Buzz
Hardshell tacos have long been criticized as “inauthentic,” a version of the taco created by Glen Bell, a white fast food entrepreneur. (Any idea which famous chain he founded?) Though Glen and Taco Bell played a huge role in making the hardshell taco a U.S. favorite, and sparked many imitators, he didn’t hold the title of 'Inventor of the Hard Shell Taco.'
As Andrew Fiouzi of MEL details in “An Oral History of Hardshell Tacos,” there’s no single ‘inventor’ of the hardshell taco. Gustavo Arellano, author of Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America, explains that tacos dorados—crispy fried tortillas—are what inspired the classic hardshell taco, now a staple at drive-thru windows nationwide:
Tacos dorados are simply a hard-shell taco. That’s what it comes down to. So, there’s no definitive ‘creator’ of the hard-shell taco. While people often search for its origin, it’s really a blend of different cultures building upon what already existed. In fact, when tacos first made their way to the U.S., they were all hard-shell tacos. That’s just how people ate tacos, bringing the tradition from Mexico. The earliest known U.S. recipe for a taco—written in English—was a hard-shell taco, published in the L.A. Times.
You should definitely dive into the full oral history of the hardshell taco at MEL, but here’s the takeaway: The hardshell taco deserves your respect. And that starts with giving it a little warmth.
A cold taco shell equals a fragile taco shell.
Anyone who’s ever made hardshell tacos knows the challenge of packing the filling without causing a break. But here’s a simple trick to make the process smoother: Pre-warming the shells helps the fats inside soften and become more flexible, reducing the chance of cracking while filling (or eating).
Warming the shells also improves their flavor, as warm fats taste better than cold fats and spread across your taste buds more easily. (Think about eating toast topped with cold bacon fat, and then imagine toast fried in bacon fat. Which would you prefer?) Toasting the shells enhances the natural sweetness of the corn, reduces bitterness, and releases those nixtamalized scents into the air. Place your shells in a 200℉ oven for about three minutes until they’re fragrant and toasty. Then fill them as usual (with respect).
