We have a serious soft spot for taquitos or rolled tacos. There's just something about their extra crunchy ends and tender meat filling with that little burst of spice and lime that gets us every time. They freeze well and are the perfect cure for late night munchies, hang overs, quick lunches and simple dinners.
These taquitos can be prepared ahead of time and frozen in air tight containers for easy reheating. We've found that 1 minute works best for 2 taquitos, but you'll have to test it out with your own microwaves in case there's a difference in power. Grab a few before work and they'll be thawed by lunch or pick up a few as you sit down to watch your DVR after a long days work. There just isn't a bad time!
Although the recipe seems labor intensive, it's really not as you'll only be spending 15 minutes (or less!) hands on, with each stage of the process. Here's how to make it all happen...
Homemade Taquitos
yields 30-45 taquitos
1 Bone In Pork Shoulder
8 ounces Chicken Stock
2 Red Onions, quartered (optional)
30 Fresh Corn Tortillas (yes you can use flour, no it won't be as tasty)
2 cups Cotija Cheese
4 cups Peanut Oil
Salsa Ingredients
1 Bunch Cilantro
6 Tomatillos
6 Cloves Crushed Garlic
Salt and Pepper To Taste
1/2 cup lime juice
Rub Ingredients (optional)
2 teaspoon All Spice
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon dried Oregano (Mexican if you have it)
3 tablespoons Cider Vinegar
6 cloves garlic
1 hatch chili, roasted and finely diced
1/4 cup brown sugar
Combine cilantro, tomatillos, garlic and lime juice in a blender and combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. It should be a little strong as the taste will lessen when applied to the meat later on. Combine rub ingredients (if desired) and make into a paste (blender or the back side of your knife against a cutting board). Apply rub to meat and place in crock pot (with onions if you wish) and 8oz chicken stock on high until the meat pulls off the bone, roughly 6 hours. (You can also roast this in the oven at 325 for give or take 3 hours). Once cooled, shred meat (plus onions) and pour the salsa over the top, stir to combine. Let sit overnight in the refrigerator to soak up all the delicious juices!
Bring peanut oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit in the bottom of a thick bottomed, high sided pan. You will need approximately 2.5 inches of oil, enough to come 80% of the way up the taquito when placed into the oil. Adjust your oil amount as needed to fit your chosen pan. To assemble, simply place 3-4 tablespoons of meat into the middle of a tortilla. Wrap one side over and tuck under edge of filling. Finish rolling and place against other taquitos on a plate to wait for a bath in the fryer. Lower taquitos into pan with tongs and hold closed until shell is set. Flip after 2 minutes until all sides are golden brown. Remove from oil, drain excess grease and place on a paper towel covered plate. Immediately roll into Cotija cheese and place on a plate or cookie sheet to cool.
They will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator, 6 months if frozen, just make sure to keep them in an air tight container no matter where they end up and your end result will always be delicious!
Related: How To Cook (and Shred) a Pork Shoulder
(Image: Sarah Rae Trover)
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Where was this when I was searching for a taquitos recipe during the superbowl!!! :o) Looks tasty!
i love taquitos. i make black bean all the time, but instead of frying, i bake them. it's really easy, less messy and healthier. before filling the corn tortillas i spray them with vegetable oil, place them in a non-stick skillet on both sides for a bit to soften them, then add filling and roll. I place them snugly in a baking dish seam side down, and bake 15-20 min until the tortilla is nice and crunchy.
are you kidding? I was looking for a taquito recipe just yesterday!! This one looks far more classy than what I was trying to replicate: Jalapeno cream cheese Go-Go Taquitos from 7-11. Not because mine would be more healthy, but because there is no 7-11 in my part of the world.
Taquitos are a great alternative to enchiladas when it comes to using up leftovers.
I'm not a pork fan, & I bet this recipe would work just the same with chicken..I'll have to try it!
If you happened to live in, say, Australia, and couldn't easily lay your hands on fresh corn tortillas (it seems the best we have here are 'Old El Paso' flour ones, that sit on the shelf next to the not-really-authentic naan breads and chapatis, alongside the rubbish crunchy tacos), how would you go about making them? Also, what can I substitute for Cotija cheese, tomatillos, and hatch chilli? Because I really want to make these!
@FoodieGreenie: As a Texan in Hong Kong, I know how difficult it is to get these ingredients on this side of the world! (I bring a lot back from the States, actually.)
The only way to make corn tortillas is with masa harina, which I would guess you can't find. But I've had good luck making flour tortillas with the recipes I found here:
http://orangette.blogspot.com/2005/07/on-independence-day-and-tyranny-of-bad.html
and here:
http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com/2007/03/and-end-to-my-quest-flour-tortillas.html
I've also found that Parmesan makes a decent substitute for cotija; it has the same texture and saltiness. I can sometimes find canned green chile (that's what Hatch chile is -- green chile; Hatch is the town where it's grown) here. Is that something you have access to?
As for tomatillos, what if you made a red sauce instead, using regular tomatoes? You'd probably have to play around with it a bit, but it should go just as well with the pork.
Foodie Greenie: Try this out for making your own tortillas, even if the Masa is difficult to come by, I'm sure you can find it somewhere, even if it's on a bottom shelf and dusty!
You can use whatever chili you can find instead, just adjust the taste accordingly. It can be left out all together, or a dried one could be reconstituted, I know they are often found online. The other suggestions above from annaholl are right!
(I guess it helps if I remember to ad in the link!)
http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/ingredients-pantry/how-to-make-your-own-corn-tortillas-085904
Food Greenie,
You will not be able to make the corn tortillas, so just go with the flour. It will of course be of a different flavor but the meat mixture is the biggest flavor ingredient. Corn are superior, in my opinion, but flour work well. I make mine a lot smaller and use them to dip into guacamole.
The flour ones I have eaten were used the same way, a guacamole or salsa dip makes them very tasty.
I am in the boondocks in Thailand and understand your problems. I need to travel a minimum of 3 hours to buy tortillas.
Just go with what ya got and taste test along the way, I think you have a birdseye pepper? that will work. Tomatoes are fine as well.
I cooked these two ways this week. With the pork, I used salsa verde since I didn't have access to tomatillos. I also did not have access to cotija so I used some English white cheddar mixed in with the pork. I baked these at 350 for 15 and they were ok. The other batch I pan fried in coconut oil and they were awesome. Thank you for the recipe.