Name: Taquitos Dorados de Papa Guanajuatenses
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 18 taquitos, 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold or white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks; 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste; 2 tablespoons manteca de cerdo, plus 2 cups for frying; 1/2 medium white onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon fresh epazote leaves, finely chopped, optional but correct if you can find it; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 18 corn tortillas, preferably from a tortilleria; 6 dried chile guajillo, stemmed and seeded; 2 dried chile de arbol, stemmed; 2 medium jitomates Roma; 1/4 medium white onion, for the salsa; 1 garlic clove, unpeeled, for the salsa; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste for the salsa; 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar; 2 cups finely shredded romaine lettuce; 3/4 cup Mexican crema; 3/4 cup crumbled queso fresco; 1/4 cup finely diced white onion, for serving; Lime wedges, for serving

Question 1

How do I keep potato taquitos from splitting?

Accepted Answer

Keep corn tortillas warm, flexible, and covered before rolling potato taquitos. Warm them on a comal or microwave them in a damp cloth for 45 seconds. Use 2 tablespoons firm potato filling per tortilla, roll tightly, and avoid dry supermarket tortillas when possible.

Question 2

What temperature should manteca be for frying taquitos dorados?

Accepted Answer

Fry taquitos dorados in manteca de cerdo at 350F. Place each rolled potato taquito seam side down first and fry 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden and crisp. A steady active sizzle means the fat is hot enough for clean frying.

Question 3

Can I make taquitos dorados de papa ahead of time?

Accepted Answer

Make the potato filling 1 day ahead and refrigerate it, then bring it close to room temperature before rolling. Make the guajillo salsa roja up to 3 days ahead. Roll the taquitos up to 4 hours ahead, cover with a barely damp cloth, and fry just before serving.

Question 4

What can I use instead of manteca de cerdo for potato taquitos?

Accepted Answer

Use neutral vegetable oil if you cannot cook with manteca de cerdo, but manteca gives Guanajuato-style potato taquitos their best flavor and crisp texture. Keep the frying fat at 350F either way so the corn tortillas crisp quickly instead of absorbing excess grease.

Question 5

Why does my guajillo salsa roja taste bitter?

Accepted Answer

Guajillo salsa roja turns bitter when dried chiles burn during toasting. Toast guajillo chiles for about 20 seconds per side and chile de arbol for only 5 to 8 seconds. If any chile turns black, discard it before blending with charred Roma tomatoes.

Question 6

What toppings go on Guanajuato potato taquitos?

Accepted Answer

Top Guanajuato potato taquitos with guajillo salsa roja, finely shredded romaine lettuce, Mexican crema, crumbled queso fresco, diced white onion, and lime wedges. Add the toppings after frying while the taquitos are hot, so the tortilla stays crisp and the potato filling stays soft.

Ingredient	Quantity
Yukon Gold or white potatoespeeled and cut into 1-inch chunks	1 1/2 pounds
kosher salt	1 tablespoon, plus more to taste
manteca de cerdo2 tablespoons for the filling, 2 cups for frying	2 tablespoons, plus 2 cups

Culinary Explorer

Taquitos Dorados de Papa Guanajuatenses

Ingredients

Yukon Gold or white potatoes

kosher salt

manteca de cerdo

Where cooking meets culture.