San Diego–Style Shredded Beef Tacos

SHREDDED BEEF STOVETOP METHOD

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1. In a heavy-bottomed pot, place the beef and onion and add enough water to fully cover the meat. Add the salt and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
2. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the beef is very tender and easily pulls apart, about 90–120 minutes.
3. Transfer the beef to a large bowl and shred with two forks. Stir in ½ cup of the cooking liquid to keep the meat moist. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

SHREDDED BEEF INSTANT POT METHOD

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1. Add 2 cups water to the Instant Pot, place the beef and onion inside, and season with salt. Secure the lid and cook on High Pressure for 50 minutes, then allow a full natural release.
2. When finished, the beef should be fork-tender and easily shred. If needed, cook for an additional 30 minutes.
3. Shred the beef as directed in the stovetop method.

PAN-FRIED TACOS

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1. Add the lard to a heavy-bottomed skillet such as cast iron and heat to 350°F.
2. Put a cooling rack on a baking sheet and set aside.
3. One at a time, place each tortilla into the hot lard for ten seconds until puffed up. Immediately fold it in half and let fry for about 45 seconds on each side until golden brown. The key here is making sure the tortilla stays submerged in the lard with either tongs or a kitchen utensil for uniform texture.
4. When both sides are puffy and crunchy, remove the tortilla from the lard and onto the rack to cool. Allow excess fat to drip into the pan below.
5. Assemble your tacos with the warm shredded beef, romaine lettuce, cotija cheese, and Salsa roja. Serve warm.

OVEN-BAKED TAQUITOS

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1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
2. In a skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of lard. The tortillas should sizzle as soon as they hit the pan — if they don’t, let the pan heat a bit more. Working in batches, heat each tortilla on one side only for about 10 seconds, just until soft and pliable.
3. Transfer the warmed tortillas directly into a stack on a plate. The residual heat and fat will continue to soften them as they rest. Repeat until all tortillas are warmed. After every second tortilla, add another teaspoon of lard to maintain a shallow slick in the pan.
4. Working from the top of the stack one at a time, place about 2 tablespoons of shredded beef down the center of each tortilla and roll tightly. Arrange taquitos seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about a half inch between each one.
5. Bake for 20 minutes. Rotate the pan and use tongs to flip the taquitos onto their other side. Continue baking for 10 minutes more, until deeply golden and very crisp.
6. Serve warm, topped with shredded lettuce, cotija, and salsa roja.