Taco Shells

[BobReeves]

I was taught how to make great tacos by an old Mexican neighbor when I was living in San Diego and have since became the taco chef around our place when it comes time for south of the border food. The problem is now when everyone hears I might be in a taco making mood we end up with a crowd for dinner.

The way I was taught to prepare the taco shells is to basically fry them in a frying pan one at a time, the length of time in the pan determines if you end up with a soft or hard shell. This works great except when you are trying to feed 10 people who may eat 5 or 6 tacos each. Anyone have a better method for preparing taco shells that doesn't take forever. Oh..please do not suggest getting the prepared shells at the grocery, might just as well go to Taco Bell [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[robertn]

Is there any way to make some early, and keep them warm in the oven?

[BobReeves]

Not sure, never tried it but it is a thought..

Thanks,

[Pat]

It won't take a true gastronome to tell the difference between fresh or "kept warm in the oven" tortillas. It kinda sorta works but is a degraded product.

Typically, en un ristorante Mexicana, they just increase the size of the cooking container and use a lot more oil (lard in the authentic places.) I have seen high volume operations with a large wok like container on a high output burner with one person adding fresh made tortillas and another taking them out when done appropriately for the intended use. The wok shape is not a drawback since surface area is at least as important if not more so than additional volume. You need more surface area because the cooked tortillas tend to float to the top where you can see which ones to remove.

My observations were mostly made in San Diego in Barrio Logan where the best authentic (not tourist style) Mexican food is available. I have also seen a lot of cooking in Baja del Norte in general, Zihuatenejo, Manzanillo, Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco, Acapilco, Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo, Guaymas, etc.

Some of the best corn tortillas I have ever had were hand made and cooked on a piece of boiler plate suspended on a ring of native stones mortared together over a wood fire in a little village of Valle Trinidad on the transpeninsular road between San Felipe and Ensenada in Baja California del Norte.

Bottom line: More production? Bigger pan with greater surface area for tortillas to float.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[BobReeves]

Thanks for the info, might not be able to increase the pan size on a home cooking stove but more pans might do the same thing [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Pat]

Similar solution to the waffle breakfast dillema. I have 3 large Belgian waffle makers. You can try to keep a waffle hot in oven on rack but they stick to the rack and dry out. If you put on a plate and put in oven they steam themselves and can stick to plate. Fresh out of the waffle maker is far superior but with 4-7 people you can't serve everyone fresh waffles at the same time with one maker. My makers make 4 decent sections at a time (large square maker) and so far I have only had to use 2 at a time but 3 makers would give 12 people a section of a waffle.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]