Tacos De Canasta Recipe

Cook the pork

Place the pork shoulder in a large pot with 4 cups water or chicken stock, quartered onion, 4 garlic cloves, bay leaf, and 1.5 tablespoons salt. Bring to a simmer, skim any foam, then cover and reduce to very low heat. Simmer gently until pork is very tender and pulls apart easily, about 2 to 2.5 hours. Alternatively braise at 325°F (160°C) for 2 to 2.5 hours.

Shred and crisp (optional)

Remove pork and reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Shred the meat with forks. For a more traditional slight crispness, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and fry shredded pork in batches until edges are lightly crisp, 4–6 minutes. Drain on paper towels and keep warm.

Warm and keep tortillas pliable

Stack the corn tortillas and wrap them in a clean kitchen towel or several layers of foil. Warm them gently on a skillet or in a low oven (250°F / 120°C) for 8–10 minutes until pliable. Keep wrapped until assembly to prevent drying.

Portion filling

Divide the shredded pork into 20 equal portions (about 1.5 oz / 40 g each). Keep warm.

Prepare chile infusion

Toast dried guajillo and ancho (and arbol if using) briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 20–30 seconds per side; don't burn. Transfer chiles to a bowl and cover with 1/2 cup hot water. Let soak 10 minutes until softened.

Make chili oil

In a small blender or with an immersion blender, combine soaked chiles (drain but reserve soaking liquid), 1 garlic clove, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Blend to a smooth paste, adding a tablespoon or two of the soaking liquid if necessary. In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup neutral oil until shimmering but not smoking (about 275–300°F equivalent). Carefully pour hot oil over the chile paste to release flavors; it will sizzle. Stir, then let cool to warm. Taste and adjust salt. If oil cools, warm slightly before using; the oil should be warm when coating tortillas.

Prepare steaming liquid

Combine the reserved 1 cup pork cooking liquid (or warm water if using a vegetarian filling) with 2–3 tablespoons of the chile oil in a heatproof bowl. This will be the moistening liquid used inside the basket so the tortillas steam and pick up color. Keep warm.

Coat tortillas

Working with the warm wrapped stack, remove 2 tortillas at a time. Lightly brush or drizzle about 1/2 teaspoon of the warm chile oil onto one side of each tortilla (enough to color and lightly moisten; do not saturate). The oil should tint and flavor the tortilla but keep it pliable.

Fill and fold

Place about 1 tablespoon (or 1 portion) of shredded pork near the lower third of each tortilla. Fold the bottom up over the filling and then fold sides inward so each tortilla is folded into a slim envelope (traditional tacos de canasta fold two tortillas together—if you prefer thicker tacos, place two oiled tortillas together then add filling and fold). Repeat until all tacos are assembled.

Layer in basket or pot

Line a deep covered pot or a basket with a clean towel or several layers of paper towel. Place a layer of assembled tacos in the bottom with the seam side down. Sprinkle or brush a few teaspoons of the warm steaming liquid over this layer to moisten. Add another towel layer and continue stacking tacos, adding a little steaming liquid between layers so moisture distributes but tacos are not drenched. Reserve about 1/4 cup steaming liquid for later.

Steam until tender

Cover the pot tightly and place over very low heat, or place the basket in a larger pot set over simmering water (double-boiler style). Steam for 20–30 minutes; the heat and steam will soften the tortillas and let flavors meld. Check once at 15 minutes to ensure there’s still steam/warmth; add a splash of hot water to the outer pot if needed. The tacos should be soft, moist, and evenly colored from the chile oil.

Final resting

Turn off heat and let the assembled tacos sit covered for another 10 minutes to further soften and absorb moisture. If any areas seem dry, sprinkle the reserved 1/4 cup steaming liquid over the top, then re-cover for 5 minutes.

Uncover and carefully remove tacos with tongs. Serve hot with bowls of finely chopped onion, cilantro, lime wedges, sliced radishes, and crumbled cotija or queso fresco. Eat immediately; these are best the day they are steamed. Leftovers can be reheated stacked in a covered pan with a splash of reserved cooking liquid and a few drops of chile oil, covered over low heat for 5–8 minutes.