Crisp Taco Shells Recipes

HARD TACO SHELLS

Steps:

• Heat about 1 inch of oil in a heavy skillet over medium to medium-high heat to 365 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• Use tongs to place one tortilla at a time into the oil. It should start to sizzle right away. Cook for about 15 seconds, then flip over and fold the shell in half, holding in place with the tongs until crispy, about 15 seconds. You may need a little practice at first. Drain on paper towels, and sprinkle with salt while still hot. Use for tacos right away, or they may become chewy. Leftovers may be heated in the oven for crisping.

OVEN BAKED TACO SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spread out the tortillas and microwave until extremely soft and pliable. Depending on your microwave this can take between 1-3 minutes. They should be hot and really pliable when you take them out.
• You can wrap them in a moist paper towel to make them even softer. Immediately wrap in a towel or place in a ziploc bag to keep them warm. Keeping them soft is the key to not having them break in the oven.
• Then carefully spray each tortilla with cooking spray on both sides. Sprinkle with lime juice and seasoning if using. Gently drape over the oven grates, pressing down ever so lightly. I press mine over two grates so that the taco shells stand up nicely and have lots of room to press things in.
• Repeat with remaining shells and then bake for 8-10 minutes until brown and crispy. These can go from perfect to burnt quickly so be sure to keep an eye on them.