If you love a good taco or burrito night (who doesn't?!) you probably also know the silly frustrations that come along with making these tasty dishes. Like trying to time everything just right so it's all still hot when you're ready to serve, or accidentally overstuffing your burrito and having the ingredients end up all over your hands — just to name a few!
Here, Jordan Andino, chef and owner of Flip Sigi, a Filipino Taqueria located in NYC's Tribeca area, shares his tried-and-tested hacks for making the best burritos and tacos. From keeping your tortillas warm to keeping guacamole from going brown, these restaurant-approved tips are perfect for your next taco night at home.
HOW TO PROPERLY HEAT TORTILLAS FOR TACOS & BURRITOS
1. TO KEEP TORTILLAS WARM: Stack 'Em
To save time, take a few tortillas and heat them up properly. Once that is done, you can go ahead and stack a cold tortilla on top of the hot one. Continue alternating between cold and hot tortillas until you run out, Jordan says.
If you do this when you're serving a lot of tortillas, it can actually heat the entire stack without having to heat every single one. This works great whether you are hosting Taco Tuesday or bringing tacos to a family gathering.
"By doing the stacking method, they actually keep [warm] for a very long time. That's how we transport them to caterings," Jordan says.
Jordan demonstrates this trick in the video above using a hot griddle. Rach likes to char tortillas over an open flame or in a dry stainless skillet over high heat, like in these Tater Tot Burritos.
2. TO AVOID BURRITO SPILLAGE: Fold The Sides First
The struggle is real when it comes to folding a burrito with everything inside and keeping it tight.
To avoid spillage, Jordan says to fold in the left and right sides of the tortilla first. Then, still holding the sides in, fold the entire thing over. Ensure your burrito is tightly wrapped so far — you should still have some tortilla sticking out. Fold the remaining part of the tortilla in about half an inch on each side and tightly roll the whole thing in one motion to seal.
Watch Jordan demonstrate this technique in the video above. (It's simpler than it sounds!)
3. TO REHEAT MEAT & KEEP IT HOT: Use The Double Boiling Technique
"When it comes to heating meat and keeping it hot, a pretty common dilemma is getting the meat hot without drying it out. One thing we use here is the double-boiling technique to reheat our meat," Jordan says.
WHAT DOES DOUBLE BOIL MEAN?
To do this, you'll need a large metal bowl or pan with an inch or two of simmering water. Put the cooked meat you want to reheat into a slightly smaller metal bowl. Then, place the smaller bowl containing the meat into the bowl with the hot water. Let it sit for a few minutes and you'll have "juicy, awesome meat ready to go" the chef says.
4. TO KEEP GUACAMOLE FRESH (GREEN!) LONGER: Add Sour Cream
Are you tired of having your guacamole turn brown? Jordan has a solution: add sour cream.
Sour cream helps prevent browning, plus it adds a nice, creamy texture to your guac. For every one avocado, Jordan suggests using one tablespoon of sour cream.
5. TO TONE DOWN SPICE: Add a Spoonful Of Sugar
Some people love spice, but others not so much. If your meat is too spicy for one of your family members, here's an interesting trick.
"If you try something that you didn't know was spicy and your mouth starts burning, a spoonful of sugar takes it right away," according to Jordan. "It actually eliminates all that heat."
6. TO AVOID WASTE: Cross-Utilize
Cross-utilization is a restaurant term that means taking one ingredient and using it across two to four different menu items. This way, you're being as efficient with the use of food as possible, Jordan explains.
Do this at home by braising chicken, then using some of the juice for gravy, for example. Then, pull the chicken and put it in tacos, bowls or burritos.
