Official Taco Smackdown Announcement

[CaptainMike]

I'm going to do my favorite tacos later in the week, but I've been wanting to do some kind of smoked pork belly taco-thing for a while now. Collette did a Costco run last weekend and got me a couple of bellys so it was time to give my inspiration a try. I found a few interesting recipes online and did a riff of a couple of them to come up with a Korean style smoked belly taco.

Smoked and shredded pork belly that was dry-rubbed a la banh mi and glazed in a Korean style soy and brown sugar sauce. The assembly is corn tortillas stuffed with pork, chopped kimchi, green onions, cilantro and some crumbled cotija cheese. Woo boy, that shredded pork was amazing by itself and made one fine taco!

Out of the smoke and ready for saucing




The final result

[DTro]

With that plate, no hot sauce needed- So good, I gotta learn pork belly!

[HotSun]

Wow, that looks great, CaptainMike . Question: did you smoke the pork belly in chunks, as shown? I have some shoulder that I've cubed and I might smoke some rather than turn it into sausage.

[CaptainMike]

HotSun that's exactly what I did. Smoked for about 3 hours until it got some nice color, then glazed with a Korean style soy/brown sugar sauce, covered, then back in for another hour or so until IT of 190+. Took them off the smoker, cranked up the heat (350+), uncovered and back in until it glazed to my preference. That pork shoulder should work just fine, although you might want to braise it a little longer to break it down.

[WayneT]

Where did the taco come from?

Smithsonian magazine article.

[Richard Chrz]

Taco al pastor I believe has some origins in Lebanese migration to Mexico, if I remember a Netflix show with Chef David Chang

[WayneT]

Richard Chrz Yep, that's true Richard. It's a riff on shawarma.

[Richard Chrz]

WayneT I have a friend who is a talented cook, and born in Lebanon, he makes incredible Lebanese cuisine. Every time I make sourdough naan, and tikka masala, I send him photos and tell him it’s my Lebanese burrito.

[Alan Brice]

Began with flour tortillas, two got toasted on my dbl duty bacon/tortillas toasters,to go on the inside and hold the precious ingredients. Outside goes one softee slathered with Bonesy’s beans.
Inside goes a masterful blend of crispy bacon and brisket held together with some Bachan’s Japanese bbq sauce and 909 flame roasted hatch green chilies n sliced green pepper from the backyard garden.
Finally topped w/iceberg n SC, chopped tomatoes and a sprinkle of cilantro. Just a squeeze of fresh lime juice and covered with the perfect blend of four cheese Mexican shredded.
Sorry folks I am too tired to make a margarita.
Guess it will be paired with a previously decanted bourbon barrel Cab Sav. Ehem,
Pardonne’ Moi! 😋🍷nummy nums!

[CaptainMike]

Oh yeah!

[barelfly]

Heck yeah! The 505 sauce! That’s straight outta the Land of Enchantment! That’s my go to for the jarred green chile when I run out of my fresh stuff I buy in September! Love the tacos!

[CaptainMike]

Today's lunch: Behold the TacoDog.

Flour tortilla, homemade refries, grilled SRF hot dog, taco meat, cheddha, Anaheim peppers and a drizzle of that California favorite, Pico Pica hot sauce.

I can't believe I ate the whooole thing....

[Smoked Transistors]

Love ,love, love Pico Pica Sauce !

[lostclusters]

I would compete here but I would wipe you all out with no trouble at all to be sure. So I will not to keep things sporting here. I'll just give up me secretes now.

This is a total ripe off from a restaurant in southern California called Rubio's. Thier fish tacos and shirmp burritos are THE best. To start out, whoop up some of my smoked salmon:

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/the-pit-mastery-program/seafood-recipes/358414-salmon

Then get yourself some corn tortillas, shredded cabage, ranch dressing, chipotle sauce, and some limes.

Mix the ranch and chipotle to your liking, usually like a third or less chipotle. Put a nice portion of salmon on a heated, usually nuked or a tortilla heater, corn tortilla, then add some of that chipotle ranch. Then add some of that shredded cabage and squeeze on that lime.

Oh ya!

[SheilaAnn]

I can’t stand wahoo’s…. Don’t know what it is….. rubio’s is passable.

[lostclusters]

SheilaAnn who's better?

[SheilaAnn]

lostclusters if I were forced to choose, it would be rubios v. Wahoos. I just had too many bad visits at wahoos. Rubios is consistent.

[texastweeter]

Pork birria tacos.

[texastweeter]

barelfly complete with spicy consume, radishes onions cilantro lime, and 7 pot primo sauce.

[barelfly]

Nice touch on the radish!

[Andrrr]

YUP!

[RichieB]

I knew there was a reason to be hesitant on this smack down. Now seeing that production I made the right decision. I'll wait for the great hotdog smackdown. Fantastic stuff please keep the pics coming.

[WayneT]

C’mon, Richie, quit sandbagging and make your taco play!

[ofelles]

Come on. The words great and hot dog should never be used in the same sentence.

[mnavarre]

Tacos de Pescado. Just like being in Ensenada, except I had to make 'em myself.



Gotta use the good local beer for the batter.



On homemade tortillas. ¡Muy Rico! And since there's tortillas and batter left there is exactly zero chance that I won't be thawing some shrimps and frying those up later.

[barelfly]

Excellent! Love this!

[Troutman]

Yep one of my absolute favorites. Love the homemade tortillas as well. Solid entry !!

[DTro]

Those look so tasty!

[GolfGeezer]

And now for the Lazy Man's (that'd be me) Baja style tacos. Trader Joe's fish sticks heated in air fryer, pico de gallo, slaw from already sliced bag, Mexican mix cheese, Mexican crema, pickled red onion (at least I made those!) and sliced limes all on double corn tortillas (from a bag of course)!

[Panhead John]

Lazy Man’s Style Tacos?….that’s got me written all over it. Nice job!

[STEbbq]

Another one that uses the fish stick move for lazy tacos!

[WayneT]

Let’s see who comes out of the wood-work for the third day of the Taco Smackdown. Lurkers and sandbaggers, I’m talkin’ to y’all.

[barelfly]

Wednesday

[Troutman]

You know you want tacos...yea ya do !!!

[WayneT]

Reverse psychology? Is this a not-so-subliminal message?

[SheilaAnn]

Troutman beat me to it!

[WayneT]

We were inspired by all these beautiful taco entires so Mari Jo made us some pulled chuck tacos for lunch.

[barelfly]

Alright!!! Love it!

[Donw]

I do believe that your avatar is scaring many of us away. 🫣

[WayneT]

I can take a hint. Behold!!

[RichieB]

Thank you from all of your Pitmaster brothers and sisters.

[WayneT]

I thought it was topic appropriate.

[RonB]

My entry - please ignore the wrapper and TB cup.

[barelfly]

Haha! Where’s the flamin’ hot taco! 😂

[Donw]

The award then should go to the Mitla Cafe in San Bernardino. Glen Bell had a hot dog stand across the street from the Mitla Cafe. His business was slow but the Mexican restaurant had lines waiting to be served. After trying to duplicate their tacos he just asked them to teach him how to make them. They did. Thus hot dogs morphed into tacos. I’m sure the Milta Cafe still makes better ones.

[jfmorris]

I vote for this entry as it’s as much taco as I’ll have this week. I grilled some squash. Does that count?