The art of the taco: types of tortilla, cuts of meat and salsas

The taco is not a dish: it is a system

The taco is to Mexican cooking what sushi is to Japanese: a complete culinary system with rules, techniques and combinations that have been perfected over centuries. A good taco is not simply “something in a tortilla” - it is the precise harmony between tortilla, filling, salsa and garnish, where each element plays a specific role.

To understand the taco is to understand Mexico. Every region has its tacos, every taquería has its style, every taquero has his secrets. In this article we take the taco apart piece by piece so that you can build the perfect taco in your kitchen in the UK.

The tortilla: the foundation of everything

The tortilla is not just the wrapper - it is an ingredient with as much importance as the filling. The wrong tortilla can ruin an exceptional taco.

Corn tortilla: the undisputed queen

90% of tacos in Mexico are eaten in a corn tortilla. There are three main categories:

• Taquera tortilla: Small (10-12 cm), soft, slightly thick. It is the standard tortilla of the street taquerías. Two are served per taco (double tortilla) so that they can take the weight of the filling without tearing.
• Blue corn tortilla: Made with blue maize, it has an earthier, sweeter flavour. It is used for market quesadillas and some special tacos.
• Tortilla for tostadas: A corn tortilla fried until rigid and crisp. It is used as a base for ceviche tostadas, tinga and so on.

Flour tortilla: the northern one

In northern Mexico, tacos are made with a wheat-flour tortilla. They are larger, more flexible and taste of lard. They are used for tacos of carne asada, discada, machaca and burritos. In the UK, the supermarket flour wraps are an acceptable substitute, although homemade ones are infinitely superior.

The golden rule: warm the tortilla

A cold tortilla is a crime against the taco. Always warm the tortillas before serving - on a comal, in a dry frying pan or directly over the gas flame (they puff up and char slightly, which is how they are served in many taquerías).

The classic fillings: a world of flavour

Tacos al pastor

The most famous taco in Mexico. Pork marinated in a chilli adobo (guajillo, ancho, pasilla) with achiote, spices and pineapple, cooked on a vertical rotating spit (trompo) in front of the embers. It is shaved into thin slices straight from the trompo into the taco.

In the UK without a trompo: Marinate thin slices of pork loin in pastor adobo (blend soaked guajillo and ancho chillies with achiote, pineapple, garlic and vinegar). Grill over a high heat in a cast-iron pan or on a griddle until caramelised. Serve with grilled pineapple, onion, coriander and salsa verde.

Tacos de suadero

Suadero is the layer of fat and meat between the skin and the ribs of the cow. At the taquería it is cooked slowly in its own fat (confit-style) until it is tender and slightly crisp on the outside. It is the most popular taco in the street taquerías of Mexico City.

In the UK: The most similar cut is beef flank or brisket. Cook slowly in its own fat, cut into small pieces, until browned on the outside.

Tacos de bistec

Thinly sliced beef, sautéed over a high heat with onion. Simple, direct, perfect. Use thin slices of rump or topside. The secret is the high heat - the meat must sear quickly without releasing too much juice.

Tacos de carnitas

Pork confit in its own lard for 3-4 hours until it shreds and has both crisp and tender parts. Carnitas tacos come with coriander, onion, salsa verde and a squeeze of lime. With pork shoulder, the results are extraordinary.

Tacos de longaniza

Mexican longaniza (a spiced pork sausage, similar to chorizo but with less paprika) crumbled and browned in a pan. In the UK, use a fresh pork sausage and add a little ancho chilli powder and cumin.

Tacos de canasta (steamed)

Tacos de canasta are tacos prepared in the morning, placed in a basket covered with a blue plastic sheet and a cloth, and “steamed” for hours. The steam makes them soft and the infused fat gives them a unique flavour. They are filled with pressed chicharrón, potato, beans or green mole. They are the cheapest taco in Mexico - quite literally the food of the people.

The salsas: the soul of the taco

In Mexico a taco without salsa does not exist. The salsa is not an extra - it is an integral part of the taco. Each type of taco has its ideal salsa:

Salsa verde (tomatillo)

Tomatillos (green tomatoes) cooked or roasted, blended with serrano chilli, coriander, onion and garlic. It is the universal salsa that works with almost everything. Fresh, tangy and with moderate heat.

In the UK: Fresh tomatillos are rare. Use tinned tomatillos (available in Mexican shops) or substitute with unripe green tomatoes + a squeeze of lime.

Salsa roja

Chile de árbol and/or guajillo toasted, blended with roasted tomato, garlic and salt. It is hotter than the verde and works especially well with red-meat tacos.

Chipotle salsa

Chipotles in adobo blended with tomato, garlic and a touch of sugar. Smoky, sweet and spicy. Perfect for tacos of chicken, carnitas and bistec.

Salsa taquera

The runny red salsa that flows across every taco stand in Mexico City. Chile de árbol + guajillo + oil + garlic. It is spooned on - it is liquid and coats the whole taco.

Taquero guacamole

A thinned-down version of guacamole: avocado, tomatillo, coriander, chilli and water blended into a pale green salsa. It is the salsa put on carnitas and suadero tacos.

The garnishes: the details that matter

• Onion and coriander: Finely chopped white onion and fresh coriander are the standard garnish for almost every taco. They go on top of the meat before the salsa.
• Lime: A squeeze of lime is compulsory. It is squeezed straight over the assembled taco.
• Radishes: Served whole or sliced as an accompaniment to barbacoa and carnitas tacos. Their crisp freshness contrasts with the fat of the meat.
• Grilled nopales: Strips of griddled cactus, as a side or as a taco ingredient.
• Pineapple: Exclusively for tacos al pastor - the pineapple roasted on the trompo is an essential part.

How to build the perfect taco

The order matters:

1. Warm tortilla (double if it is corn taquera)
2. Hot filling in the centre
3. Onion and coriander
4. Salsa (the amount depends on your tolerance for heat)
5. A squeeze of lime
6. Eat it immediately - a taco is not kept, not reheated, does not wait

The technique

It is held with three fingers (thumb, index and middle), tilted slightly so that the salsa does not drip, and eaten from one side, working towards the other. Experts curl their little finger as a “barrier” against drips at the lower end. In Mexico, eating tacos is a skill practised from childhood.

“A taco is eaten standing up, in the street, with a paper napkin in the other hand and the next order already placed. If you need a fork, it is not a taco.”

Perfect your taquero technique with our Mexican recipes, find authentic ingredients in Mexican shops and judge the tacos at Mexican restaurants in the UK with an expert eye.