CJ’s Taco Bell Chalupas
Ingredients:
- Ribeye
- 2 limes
- Romaine Lettuce
- Tomato
- Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese
- 2 1/4 c. Flour
- 1 tbsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 c. Vegetable Shortening
- 1 c. Milk
- Vegetable Oil (large bottle)
- Aluminum frying tin
- Taco Bell Hot Sauce (sold in the pre made taco shell section)
- Tortilla Press
- Blackstone Taco Rack
Directions:
- Preheat one side of your griddle on high, and in a large cooking tin pan add 1/2 - full bottle of vegetable oil to heat up to 350 degrees.
- While that’s heating up lets make our chalupa bread. In a large mixing bowl add 2 1/4 c. Flour, 1 tbsp Baking powder, 1/4 c. Vegetable Shortening, and 1 c. Milk. Incorporate and knead your ingredients well till you have a tight dough. Shape your dough to a large ball roughly 6-8 inches around and slice into 8 portions. Take each portion and roll into a ball. Once each of your portions are rolled up allow to sit for about 15-20 minutes to activate your baking powder, this allows your shells to be more airy and fluffy.
- Once your dough has had time to rise get a gallon size ziplock bag and cut on both sides from the opening to make a large non stick surface to use for flattening your chalupa bread. You can use this trick or you could use non stick parchment paper as well and simply press each of your chalupa portions flat and set aside. Once your bread is all ready your oil should be nice and hot, with a cooking thermometer be sure to check the oil heat and make sure it’s at 350 degrees to start cooking. With a set of tongs gently slide one of the flattened portions into the oil. This process goes fast so make sure your taco rack is close. Cook on each side 30 - 60 seconds and flip. Now on the flip this is where you need to be active in shaping your chalupa bread. You have to fold it at this step because once you pull them out of the oil it will break in half if you try to fold when it’s done. So fold gently in the oil using your tongs to help create the shell shape. Once it’s done remove from the oil and place on the taco rack upside down to cool and drain. Repeat this process with all your shells.
- Your shells should be done and cooling. Start preheating another zone on your Blackstone to high heat, it’s time to cook the steak. While it’s preheating you can season the ribeye. Pat dry with a paper towel to remove extra moisture, add a little olive oil to both sides of your steak and season generously with kosher salt and course ground black pepper. One the high heat side of your griddle top add a little more olive oil down and place your steak in the oil. Depending on the thickness of your steak and temperature preference on the inside is really up to you on how long you cook your steak. You for sure want a nice crust on the outside, so you’re looking at 2-3 minutes before you flip. Allow the other side to cook as well. When you’re just about ready to pull the steaks off grab a lime, cut it in half and squeeze the lime juice on both sides. This will quickly caramelize adding a sweet and zesty flavor to the meat for your chalupas. That process shouldn’t take more than 60 seconds and then you can pull your steak off to rest for about 4-5 minutes.
- While your steak is resting you can prepare your garnish ingredients. Chop up your romaine lettuce, dice your tomatoes and grate your cheese, or have the cheese ready in a bowl.
- Once your steak has rested, this allows all the juices to properly distribute back in your steak, slice it up to your preference. I like to chop my steak into smaller bites to fit easier in the shell and also easier to take bites of. Once it’s sliced up I add one last drizzle of lime juice to the steak and a dusting of the Blackstone Taco Fajita Seasoning.
- It’s time to assemble the chalupas. In your taco rack flip the chalupa shells back over, fill with steak, lettuce, tomato, cheese and drizzle with Taco Bell Hot Sauce. If you like you can also add sour cream to the top to make it a supreme Steak Chalupa. Top it off with a post dusting of the Blackstone Taco Fajita Seasoning and enjoy!
