Taquitos are the perfect solution to leftover meat. We love it with beef but works great with chicken or pork too.
I did a lot of cooking over the holidays. I also ended up with a lot of leftovers. The day after the kids went back to school I did a refrigerator clean out and inventory.
I think we could have fed a small country.
There was so much stuff in there Jim and I ate from it the entire week! Jim doesn’t mind leftovers but I do so I have to put a new spin on them. But the trick is you don’t want that remake to take too much time or effort because that kind of ruins the fact that leftovers are a quick and easy thing to have for dinner.
Your remake needs to be quick and easy too!
We had enjoyed a yummy beef tenderloin one night so I had a good size piece of that left. I decided to turn that nice piece of meat into taquitos. Taquitos are quick and easy.
Taquitos are a great thing to do with any type of leftover meat/roast or even chicken.
Taquitos are made with corn tortillas. You can also make them with flour tortillas but then they are called flautas.
The first step is to cut your roast up into small pieces.
To the meat I add some chopped green chilies. I used about half a can to my 1 1/2 cups of meat. I also added in some garlic salt. Stir that all up together.
I then soften my tortillas in the microwave by wrapping them in a paper towel and zapping them for about 30 seconds or so (depends on how many you heat up at once)
Place a couple of tablespoons of meat mixture onto the tortilla. Softening the tortillas first helps prevent them from cracking when you roll the taquito up. Roll them up and then hold them closed with a toothpick.
Then put some vegetable oil into your frying pan – I used my cast iron skillet. There is something about cooking in cast iron that makes me feel like a real cook.
I test the temperature of the oil by sticking a piece of tortilla into it and see if it sizzles or not – if it sizzles – it’s ready.
Cook the tortillas until they are crisp and lightly golden brown. Turn over to the next side and do the same.
Place and drain onto a paper towel when done.
I served them with some Mexican rice. I like to top the taquitos with sour cream, salsa and some grated cheese.
Then you just pick them up, yes,with your hands and crunch away! Yum!
A great way to turn a boring leftover into a fun and delicious meal. What’s your favorite way to remake a meal?
- Leftover roast amount will depend on the number of taquitos you want to make.
- I used about 2 Tbsp of meat per taquito. Cut meat into small bite size pieces or shred.
- Chopped green chilies. I used 1/2 can to about 1 1/2 C meat.
- 1-2 tsp garlic salt. I used 1 tsp to 1 1/2 C meat.
- Corn tortillas
- sour cream salsa and grated cheddar cheese for garnish
- Combine meat, green chilies and garlic salt into a bowl and stir to combine.
- Soften tortillas wrapped in a paper towel in the microwave.
- Place 2 Tbsp meat mixture onto softened tortilla.
- Roll up and secure with a tooth pick.
- Heat a pan with vegetable oil (about 1 inch deep) Heat oil until hot and bubbly.
- Cook taquitos in oil until lightly golden brown, both sides. Drain on a paper towel.
- Garnish with sour cream, salsa and cheese
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Ok! Taquitos are now on my menu this week! They look so good, I can just taste them! It doesn’t help that it is nearly noon, I’m starving and drinking cold coffee!
These look great, but I am super excited to see this rice recipe. I have also looked for a rice recipe similar to restaurant rice and have never found that…..can’t wait to try it!!
What a great way to use leftover meat whether it’s a roast or a steak. I’ll be adding this to my leftover list of “go to’s”.
We also ate for a week out of the fridge with leftovers – turkey soup, omelettes, cheese plates. I did some groceries for the first time this morning.
Yummy! Adding it to my menu.
Thanks!
Those look great! I like taking leftovers and turning them into something new too – we have leftover canned peas, cooked rice and cooked turkey in the fridge right now that I think are going to find their way into a casserole…
They look so yummy!!! I’m Mexican and we call those taquitos “flautas” =) I just posted somw weeks ago some BEEF TAQUITOS myself, you can visit me if you want at http://gabhousewife.blogspot.com/2011/12/beef-taquitos.html
Your blog has changed me and helped me in so many ways thank you. Now I am so excited to share a tip with you instead of toothpicks you can use flour and a little bit of water to make a paste and add a dab on the edge of your tortilla at the end of your roll. Makes them much easier to fry and prettier too!
Thanks for all you great recipes and ideas.
Thank you for your great tip of heating tortillas in a microwave first before trying to roll them so they don’t crack! Brilliant!
I used leftover chicken tonight to make quesadillas. A completely new meal. At my house, it’s my kids who don’t like leftovers, I could eat the same thing for a few days in a row if it’s something I like. 🙂
These look delicious! I am not a very good leftover user (I never know what to do with them to “disguise” that we are having leftovers). So I love this idea. THANKS!