Cook for one eat for three: Empanadas, Birria, and Tinga!!!!


 
We're south of Chapel Hill -- so a mere 5-6 hours away from those beaches. I get the beach attraction, but NC has a lot of vacation to offer. In previous generations, the slogan was "Variety Vacationland". From the beaches to mountains higher than any others in the East. Not bad for a one day trip -- one way.
 
Dinner number 2: Chicken and Beef Birria tacos.

Started off with a run to o the store to get more Oaxaca cheese. This stuff is our whole family's new favorite cheese for Latin food.
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I got three.
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Started with the consume and separated the top fat with the rest of the liquid.
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Got both the fat and the broth heating up and then added some broth to both the chicken and the beef from yesterday's cook to re-heat everything up.
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Next I got myself setup to cook some tacos. That is old faithful there in the middle of the picture. That griddle is one of the first kitchen tools I ever got and it is still going strong.
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It's taco making time!!! First batch chicken.
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Fat down first, dip the shell in the consume, meat, cheese, give it a sec, flip into a taco, let get crunchy, flip.
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Started to get the hang of it! Doing two at a time, when the front two are done move the others up and make two more in the back.
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Served with a bowl of dipping consume.
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Close up of the beef taco.
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@Wil A, I made this for you!
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These were another massive hit, which makes me happy because I was not sure the family would enjoy them as much as me. My youngest (yesterday's head chef) said they were one of her favorite things I have ever made. They are requested to be made again, big win!

The only thing I would have changed is the shells (this is becoming a theme). I got the thin corn shells, I wish I got the thicker/standard ones just so they could have stood up to all that I put them through while making the tacos. You will see blow outs in most my pictures.
 
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THAT looks hella-good Michael! I wish I was eating that as I’m now typing this. The blow outs are what makes eating “hand” food even better IMO; you know what you’re eating is good when half of it ends up in your lap!

Great job again. (y)
 
Here are my tacos from Wednesday night from Tallulah's Taqueria in Providence RI. I got one carne asada, two Al pastor and one carnitas. The carnitas was on a side plate and got eaten before I remembered to take a photo. Family got chicken tacos and burritos, and rice and bean tacos. The second photo is the family's favorite black beans.
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So first my family's takeaway. The chicken is like my grilled chicken, but they said mine is much better. Then they all shared they like the rotisserie chicken for tacos better then either mine or their grilled chicken. They do still love the beans, which I can recreate, so that is my task. I am going to start with Rich's post and the reference he gave to serious eats here.

Then they decided together that the reason we went on a taco extravaganza before come to Providence was so I could prove to them that my tacos were better. I told them it was a total coincidence and it was because I had the time that I needed with the long weekend, they didn't believe it.

Now, my takeaways, the first is the shell, their are so much better than store bought and make the meal. My soccer players were telling me about a local store that sells there own homemade corn tortillas that all their families use. I am going to go get them, then I am getting myself a press and working to learn to make homemade flour and corn tortillas in the next year. It is going to be the year of dough.

Thier carne asada was different then the medium rare thin sliced after cooking tacos I have made in the last year, I like both, but a major part of me likes their better. I am thinking about thin slicing a flap meat steak up before cooking, marinading it and then grilling/CI griddling in and seeing the results. Next, the carnatas (no photos), the recipe that Rich and I worked on together last year, with him taking the lead, was way better and an amazing recipe I recommend everyone who loves tacos to make.

Last the Al pastor, every time I get tacos out, I get and have loved the Al pastor. I made it once, but it was literally the most work of any meal I have made and I put a lot of work into a lot of meals so that is saying something. When I did it I did it on the rotisserie and sliced layer after layer of meat. It was ok but not as good as these tacos. There was no spit/rotisserie in this kitchen... When I have shown my cooking photos to my latina soccer players they have all said "Al pastor is my favorite taco my mom makes, but she doesn't make it like that she uses the stove and the oven." I have been thinking about those comments for the last two days. How can I recreate Al pastor without all the work!?!? That takes me to the recipe I use for Filipino pork shoulder skewers were I thin sliced a pork shoulder marinade them and grilled them. Could I do something like this for Al pastor? I think so? Could I do a braise first then a sear? I have those three pork steaks in the freezer at home, could I do something with those? I think I am going to keep researching and try something when I get home...
 
Dang. I mean, just...dang. That's some serious bar-raising, Michael!

I really like that you used bone-in short ribs and left the meat on the bones all the way through the process. Way to not leave any flavor behind!(y)
 
Thier carne asada was different then the medium rare thin sliced after cooking tacos I have made in the last year, I like both, but a major part of me likes their better. I am thinking about thin slicing a flap meat steak up before cooking, marinading it and then grilling/CI griddling in and seeing the results.
In other post I have made shells, another attempt at Al pastor, and some awesome homemade beans. But last night I tried to recreate their carne asada. I took a part of the flap meat steak I am going to grill tomorrow and while still a touch frozen thin sliced the raw meat. I marinaded it overnight and then cooked it up quick with some copping in a CI Skillet on the stove. They were my favorite homemade carne asada I have even had. I think that will be how I do carne asada again next time.
 
In other post I have made shells, another attempt at Al pastor, and some awesome homemade beans. But last night I tried to recreate their carne asada. I took a part of the flap meat steak I am going to grill tomorrow and while still a touch frozen thin sliced the raw meat. I marinaded it overnight and then cooked it up quick with some copping in a CI Skillet on the stove. They were my favorite homemade carne asada I have even had. I think that will be how I do carne asada again next time.
The house next door to me is for sale if your looking.😀
 

 

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