Undeniably, the best street tacos are found in Southern California, unless of course, you find yourself in the right place in Mexico. The best street shrimp taco I have found is the “Gobernador” from Mariscos El Prieto in Chula Vista, California. Loaded with freshly grilled shrimp and loaded with salsa and slaw. This ‘restaurant’ is actually two food trucks parked 20 feet apart with an awning between shading tables and a ‘caldo’ or soup pot with a simmering tomato-based seafood vegetable broth which is free for the taking for all customers. The experience is singular because the customers range from construction workers to the police to the military. Everyone knows it is the best. It gets so busy that they have a traffic director to make sure everyone can park and get out without incident. The experience is worth the price of a taco.
My tacos attempt to replicate the best I have eaten in a carnitas (pork) form. I think you will find them to be the best that can be made at home. I use a crockpot to slowly cook the meat to the point of falling apart. Make fresh pico de gallo salsa and fresh Mexican slaw to top with an acidic crunch. Add some refried beans for creaminess and some melty cheese for richness and you end up with one of the best tacos hands down.
If you collect your ingredients and keep moving you can turn out your first tacos in 40 minutes. The only problem is your diners will eat them faster than you can turn them out (about 2 tacos every 4 minutes). I find this a huge compliment.
Do not be intimidated by this combination of 4 recipes, they are all simple and can be done by anyone who makes tacos from an “Old El Paso” taco kit.
THE MEAT
Buy inexpensive pork. A small butt, some rib-looking cuts (with or without bones), something with some fat and pink color. In a crockpot or other slow cooker add to the meat the water, lime juice, cumin, taco seasoning, oregano, and garlic. Cook on low for 6-8 hours on low turning once if you are home. Don’t worry, it will be fall off the bone tender, just what is needed to pull. Before you begin the rest of the recipes let the pork cool for later. When cool enough to handle pull the pork into fibers by hand or with forks.
INGREDIENTS
1 ½Lbs Pork
1 Packet of Taco Seasoning Powder
2 Cloves Garlic
½ tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp Oregano (dried, rubbed)
½ Lime (juiced)
While your pork is cooling, put on a kettle of water to boil.
SALSA (Pico de Gallo)
Dice the onions and Cilantro (chop extra cilantro for the slaw), dice the jalapeno (as much or as little that you care). Put your tomatoes into a heat-tolerant container and pour boiling water over them for 60 seconds, wait 60 seconds, drain the water, cover with cold water and prick the skin. This blanching will allow the skin to be peeled easily. Peel and dice the tomatoes and add to the bowl. Salt and pepper to taste, lime juice, olive oil. Stir and refrigerate until needed.
INGREDIENTS
2 medium salad tomatoes
½ medium white or yellow onion
¼ – ½ cup chopped cilantro
½ lime juiced or to taste
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
SLAW
This very basic recipe can be made more colorful by adding julienned carrot or pepper. The whole reason for the slaw though is the acidic crunch it offers to balance the taco flavor.
Place the cilantro and lime juice in your bowl and add the thinly sliced and barely chopped red onion. Stir it and let sit while you chop the other ingredients, pull the pork, and grate the cheese. This time will take out the oniony bite by slightly pickling them. When you come back toss all the ingredients together and it is ready to go.
INGREDIENTS
¼ Small cabbage thinly sliced into julienne strips
½ lime juiced (or to taste)
4-5 slices red onion (barely chopped)
1 large pinch ground cumin
Salt and Pepper to taste
TACO TIME
It is time to line up all of your taco ingredients so that the assembly line runs smoothly.
INGREDIENTS
Pulled pork
Salsa
Slaw
Cheese: I will hand grate some Monterey Jack or buy ‘Mexican Blend’ pre-grated.
Beans: A smear of canned refried or 4-6 Ranch style beans per taco.
Crema: A smear of Latin crema or plain sour cream per taco.
TORTILLAS: 5-6 inch corn tortillas, get a 24-30 pack. You can always make some quesadillas if you have extra.
ASSEMBLY
Add a tablespoon of cooking oil to the largest fry pan you have. My pan can accommodate 2 tortillas plus 2 tacos. Barely dab each tortilla in the oil so that the oils coats the pan and leaves a very small (but important for crisping) amount of oil on each tortilla. Put the stack of tortillas at the back of the assembly line.
Heat the pan to medium-high, add 2 tortillas to the pan and give them a spin at about 30 seconds. At one minute, flip the tortillas and add beans, crema, meat, salsa, cheese. I find adding the ingredients with a teaspoon and my fingers for optimal distribution and portion. Remember it needs to be folded to become a taco. Fold in half and slide to opposite edges of the pan. Add two more tortillas repeating the spin. Flip the plain and the filled tortillas at the one-minute mark, fill the new ones, fold and push to opposite sides of the pan. Remove the first 2 tacos they are done, add more empty tortillas, and so on. You will be making 2 tacos every 3-4 minutes. Add the slaw and offer to your guests with hot sauce if they desire (Tapa Tia, Cholula, etc.).
ENJOY!
Mr. Fred
