Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Can I use corn tortillas instead of flour?
You can, but the technique changes slightly. Corn tortillas are less pliable than flour and more likely to crack when folded cold — steam them thoroughly until fully soft before filling and folding, and work quickly. They also fry faster and go from golden to over-done in a shorter window, so watch the oil temperature closely and pull them as soon as the exterior is set and lightly golden. The flavor profile shifts toward a more traditional taco with corn, which works well against the enchilada-sauced beef.
What oil works best for frying the tacos?
Avocado oil is the call here — it has a high smoke point (around 500°F) that gives you plenty of headroom above the 350°F fry temperature, and a neutral flavor that doesn't compete with the Mexicano seasoning and enchilada sauce. Vegetable oil or canola are solid alternatives with similar smoke points. Avoid olive oil, which smokes at a lower temperature and can impart off-flavors at frying temps. Keep the oil around 350°F throughout — too hot and the shell crisps before the cheese melts, too cool and the shell absorbs oil rather than frying off quickly.
How do I keep the tacos crispy once they come out of the oil?
Drain them on a wire rack set over a sheet pan, not on paper towels. Paper towels trap steam underneath the taco shell as the residual heat releases moisture, which softens the bottom. A wire rack lets air circulate on all sides so the shell stays crisp while it drains. Top and serve immediately — the fresher out of the oil, the better the texture. These don't hold well once topped; build and serve in batches rather than topping all twelve at once.
What can I substitute for the 505 Red Chile Enchilada Sauce?
Any medium-heat red chile enchilada sauce works as a direct swap — look for one made with dried red chiles rather than a tomato-heavy base, which will give you a richer, earthier flavor that reads more like the original. If you want to make your own quick version, blend a couple of rehydrated dried guajillo or ancho chiles with chicken stock, a clove of garlic, and a pinch of cumin, then strain and simmer for five minutes. About three-quarters of a cup is all you need to finish a pound of ground beef.
Can I make these indoors?
Indoor cooking rating: 5 out of 5 — Perfect for indoor or outdoor cooking. Everything about this recipe translates directly to the stovetop and a cast iron skillet — brown the beef in a pan, steam the tortillas in the microwave, fry in a skillet on a burner. The YS640s griddle gives you a larger, more even cooking surface for the beef, but the skillet produces an identical result. This is genuinely one of the most indoor-friendly recipes in the lineup.
Recipe Highlights
Steam First, Fry Second — That Order Is Non-Negotiable: A cold, unsteamed flour tortilla will crack the moment you try to fold it around a filling. The steam step — whether in a microwave with damp paper towels or in a foil packet on the grill — relaxes the gluten and makes the tortilla pliable enough to fold cleanly without tearing. Skip it and you'll spend the fry trying to hold a cracked shell closed with toothpicks that aren't doing enough work. Two minutes of steaming prevents that entirely.
Cheese Goes In Before the Beef: The recipe layers a quarter cup of pepper jack into the tortilla first, then the beef on top of it. That order matters — the cheese sits against the hot shell during the fry and melts from direct contact with the tortilla's heat, creating a thin, bound layer that helps hold the filling together when you open the taco for topping. Cheese added on top of the beef sits further from the heat source and doesn't melt as evenly or adhere the same way.
Fry Seam-Side Down First: When you lower the toothpick-pinned taco into the oil, go seam-side down first. The folded edge needs the most structural reinforcement — frying it first sets the tortilla in its folded shape so it holds together when you flip. If you start with the smooth top side, the seam can open before it sets and the filling escapes into the oil. Seam down first, two to three minutes, then flip for another two to three until the full shell is golden.
Build to Order, Not All at Once: These tacos lose their crunch fast once topped with pico, crema, and lettuce — the moisture from the toppings migrates into the shell within a few minutes. For a crowd, set out the toppings and let people build their own immediately after the tacos drain, or work in batches of three to four tacos, topping and serving each batch before the next batch comes out of the oil. A taco that's been sitting topped for ten minutes is a significantly different experience than one that just came out of the fryer.
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