Homemade Tacos Dorados That Taste Like the Restaurant
Our local incredible BBQ joint, Eric’s Family BBQ, serves up some delicious mind-blowing tacos. Here is my attempt to recreate them at home.
Things to know:
What are dorado tacos?
Tacos dorados means “golden tacos” in Spanish, referring to crispy, fried tacos with a golden-brown color from being deep-fried or pan-fried until crunchy, typically filled with shredded chicken, beef, or potatoes, and often topped with lettuce, crema (sour cream), cheese, and salsa. They’re a popular Mexican dish, sometimes called flautas, offering a crunchy contrast to soft tacos.
What is the difference between tacos dorados and flautas?
Tacos dorados (golden tacos) and flautas (flutes) are both crispy, fried rolled tortillas, but differ mainly by size and tortilla type: Flautas use larger tortillas (often flour, but sometimes corn), making them longer, while tacos dorados use smaller corn tortillas, sometimes folded, and are shorter and thicker. Both are filled with meats or cheese, deep-fried, and served with toppings like crema, lettuce, and salsa, with the terms often used interchangeably, especially in the U.S.
How do you eat tacos dorados?
To eat tacos dorados, hold them with your hands, leaning forward to catch any toppings; use your fingers to support the crispy shell from underneath while pinching the top for control, biting from one end and working your way across, enjoying the mix of crispy shell, savory filling (like potato or meat), and fresh toppings (lettuce, crema, salsa, cheese). But let’s be frank. If you need instructions from the internet on how to eat a taco, you should reevaluate your life choices and reflect how you got to this point.
What is the most popular taco in Mexico?
The most popular taco in Mexico is likely tacos al pastor, which are made from marinated pork cooked on a vertical spit, inspired by Lebanese shawarma. Other highly popular and iconic tacos include tacos de carnitas (slow-cooked pork), tacos de barbacoa (slow-cooked lamb or goat), and tacos de cochinita pibil (slow-roasted pork from the Yucatán.)
Ingredients:
3-4 lb Boston butt roast
3-4 lb Chuck roast
Your favorite rub (we used Cattleman’s Grill Mexicano and Spiceology – Achiote)
2 disposable aluminum pans
1 12 oz. beer (we used Modelos)
1 stick of butter
1 sweet onion, finely diced
white corn tortillas, warmed to prevent breaking when folding
Cholula Cremosa Sauce, Chipotle
Cholula Cremosa Sauce, Cilantro Lime
1. Pre-heat your smoker to 250F.
2. Season your roasts with salt, pepper and the rub(s).
3. Chuck your roasts into the smoker until they hit 165F (about 3 hours). Raise your smoker temperature to 300F.
4. Transfer the roasts to the pans. Add half a beer to each pan and 1/2 stick on butter (sliced). Tightly wrap the pans with foil and return to the smoker until the internal temperature reaches 185F-190F (another hour or 2).
5. Remove the roasts from the smoker and allow to rest/cool. After at least 30 minutes, chop up the roast into small cubes, about half the size of standard dice. Chuck the meat pieces in a bowl along with the chopped onion. If you wish to add sauce to the mixture, now would be a good time.
6. Fire up your fryer to 375F. Add the filling to the tortilla, then fold the tortilla into the taco shape, grab the open end with a long set of tongs and slowly lower into the oil. You will need to hold the taco shut for 15-20 seconds to prevent it opening and allowing your filling to escape into the oil. You could use toothpicks to keep the taco shut, but it is a bit of a pain removing them from the fried shell. Fry until the tortilla is a golden brown (about 3-5 minutes).
7. Remove the tacos from the oil and allow to drain/cool on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Add the topping of your choice, serve and ENJOY!
Equipment used:
Yoder YS640s pellet grill
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