Crispy Shredded Beef Taquitos

Ingredients

• 500 g beef for shredding (flank steak, brisket, or similar)
• 1 white onion (divided: one piece to cook the beef, half chopped for the filling, and one piece for the salsa)
• 4 cloves garlic (divided: 2 for cooking the beef and 2 for the salsa)
• 2 leaves bay leaves
• salt (to taste)
• 5 tomato (3 chopped for the filling and 2 for the salsa)
• 0.5 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
• 1 habanero pepper (for the salsa)
• 12 corn tortillas
• 0.5 cup vegetable oil (for frying)
• 2 cups lettuce (shredded for serving)
• 0.5 cup Mexican crema (for serving)
• 100 g queso fresco (crumbled)

Steps

1. 1

   In a pot with enough water, cook the beef with a piece of onion, a few garlic cloves, bay leaves, and salt to taste until it is very tender.

2. 2

   Once the meat is cool, shred it completely with clean hands and set aside.

3. 3

   Finely chop three tomatoes, half an onion, and the fresh cilantro sprigs.

4. 4

   For the salsa, boil two tomatoes and one habanero pepper in water.

5. 5

   Blend the cooked tomatoes and the habanero pepper with a piece of raw onion, garlic cloves, salt, and a little of the cooking water until you get a smooth salsa.

6. 6

   In a skillet with a little oil, sauté the chopped onion, garlic, and chopped tomato for 3 to 4 minutes.

7. 7

   Add the shredded beef and chopped cilantro to the skillet; adjust the seasoning with salt and let everything cook together for about 10 minutes to blend the flavors.

8. 8

   Take a corn tortilla, add a portion of the beef filling, and roll it tightly to form the taquito. Repeat the process with the remaining tortillas.

9. 9

   Heat plenty of oil in a frying pan and fry the taquitos until they are golden brown and crispy.

10. 10

    Remove the taquitos from the oil and place them on paper towels to drain the excess grease.

11. 11

    Serve the taquitos hot topped with shredded lettuce, Mexican crema, crumbled queso fresco, and the prepared red salsa.

Notes

You can use flank steak or brisket for a better texture when shredding. Make sure the tortillas are slightly warm before rolling them to prevent them from breaking.

Nutrition per serving

• main course
• Mexican food
• fried
• tacos
• beef
• homemade