I love taco night. Making a big pile of tacos for friends (or just yourself) is satisfying and fun. As this was one of my favorite dinners growing up, I submit my mama's fried taco method for your consideration.
As you can see from the pictures, this is NOT a fancy meal. No special ingredients are required. Get yourself some tortillas*, some Mexican cheese, the meat of choice (I like ground turkey here, but beef or chicken or chorizo works just as well) and fixins.
Fixins may include:
- diced tomatoes
- cilantro
- red onion
- hot sauce
- avocados
- lime wedges
- jalapeno rings, or fresh jalapenos
- etc...
1. Make the meat filling: sautee up your ground meat in a little bit of oil and once the pink has gone, start adding spices to taste. I like cumin, Mexican oregano, smoked paprika, chile powder, garlic and the kitchen sink. Be sure to use more seasoning than you think you need as the filling should be quite highly spiced. You only use a bit for each taco. Once the spices have been stirred in and the meat looks close to done, add the secret ingredient -- v8! Yep, a glug of the magical veggie elixir will bring the whole thing together and give it a little looser feel. To a pound of meat I usually add about 3/4 a cup, but eyeball this to ensure it's not soupy and not dry Goldilocks.
Meat filling:
2. Fill the tacos: put a small layer of cheese on one tortilla (don't overfill!) and top with a spoonful of meat. Try to get all the stuff out to the edges but leave a little space so they don't overflow and make a mess.
3, Fry the tacos: Heat up a sturdy pan (I use cast iron) over medium high heat. Once it's hot, add a slick of canola (or peanut or vegetable) oil. Just enough to coat the pan, not a puddle. Now place your taco, open faced, into the pan. It should sizzle right away if the pan is hot enough, but if not it's not a huge deal. Like pancakes or crepes, the second or third one will be better. Fry for 2-3 minutes and check the underside for color. Once it starts to get very lightly brown the cheese should have started to melt, and you can fold the taco in half, making it into the traditional half-moon shape. (Variation: you can also leave it open-faced the whole frying time, and add fixins while still flat. Then just fold it or roll it up once garnished. My mom always folded so that's what I do.) Continue frying for a few more minutes, flipping from side to side, until golden brown and delicious. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. You can pop the plate into a low oven to make a batch for the family. Or you can just gobble them up as you go which is what I often do.
4. Garnish: this part is completely up to you. I add the tomatoes, onions, cilantro tangles, hot sauce and avocado if I have it.
5. Devour. Repeat.
Buen Provecho! Enjoy!
