Tips For Making The Best Tacos At Home
Tacos are a food that different places around the world have adopted as their own, putting their distinct twist on them. Therefore, it isn’t easy to generalize how to make a good best tacos at home because there are so many variations to it.
However, every taco has a few basic common elements. So if you are looking for the answer to how to make the best tacos at home, you are essentially looking to upgrade these fundamental ingredients. Here’s how to do exactly that:
1.   The tortillas are the foundation
It is not an exaggeration to say that the tortilla can make or break the taco, no matter what recipe you follow. Whether you are using flour or corn tortillas, it is always best to find the freshest, most exquisitely made tortillas to serve as the base of your tacos. If you live near a shop that makes and sells fresh tortillas, you may be one of the luckiest people alive.
However, fret not if you don’t. The next best thing is to locate a local Mexican market near your home. Since Mexico is accredited with creating the taco in the first place, these markets can offer the most authentic and delicious tortillas made with skill and precision. You can also keep them in the fridge for as long as a few weeks.
If there is no Mexican market near your home, look for online specialty stores selling tortillas. If that’s not an option, your last resort is to use whatever tortilla is available.
2.   The acidity is key
Acidity is the factor that brings balance to any taco recipe. For instance, if you are making seafood tacos, you can follow this recipe to make fish taco sauce at home that is tangy and acidic. Since fish is soft and only has a subtle flavor, the acidity elevates it significantly. You can use several elements to introduce this factor into the recipe.
Some of the ingredients you can add for acidity include a squeeze of lime juice or grilled fruit. Also, vinegar-based slaw, salsa, crema, and sour cream can add that bit of tanginess to the tacos. All it takes to add that bit of balance and flavor is a hint of these elements. Acidity works as a flavor enhancer in tacos, bringing the whole recipe to life.
3.   No taco recipe is complete without pickles
While on the subject of acidity, how can you forget pickles? No matter which mix or even single pickled vegetable you choose to go with your recipe, this is one ingredient that can add an extra bit of flavor to it. The sharp, savory taste that typical jalapenos or pickled cucumbers can bring is just irresistible, especially when coupled with the rest of the elements in your recipe.
You just can’t go wrong with any pickled vegetable. Add radishes, carrots, or onions for freshness and uniqueness. If you are making hard-shell tacos, purple cabbage can add some more crispiness to it while the color elevates the aesthetic too. Also, red onion is a great pickled condiment for any tacos you are making.
Although there is a standard recipe for making pickled vegetables, you can mix that up as well by adding herbs and spices that satisfy your taste buds.
4.   Next comes the salsa
Salsas with a smoky component, made by charring vegetables or chilies, are typically excellent when constructing tacos. When making salsa, you should strive to use the freshest ingredients you can locate. When using a salsa that has been in the refrigerator for some time, avoid adding it too quickly. Doing so can cause the taco to cool.
It is quite easy and simple to make salsa at home. Keep the texture and flavor according to how hot you prefer it and add it to your tacos for a delightful experience. Traditional salsa includes fresh tomatoes, lime juice, onions, salt, and jalapenos, but you can mix things up by adding two different kinds of tomatoes, cilantro, red and green onions, garlic, and a bit of chili powder.
5.   No, we didn’t forget about the main filling
Tacos are versatile and so is the filling that goes inside them. Chicken, beef, lamb, shrimp, fish, pork; you name it! Almost every type of meat works with a taco. All you have to do is vary the rest of the toppings accordingly. And yes, for vegetarians, there is the option of falafels or just vegetables as well because tacos are truly all-inclusive.
If you are going with a grilled steak that you’ll add to the carne asada, make sure you give it a hard char for extra flavor. If your choice of filling is barbecue brisket because you’re going with Tex-Mex, make sure you give the meat enough time to tenderize.
You can also make Tex-Mex with chicken, but if you are a true meat-eater, you’ll know that brisket trumps poultry all day. Either way, you need to make an extra effort to ensure that the main filling is juicy and flavorful because that will be the star of your recipe. You wouldn’t want the showstopper to slip up and fail.
6.   Heat the tortillas perfectly
This may be the final step, but that doesn’t make it any less important. Ensure you heat the tacos only after everything else is ready for assembly. As the meat rests and the salsa is plated, warm each tortilla and wrap it in a thick cloth to maintain the temperature. A cold tortilla is possibly the worst thing to happen to your taco.
A comal, which is a Mexican skillet, is the best way to heat tacos. If you don’t have one, the next best alternative is a normal skillet or pan. Place it on the heat and wait for it to get sufficiently hot before heating the tacos. Give roughly a minute to each side. Don’t worry if the tortilla inflates as you heat it; that is a sign that they are fresh.
Read More: Corn on the Cob and Mexican Tacos: How to Master These Classic Food Items
Conclusion
Making amazing, fresh, flavorful tacos at home is not that easy. You may even be doing it for a long time. However, all it takes is a slight upgrade to some basic components and the level of flavor just spikes through the roof. Try these tips today and you’ll love making tacos even more!
