Shredded Beef Chalupas

Do you remember when Taco Bell added chalupas to their menu? The usual taco fillings were placed in a fried tortilla – it doesn’t get much better than that. With my first taste, the chalupa became my Taco Bell favorite. Imagine my delight when I found this recipe for chalupas in the June 2001 issue of Pillsbury Classic Cookbooks. Now I make chalupas in the comfort of my own home!

These were quite easy to make, up until the frying of the tortillas. I found this part to be very tricky and I ended up burning them, so please be careful. The oil can get too hot and the tortillas can burn very quickly. Next time I’ll cook them in oil over medium heat and I’ll be sure to keep checking underneath to make sure they aren’t blackening.

Even though the tortillas got burnt, we still gave these chalupas a five-star rating. They were simply scrumptious! And the sauces that came in the gordita kit –- a zesty ranch and a red sauce -- were really good, too. My husband didn’t have a favorite, but I loved the ranch sauce the best. It just tasted so good with the lettuce and tomatoes. We will definitely be having this meal again and soon! I highly recommend this recipe, especially if you’re a lover of Taco Bell’s chalupas.

I served Spanish rice as the sole accompaniment to round out the meal. Let me know how your family enjoys the chalupas!

Have a good week and good eating!
Allison

Shredded Beef Chalupas

Makes 8 chalupas

Ingredients: 1 (1-1/2 lb.) boneless beef chuck roast
1 (23.3-oz.) pkg. Old El Paso® Gordita Dinner Kit
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 medium onion, halved, thinly sliced
2 fresh jalapeno chilies, seeded and chopped
½ cup water
2 Tbsp. oil
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 cups shredded lettuce
½ cup chopped red onion
4 oz. (1 cup) shredded Cheddar cheese

Preparation:
Heat oven to 325°F. Place beef roast in shallow glass baking dish or roasting pan. In a small bowl, combine seasoning mix from gordita kit and brown sugar; mix well. Coat beef with mixture. Sprinkle with sliced onion and chopped jalapenos. Add water to baking dish. Cover with foil. Bake at 325°F for 2-1/2 hours or until beef is very tender. With a slotted spoon, remove beef, onion and jalapeno from baking dish; reserve liquid. With 2 forks, shred beef by pulling apart along grain; place in a medium bowl. Add about ¼ cup cooking liquid; mix well. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until serving time.* To serve, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Cook each tortilla from the gordita kit in oil for about 1 minute or until golden brown; turn tortilla and cook an additional minute until puffed. Fold tortilla in half, pressing ends lightly with back of wooden spoon to form “boat” shape. Remove from skillet; drain on paper towel. If necessary, reheat beef in saucepan over low heat. Spoon beef mixture into each chalupa. Top with tomatoes, lettuce, chopped onion and cheese. Serve with sauces from the gordita kit.

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