Ingredient Substitution Guide

1. Step 1

   Make the salsa: Place garlic on a cast-iron skillet and heat over medium-high until it chars in spots, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a molcajete (mortar) or blender along with a teaspoon of salt.  

2. Step 2

   Add the jalapeños and tomatoes to the hot skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and charred all over, about 10 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board. When the tomatoes and chiles are cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes, peel off as much of the charred skin as you can and discard the skin, seeds and stems. 

3. 1. Step 3

      If using a molcajete, pound the garlic and salt to a paste with the tejolote (pestle). Add the jalapeños and crush them until they’ve broken down and look juicy. Add the tomatoes and continue to mash everything until the salsa is spoonable. (If using a blender, add the tomatoes and chiles to the jar with the salt and garlic and pulse to a spoonable consistency.) Taste for salt, transfer to a serving bowl and set aside.

4. 1. Step 4

      Make the tacos: Separate the corn tortillas if they’re stuck together. If they’re brittle, stack them, wrap in a damp paper towel, set on a plate belly up (see Tips), and microwave on high for 2 minutes, or until warm and pliable. 

5. 1. Step 5

      Make sure your cast-iron skillet is clean and dry, then pour in enough oil to reach a depth of ½ inch. Heat over medium until it reaches 350 degrees or a small piece of tortilla sizzles when dropped in the oil, about 6 minutes.

6. 1. Step 6

      While the oil heats, assemble the tacos: Add the beef, black pepper, garlic salt and cilantro to a bowl and mix with your hands until the cilantro is evenly distributed. Spread a generous tablespoon of beef on half of a tortilla, belly up (see Tips), leaving a ¼-inch border, but don’t fold it just yet. Place it flat on a sheet pan or cutting board and repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling, overlapping them but keeping the beef uncovered. 

7. 1. Step 7

      To fry the tacos, place a large bowl lined with paper towels near where you are frying. Take one filled tortilla and fold it in half. Hold the upper part between your thumb and middle finger, using your pointer finger to create a small gap between the two sides of the tortilla. Place the seam of the tortilla into the hot oil and hold it there until the tortilla seam softens, about 5 seconds, then carefully lay the folded tortilla into the oil, beef side down, to finish frying. Repeat with as many tacos as fit comfortably in your pan and cook until the undersides of the first batch are golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip the tacos and cook until crispy and golden, another 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the fried tacos to the bowl, standing them vertically so any oil drains downward. Repeat until all the tacos are fried. 

   2. Step 8

      To serve, cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Arrange the avocado halves, tomato and cabbage on a plate with a spoon so that everyone can open their tacos and scoop a bit inside. Serve with plenty of salsa de molcajete on the side and crema if desired.

Tips

• Look for corn tortillas that contain only 2 ingredients: corn and lime. Tortillas with added gums will not fry up as crispy, though the tacos will still be delicious.

• Tortillas have a belly and a back, the belly generally shows oven lines more prominently and has a thinner skin that might pucker. Fill tortillas on the side with the thinner skin so they don’t crack when you fold them.