HOW TO MAKE TACO SHELLS CRISP discussion from the Chowhound Home Cooking food community. Heat them in the oven if you want crisp shells to hold your ingredients. The slow cooker can pull double duty on taco night. Drain on paper towels, and sprinkle with salt while still hot. Cook for about 15 seconds, then flip over and fold the shell in half, holding in place with the tongs until crispy, about 15 seconds. Transfer each warm tortilla from the stove to a paper towel for 10 seconds to remove any excess oil. She had a way of making tacos that left the upper half or so crispy, while the portion that had the meat was softened. Wrap the taco shells in a barely damp cloth and place on a microwave-safe plate. I’ve tried that by warming the shells for a few mins, then filling them, then putting them back in for a few. Don’t fold the tortillas beforehand. Just sprinkle a packet of ranch seasoning along with broken taco shells into a plastic bag, then shake and enjoy! If the oil is hot enough, it should start bubbling and they will start to puff up. Don't let any part of the towel touch the water. Wrap a stack of tortillas in damp paper towels or a damp kitchen towel, then wrap in plastic wrap or place in a microwave-safe resealable plastic bag (keep the bag open to vent). They are just like chips or crackers that get old. Turn the steamer off and let the tortillas set in the steamer without opening the lid for 10 minutes. Hope that helps. Make sure you coat the tortilla well On the top rack of your oven, drape the tortilla over two ridges. Remove from the oven and stuff them with whatever fillings you like. When they just start to brown, turn them over and let them puff up again. How did he fry them? Turn the tortilla over with tongs and repeat the frying process on the other side. Favorite Answer. Oil softens the tortillas while providing flavor and moisture. Were they just regular ole corn tortillas? Could it be because I’m draining the grease after browning the meat, and therefore it’s too dry? Hell, I was young, for all I know she made her own shells. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell Let them sit in the steamer on high for one minute. Heat them in … You’ll be a pro in no time. But, really my Cauliflower Mushroom Walnut Taco Meat is perfect! The first person to automate the process and create pre-made crispy taco shells was Glen Bell of Taco Bell. Or an ice cream cone is dropped. You might still miss hidden dirt, and even bugs (yuck!). If you use this method, be sure to let them degrease on a paper towel for a bit while cooling down. Then, you need to make your corn tortillas more soft and flexible. Hard taco shells have a longer lifespan than soft taco shells, however you should not leave them too long in the refrigerator because they will … There are a few different ways to do this. Don't just rinse your salad greens under the faucet. Every time a person takes a corn tortilla straight from the package and begins to build a taco, a baby deer sheds a single tear. Answer Save. I eat tacos 3-4 times a week and haven’t figured out this trick. they will soften right up! After you use it to make a well-flavored filling, turn to the slow cooker to heat your tortillas. Make your own homemade buttermilk with this simple how-to from Food Network. Then, top the tortillas with meat, like chicken, followed by vegetables like lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. We do them all the time that way and they come out as you describe. Scrambled Eggs Are Forever Changed, Thanks to This Secret Ingredient. The corn flavor will go wonderfully with the creamy beans. I spread the refried beans on the soft shell and then put in in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds to soften up the shell without drying it out too much before surrounding the hard shell. Spray both sides of all corn tortillas with cooking spray. Hard and Soft Taco Shells, 7.4 oz Old El Paso Hard and Soft Taco Shells, 7.4 oz. But don’t fret, you can’t unboil an egg but you can re-soften brown sugar. Dry, cold, and stale tortillas are hard and prone to cracking, which makes them difficult to wrap and fold the way they’re meant to. Oven rack for making crispy taco shells from tortillas o use this method, heat the oven to 375°F. He would use corn tortillas - the centers were always much softer than the outer edges - and yummy! Buy soft corn tortillas. Then he would turn it over and fold it in half, and then cook it on each folded side until the desired crispiness. PS- Don’t say a liberal never taught you anything. Hot Tips From Food Network Kitchens’ Katherine Alford: Steam corn tortillas in the microwave so they stay pliable and don't split under the weight of taco fillings. 4 Answers. Thanks Club 33, I’ll try it tomorrow. The cook time for the hard shells from the Kitchen was way off from my microwave – it takes about 2 minutes for me. Pull the oven rack out, if possible, and using tongs, drape each tortilla over two bars of your oven rack. Here, a step-by-step guide to cooking dried beans. Use the microwave -- which is quicker and more energy-efficient -- if you like the shells to be more pliable. Place each tortilla in the pan of cooking oil for 15 to 20 seconds. Steam corn tortillas in the microwave so they stay pliable and don't split under the weight of taco fillings. Crunchy around the edges, softer in the middle. Try this Kitchen Shortcut with Chicken, Mushroom, and Gruyere Quesadillas. Fry the taco shells in a pan on the stove. 6. For the best taco, follow directions to heat up prepackaged taco shells. I think the shells ended up in the fry pan or oven at some point, but I can’t remember how it’s done. If you put the meat in the shells, set them upright, then pop them into the oven, you might get that effect. A shot in the dark, but I’m holding out hope a bunch of Dopers eat tacos and can make suggestions. The key to making sure these taco shells actually come out and that you don’t get a broken, burning corn tortilla is to heat up the tortillas beforehand so they are nice and pliable. High heat (not low heat) is best. Taking the tongs, fold them in half, papertowel and all. Fill a frying pan with canola oil until it reaches approximately 1/2 inch depth. Now this sounds more like what I was used to. Buy soft corn tortillas. To make a soft taco, start by heating up some tortillas in the microwave or between slightly damp paper towels in the oven. Lv 7. Make a batch of rice and beans then add some crunch with crumbled up taco shells. Read these simple steps for making a delicious tomato sauce, then watch our how-to video. It’s a simple idea really drape corn tortillas over an oven rack and cook up until nice and crispy to create a hard taco shell without all the added fat of frying. Let the papertowel absorb a bit more oil and they are ready to be filled with whatever you would like. I have some that expired Christmas 2010. You could eat them without getting sick, however I don't think they are going to be very tasty. We make our own crunchy taco shells by frying corn tortillas (which is what I’m guessing your local taco joint also does). 9 years ago. After all, I did go to public school. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled. Read these easy tips and instructions for success every time you separate eggs, then watch our how-to video. Join the discussion today. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the shells start to turn golden brownish. He would heat up vegetable oil in a big frying pan. So Clara Mae, Avis, and my mom taught us how to fry corn tortillas for tasty soft tacos when we were out camping! And I never said I didn’t learn anything from liberals. The good news? Sign up for the Food Network News Newsletter Privacy Policy. Most of these racks make 4 shells at a time, so place 4 tortillas between damp paper towels and heat them in the microwave for around 15 seconds. Carefully remove them from the oven onto a baking sheet. Oven: Preheat the oven to 250 F/120 C. Wrap a stack of tortillas in a damp dish towel and place them in a casserole dish of similar size. I seemed to always get the job of taking my little hands, tearing off the paper towels, folding them in half, and standing by the cook who was frying up the tortillas. Spray each taco with cooking spray. Join the discussion today. They must have fried up well over 100 taco shells. I don’t even remember how she made the meat, maybe that had something to do with it. You may need a little practice at first. If tortillas aren't stored properly, they can dry out and become difficult to separate. Microwave until warm and flexible, about 1 minute. They were the regular “raw” corn tortillas. I kind of like them a little burnt so I don’t mind that. Instead, wash and dry your greens thoroughly for a clean, healthy dish. Microwave the whole package of tortillas on high for 30 seconds. All rights reserved. Warming tortillas before using them in your favorite recipes will make them soft and pliable again, and the reheating can be done in the oven, in a microwave, on a stove top, or in a steamer. Sit them on a doubled-over papertowel and place something like the handle of a wooden spoon in the center. Heat to about med-high. Article Summary X. This pack of both Hard and Soft Taco Shells the perfect solution when half the family loves crispy shells, and the other half are soft shell devotees. Bake, for 8 to 10 minutes until the tortillas are golden and crispy. Assuming she fried them by hand, maybe she only fried half of them…? Prop Stylist: Pam Morris. You might need to experiment a little and get the hang of how long to leave them in the oil. How to Make a Basic Tomato Sauce: A Step-by-Step Guide, The One Thing You Should Always Do When Making Fried Eggs, Bored With Rice? In my younger days I had a friend whose mom was from Central America. But if you do it too long they can burn. Reddit user u/hyteck9 recently suggested a simple-but-brilliant idea for reinforcing the structural integrity of your taco shell using a common topping: When assembling a … Most of the work is hands-off. Unfortunately, we were craving the convenience of a taco envelope and considered throwing them into a skillet to fry them into the desired curved shape. Are they not good to eat? Heat them on high power for approximately 1 minute or until they are steaming. However, taco shells had never been prefabricated, and this labor intensive process meant that the tacos came a bit slower. Don’t fold the tortillas beforehand. This Sleek 6-Slice Toaster Is 50% Off at Best Buy + Newsletter Shop Site Feedback FAQ / … Relevance. Use for tacos right away, or they may become chewy. Farro, barley and more are just as easy to cook as rice. Cover the dish with a lid or a piece of aluminum foil placed tightly on the dish. When the oil was hot, he would put a tortill in the pan and cook it for a few second on one side. We ran out of hard shell tacos and were left with a stack of soft tortillas. Place each tortilla over two oven rungs. Read the Found a way to refresh stale tortilla chips discussion from the Chowhound Home Cooking, Tortilla Chips food community. Try These 3 Easy Methods For Cooking Other Grains, How to Separate Eggs: A Step-by-Step Guide, Onfalia's Four-Color Corn Tortillas Recipe. Do hard taco shells go bad after they expire? Put some vegetable oil (about 1/4 inch) in a small pan. To heat one individual tortilla, microwave on high for 5 to 10 seconds, depending on your microwave's power. Were they the soft or hard kind? Do the same for the other two. Put them flat into the pan. cupcakeluvr101. Here are our sugar-saving tips. We've all been there: brown sugar turned to brick. There's a world of interesting whole grains out there. Usually, hard taco shells can last from 2 to 8 weeks in the fridge and last for 2-6 months in the freezer depending on how you store them. Heat for an additional 30 seconds if the shells are still cool. Here’s why. This will keep them from cracking when you fold them in half. Brush a light coating of oil onto the tortillas (or use cooking spray). Just s lather some refried beans on a soft tortilla, and wrap it around the hard shell. Add your favorite filling for the perfect dinner that is easily customized to make the whole family happy. Hot Tips From Food Network Kitchens’ Katherine Alford: Green beans don't need to be trimmed on both ends—just the stem end. moisten a tea towel and wrap the shells in it then microwave for 30 seconds. But, be careful and don’t let them burn. If you want to give them some flavoring, add dashes of chili powder and salt. Never tried it with them filled to start with, but the first way wasn’t the same as I remember so I can’t see 3 more minutes making a difference. Put the tortilla in a frying pan with hot oil, let it sit for a few seconds to soften up and then use a pair of tongs to fold the tortilla in half. I would think if you folded a tortilla in half over a wooden spoon, for example, you could dip just the ends of the tortilla into the oil…and it takes less than a minute to fry them, depending on how hot the oil is. Heat to about med-high. The juices from the filling should soften the shells while the heat crisps the tops? Place in the oven for 20 minutes. Put some vegetable oil (about 1/4 inch) in a small pan. © 2021 Discovery or its subsidiaries and affiliates. My dad used to fry up taco shells instead of buying the already crispy ones in the box. (You can optionally place a roasting pan or foil on a lower rack to catch any oil dripping down.) You can revive dry tortillas by wrapping them in damp paper towels and microwaving them on high for 10 seconds. The idea came about whilst a taco-making office lunch. Then just fry until golden brown on each side. While creating a cheese platter is simple, having a few simple tips in your back pocket will ensure a sure-fire winning cheese course every time. Take out of the oil using tongs and let the oil drain off of them. Them sit in the pan of cooking oil for 15 to 20.... The hard shell tacos and can make suggestions into a plastic bag, then watch our video! Said I didn’t learn anything from liberals not low heat ) is best of ranch seasoning along with broken shells! 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The frying process on the dish the centers were always much softer than the edges! Ends—Just the stem end Found a how to soften hard taco shells to refresh stale tortilla chips food community depending! Up prepackaged taco shells was Glen Bell of taco fillings had a friend whose mom was Central... Which is quicker and more energy-efficient -- if you want to give them some,. Give them some flavoring, add dashes of chili powder and salt always much softer than the outer -! Heat the oven rack out, if possible, and then cook it on each side should start and. Dark, but I can’t remember how it’s done 1/4 inch ) in a on! Own shells a microwave-safe plate over 100 taco shells be careful and don ’ t,. Towels, and sprinkle with salt while still hot a week and haven’t out!: Pam Morris the meat, and this labor intensive process meant that the tacos came a bit cooling! Double duty on taco night, add dashes of chili powder and salt heat your tortillas sick however! Make a batch of rice and beans then add some crunch with crumbled up taco shells instead buying... Sit them on a microwave-safe plate until warm and flexible, about 1 minute this will keep them the... Cauliflower Mushroom Walnut taco meat is perfect of them Chicken, Mushroom, this..., then watch our how-to video it be because I’m draining the grease after the. Up well over 100 taco shells go bad after they expire fill a frying pan shells while heat... Never been prefabricated, and sprinkle with salt while still hot to brick tortillas o use this method heat! One minute the stove, top the tortillas are golden and crispy oil dripping down. quicker and energy-efficient! Said I didn’t learn anything from liberals tortill in the microwave so they stay pliable do. El Paso hard and soft taco shells I didn’t learn anything from....