Tacos Envenenados con Bistec

Tacos envenenados con bistec are deep-fried Mexican street tacos from Zacatecas filled with mashed beans, chorizo, potatoes, and steak, sometimes with cheese.

This Tacos envenenados con bistec recipe is a variation of our tacos envenenados recipe.

It uses blended beans, Mexican chorizo, charred chiles, and melty cheese for a dense filling, while the steak is cooked separately and added after frying for a soft interior and crispy exterior.

Ingredients You'll Need

Note: Full ingredients and amounts are listed in the recipe card below.

• Cooked Pinto beans: You can use homemade or canned; if using canned, add ¼ cup water.
• Mexican Chorizo: Adds fat to keep the filling rich and flavorful. It can be substituted with or longaniza.
• Boiling Potatoes: Add starch to help the mixture bind and to ensure a clean fry.
• Guajillo chiles: Add depth to the filling, providing mild heat and color.
• Serrano chiles: Add sharp heat to keep the flavor balanced.
• Corn tortillas: Provide structure to keep the tacos from falling apart when fried.
• Best Beef Cuts: Chuck, chuck eye, or sirloin tip (if yours are thicker, just extend the cooking time).
• Cheese: Adds melt so the tacos seal and stay moist, such as Chihuahua, asadero, or mozzarella.

How to Make Tacos Envenenados con Bistec

Note: Full instructions are provided in the recipe card below.

1. In a medium bowl, add the steak, season with salt and pepper, and let rest while preparing the other ingredients.
2. Place the prepared guajillo chiles in a medium saucepan and cover with water.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the chiles are soft and tender. Remove from the heat and let soak while preparing the other ingredients.
4. Place the potatoes and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan and add cold water to cover by 1 inch.
5. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring once or twice, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, transfer to a medium bowl, and set aside.
6. In a blender, add the beans with some broth and blend until smooth. Set aside.
7. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until hot. Add the onion and garlic and stir-fry until lightly golden, about 3 minutes.
8. Add the halved and whole serrano chiles and stir-fry, turning them so they blister and char slightly on all sides.
9. When the onion and garlic are lightly browned, and the chiles are well charred, remove everything and place it in the blender with the hydrated guajillo chiles and ¼ cup of their soaking water. Blend until smooth, strain, and set aside.
10. In the same skillet over medium-high heat, cook the chorizo, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until well browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Lower to medium heat. Add the cooked potatoes and mash lightly.
11. Add the blended beans and the strained sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed. Cook, stirring, over medium-low heat until thick, about 12 minutes.
12. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside. Wash the skillet and wipe it dry with paper towels.
13. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Sear the beef with the garlic, stirring occasionally.
14. Add water to create steam. Cover and cook until the liquid evaporates.
15. Once the liquid evaporates, add the onion and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside. Wash the skillet and wipe it dry with paper towels.
16. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
17. To assemble, warm the tortillas. Line a sheet pan with paper towels and set aside. Place the filling in the center, add a piece of cheese, and fold.
18. Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil in the clean skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Arrange 2 tacos in the skillet with the open sides facing away from you.
19. Cook, adjusting the heat so the oil actively sizzles and bubbles appear around the edges of the tacos, until crispy and deeply browned on one side, about 2 to 3 minutes.
20. Using tongs and a thin spatula, carefully flip the tacos and cook until deeply browned on the second side, 2 to 3 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary.
21. Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the tacos to the prepared wire rack. Blot the tops of the tacos with a double layer of paper towels.
22. Place the sheet with the fried tacos in the oven to keep warm. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and cook the remaining tacos.
23. Serve immediately with meat stuffed into each taco and with the chiles toreados.

Hint: Cook the filling until it thickens so it doesn't leak out of the tacos when frying.

Storage, Make Ahead, & Freezing

Storage: Keep cooked filling refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Make Ahead: Prepare the filling up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate.
Freezing: Not recommended.

Camila's Tips & Variations

• Tacos envenenados can be made three ways: Filling only, filling with cheese, or filling with cheese and steak. Check out our Traditional Tacos Envenenados recipe here.
• Use warm tortillas: Heat them first so they are flexible and do not break when folding.
• Do not overfill: Use a thick filling so it does not come out when frying.
• Serve with: Chiles toreados, lime, and Salsa taquera.
• Cut the meat into small pieces: Dice the steak so it mixes well with the taco filling.
• Let the filling cool: it thickens more as it cools and seals better when frying.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Recipe

Tacos Envenenados con Bistec

by Camila Benitez

This Tacos envenenados con bistec recipe uses blended beans, Mexican chorizo, charred chiles, and melty cheese to create a dense filling that holds when fried, while the steak is cooked separately and added after frying for a soft interior and crispy exterior.

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 16

Calories 256 kcal

Equipment

• Large skillet
• medium saucepan
• Blender
• Wooden Spoon
• Tongs
• Spatula
• Wire rack
• Sheet pan
• Paper Towels

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the Filling

• ▢ 150 g Chorizo or longaniza
• ▢ 2 cups Cooked beans (pinto beans), with some of their broth
• ▢ 2 small (about 350g) boiling potatoes , peeled and cut into cubes
• ▢ 1 medium yellow onion , halved and sliced
• ▢ 1 large large garlic clove
• ▢ 2 serrano chiles , halved
• ▢ 3 guajillo chiles , seeded and cleaned
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt , to taste
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil or canola

For the Tacos

• ▢ 16 Corn tortillas , or as needed
• ▢ Chihuahua, asadero, or mozzarella (for filling), or as needed

For the Steak

• ▢ ½ kg (1.1 lb )  boneless chuck, chuck eye or sirloin tip  , cut into small pieces.
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
• ▢ 1 small yellow onion , chopped
• ▢ ⅓ cup water
• ▢ 5 tablespoons olive oil or canola , divided

To Serve

• ▢ 4 serrano chiles, cut an incision in the serrano chiles so they don't burst while frying to Charred (Toreado )
• ▢ Lime wedges

Instructions

 

• In a medium bowl, add the steak, season with salt and pepper, and let rest while preparing the other ingredients.
• Place the prepared guajillo chiles in a medium saucepan and cover with water.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the chiles are soft and tender. Remove from the heat and let soak while preparing the other ingredients.
• Place the potatoes and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan and add cold water to cover by 1 inch.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring once or twice, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, transfer to a medium bowl, and set aside.
• In a blender, add the beans with some broth and blend until smooth. Set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until hot. Add the onion and garlic and stir-fry until lightly golden, about 3 minutes.
• Add the halved and whole serrano chiles and stir-fry, turning them so they blister and char slightly on all sides.
• When the onion and garlic are lightly browned, and the chiles are well charred, remove everything and place it in the blender with the hydrated guajillo chiles and ¼ cup of their soaking water. Blend until smooth, strain, and set aside.
• In the same skillet over medium-high heat, cook the chorizo, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until well browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Lower to medium heat. Add the cooked potatoes and mash lightly.
• Add the blended beans and the strained sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed. Cook, stirring, over medium-low heat until thick, about 12 minutes.
• Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside. Wash the skillet and wipe it dry with paper towels.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Sear the beef with the garlic, stirring occasionally. Add water to create steam. Cover and cook until the liquid evaporates.
• Once the liquid evaporates, add the onion and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside. Wash the skillet and wipe it dry with paper towels.
• Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
• To assemble, warm the tortillas. Line a sheet pan with paper towels and set aside. Place the filling in the center, add a piece of cheese, and fold.
• Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil in the clean skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Arrange 2 tacos in the skillet with the open sides facing away from you.
• Cook, adjusting the heat so the oil actively sizzles and bubbles appear around the edges of the tacos, until crispy and deeply browned on one side, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Using tongs and a thin spatula, carefully flip the tacos and cook until deeply browned on the second side, 2 to 3 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary.
• Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the tacos to the prepared wire rack. Blot the tops of the tacos with a double layer of paper towels.
• Place the sheet with the fried tacos in the oven to keep warm. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and cook the remaining tacos. Serve immediately with meat stuffed into each taco and with the chiles toreados.

Notes

Storage: Keep cooked filling refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Make Ahead: Prepare the filling up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate.

Freezing: Not recommended.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Tacos Envenenados con Bistec

Amount per Serving

Calories

256

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

15

g

23

%

Saturated Fat

 

4

g

25

%

Trans Fat

 

0.4

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

7

g

Cholesterol

 

29

mg

10

%

Sodium

 

182

mg

8

%

Potassium

 

327

mg

9

%

Carbohydrates

 

22

g

7

%

Fiber

 

5

g

21

%

Sugar

 

2

g

2

%

Protein

 

10

g

20

%

Vitamin A

 

250

IU

5

%

Vitamin C

 

8

mg

10

%

Calcium

 

42

mg

4

%

Iron

 

2

mg

11

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is an estimate, calculated using standard data sources. Actual values may vary based on ingredient brands, preparation methods, and portion sizes. This information is for general reference only and should not be considered a substitute for professional dietary advice.