pot in and add enough water to cover the brisket; using all water works just fine if you don't have coffee. Add a tablespoon of liquid smoke. Put it on low and let it do it's magic. It's probably fine at eight hours, but up to 10 works fine as well.
> 
> ...



My wife adores shredded beef tacos.  I make them the same way as you do, but season the meat a bit differently.  I add onion, a little cilantro, and ground cumin to the meat while it's cooking.  I only add a cup or so of water to the slow cooker.  I cook on the low setting overnight, and shred the meat just before the lunch or evening meal.  Top with diced cukes, diced tomato, and guacamole.  Add some sharp cheddar cheese and you have one great taco.  Of course we use fresh corn tortillas and soften them in a touch of hot oil.  

Another way to soften them, if you want to cut down on the fat a little, is to brush them with oil, and heat in the microwave.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## Hammster (Sep 28, 2011)

I wouldn't dream of paying $9/lb for chorizo when it's a breeze to make it at home with an inexpensive cut of beef or pork. And you know exactly what went into your sausage when you make it. No "mystery" ingredients when it is made at home.
However, I do second the use of chorizo in tacos. Look up machaca if you want a real tasty filling that has chorizo in it.


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## CWS4322 (Sep 28, 2011)

Now that you brought it up, are you going to share your chorizo recipe and technique? wink-wink.


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## Hammster (Sep 28, 2011)

CWS4322 said:


> Now that you brought it up, are you going to share your chorizo recipe and technique? wink-wink.


 
I'm assuming you meant me. Here goes.

I have the sausage grinder attachment for my KitchenAid, but before I had that I used my food processor. Just be sure to put the cubes of meat into the freezer for a while, just until the meat is a little icy, before processing or the meat will warm up and a lot of the juice will come out of the meat and it can also partially cook during the grinding process if it warms up too much.
Have fun. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




*Chorizo*:
1 pound ground pork butt (or inexpensive beef cut) 
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Ancho chile powder
4 Cloves Garlic -- minced
1/2 bunch fresh oregano -- chopped
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons vinegar


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## CWS4322 (Sep 28, 2011)

You're right, I tagged you as "it." Thanks! I've been meaning to get into sausage making...just don't have enough TIME lately.


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## Hammster (Sep 28, 2011)

CWS4322 said:


> You're right, I tagged you as "it." Thanks! I've been meaning to get into sausage making...just don't have enough TIME lately.


 
It really takes no time, especially if you aren't going to stuff it into casings. You can make it in the time it would take to go to the store and buy some pre-made. Just takes a bit of planning, but otherwise it's a pretty quick process.


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