Tacos Tonight

[Roll_Bones]

Extra soft, Mission Brand flour tortillas.

 

[Cheryl J]

Sounds good, Chief!

 

[Caslon]

I'm chiming in late here, but I still have to learn how to slow cook taco meat, let alone fry up a corn tortilla in a skillet. That part I can get right, but slow cooking taco meat...

That's the way to cook taco meat, right? Slow cook it to where it's almost stringy pull apart tender?

Then get the skillet going with the oil fried taco shells.

I wonder if i can ever get that authentic. First challenge is to make the taco meat from a roast of some kind.

I'd really like to attempt that, and am asking what cut of roast and seasonings. And maybe details of temp and hours per pound, slow oven cooked. After that, I can fridge it or even freeze it, if i get it right.

 

[GotGarlic]

Hi, Caslon. You can use all kinds of meats and seafood for taco fillings, like ground beef, fish, shrimp, chicken, etc.; it doesn't have to be slow-cooked. But this pork shoulder recipe works great. I use it for tamales, too: http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f49/slow-cooker-pulled-pork-81344.html

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I'm chiming in late here, but I still have to learn how to slow cook taco meat, let alone fry up a corn tortilla in a skillet. That part I can get right, but slow cooking taco meat...

That's the way to cook taco meat, right? Slow cook it to where it's almost stringy pull apart tender?

Then get the skillet going with the oil fried taco shells.

I wonder if i can ever get that authentic. First challenge is to make the taco meat from a roast of some kind.

I'd really like to attempt that, and am asking what cut of roast and seasonings. And maybe details of temp and hours per pound, slow oven cooked. After that, I can fridge it or even freeze it, if i get it right.

Purchase a 3 lb. chunk of beef. It can be chuck, eye of round, flank steak, brisket, london broil, Tri Tip, whatever. There are four methods available to you to turn this into shredded beef. They all do the same thing to the meat.

1. Season the meat with salt and brown the meat in a hot skillet on all sides. Place into a pressure cooker with enough water to just cover the meat. Add 2 tbs. chopped cilantro, 1/2 tsp. powdered cumin, and a chopped onion. But the vessel must be no more than 3/4 filled with meat plus water. Cover, bring to pressure, cook for 90 minutes. Follow instructions to release the pressure. REmove the meat and shred it with two forks.

2. Again, season and brown the meat. Put it into a covered dutch oven or roasting pan. Add the cilantro, cumin, and onion. Place into a 300 degree oven for 4 hours or so. Remove and shred.

3. Season and brown the meat. Place it into a slow cooker with enough water to half cover it. Add teh cilantro, cumin, and onion. Cook for 3 to 4 hours on medium setting. Remove and shred.

4. Season, then place the meat over divided charcoal beds that have been covered with yoru favorite smoking wood. Cover the grill, leaving all vents half open. Cook for 20 minutes per side. Remove and place in a slow cooker, or dutch oven. Add the cilantro, cumin, and onion. Cook as in options 2 or 3. Remove and shred.

That'll getcha whatcha want.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Caslon]

Thanks. I'm unfamiliar with slow cooking meat for tacos. How about if you have an oven and a pan?

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Look at option number 2 in my previous post. Simply make sure that you have a cover for the pan, and fill it half way with water after putting the meat into it. If you don't have a pan cover, you can wrap and seal the meat, and seasonings in foil, place in the 300' oven, and roast for 3 to 4 hours.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Caslon]

Look at option number 2 in my previous post. Simply make sure that you have a cover for the pan, and fill it half way with water after putting the meat into it. If you don't have a pan cover, you can wrap and seal the meat, and seasonings in foil, place in the 300' oven, and roast for 3 to 4 hours.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

Sounds worth doing. Cover for the pan and water. Noted. I swear I'm wanting to do this.

Frying up the taco shells is enough in itself, I can do that...i think.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Sounds worth doing. Cover for the pan and water. Noted. I swear I'm wanting to do this.

Frying up the taco shells is enough in itself, I can do that...i think.

Frying taco shells is the easiest thing in the world. Simply heat oil in a pan. Place the soft, corn tortilla into the hot oil for about 15 seconds. Remove and let most of the oil drip off. Place onto paper towels. Put paper towels between the tortillas to keep them from sticking together.

Alternately, use the technique outlined for Hennessey Tacos. It gives you a great alternative meat.

Another way to prepare the corn tortillas is to place them in paper towels, and nuke em until warm. You don't have to fry corn or flour tortillas.

When using corn tortillas, you fry them only to make them soft enough to bend around the fillings.

For crunchy tortillas, you just fry them longer after they have softened enough to fold in half. Then, they hold their shape and can be filled with whatever you want.

Me, I like my corn tortillas soft, as they are more flavorful and aromatic that way.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[taxlady]

Didn't someone say to hang them on a rack like in your oven?

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