Shredded Beef Taquitos

Ingredients

• 1 recipe Shredded Beef Tacos
• 15 corn tortillas
• Vegetable oil
• Extra virgin olive oil, optional
• Toothpicks
• Salsa
• Guacamole
• Sour Cream
• Cilantro lime ranch

Directions

1. Prepare the shredded beef as directed. Drain it thoroughly, then set it aside.
2. Set a non-stick griddle over medium high heat. Warm the tortillas for about 15 – 30 seconds on each side, just until they bend easily and feel soft. As soon as each tortilla comes off the griddle, stack it on a plate and cover the stack with a saucepan lid wide enough to cover the tortillas, which traps the steam so they roll without splitting. Continue until every tortilla has been warmed.
3. Pour a few tablespoons vegetable oil and a few tablespoons extra virgin olive oil into a non-stick sauce pan, making an oil layer about 1/2 inch high. The extra virgin olive oil is optional, so using only vegetable oil is fine. Warm the oil over medium heat.
4. Working with one tortilla at a time, take it from the stack and arrange about 1/4 cup shredded beef in a strip through the middle. Roll it up tightly, then slide a toothpick through the center to hold the tortilla ends together.
5. With metal tongs, lower the taquitos carefully into the hot oil; you can usually fit 4 – 5 at once. Fry until the first side is lightly browned, then pull out the toothpick, turn the taquito with the tongs, and brown the other side.
6. Transfer each taquito with tongs to a plate lined with paper towels. As you work through the batch, pour in more oil if the pan needs it. Serve warm with salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or cilantro lime ranch for dipping.