# Hard or Soft Shells are equally valid for Tacos, Fuck your "Only soft shells are Authentic" bullshit **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 26, 2022, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-or-soft-shells-are-equally-valid-for-tacos-fuck-your-only-soft-shells-are-authentic-bullshit/972249 "2022-09-26T10:49:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2022, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-or-soft-shells-are-equally-valid-for-tacos-fuck-your-only-soft-shells-are-authentic-bullshit/972249/81 "2022-09-26T20:48:40Z")
In 1968, when I was 12, I went to Mexico with my mom and dad. We drove from Los Angeles down to Mazatlan, which is on the mainland across from the tip of Baja California. My dad’s friend, a former co-worker, lived there and gave us a tour of the area. This guy was Mexican, not American, and he took us to his favorite authentic local place for lunch. The place served crunchy tacos, which were folded-over corn tortillas stuffed with shredded beef and then fried until crisp. There was nothing else inside the tortillas except meat. So I know that crunchy corn tortilla tacos were a thing in Mexico in 1968. I didn’t like them, BTW. I was a picky eater when I was 12, and the tacos done that way were very unfamiliar to me. Now, of course, I’d gobble them up. I even remember the name of the place: El Palomino. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2022, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-or-soft-shells-are-equally-valid-for-tacos-fuck-your-only-soft-shells-are-authentic-bullshit/972249/82 "2022-09-26T20:50:39Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I don’t understand the point of tacos. The fillings, sure - they can be great. But the tacos themselves? Best as I can tell, they’re just poorly designed pitas. For stuffed corn pockets, you’d be looking more at something like a gordita or an arepa. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2022, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-or-soft-shells-are-equally-valid-for-tacos-fuck-your-only-soft-shells-are-authentic-bullshit/972249/83 "2022-09-26T20:54:56Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > For stuffed corn pockets, you’d be looking more at something like a gordita or an arepa. Pockets aside, the problem with all taco variation is that they’re either gluten-free (if they’re made of corn) or low-gluten (flour), which means that they have little to no stretch. That makes them, IMHO, very inefficient for wrapping things. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2022, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-or-soft-shells-are-equally-valid-for-tacos-fuck-your-only-soft-shells-are-authentic-bullshit/972249/84 "2022-09-26T21:01:33Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > I already put up my preferences, but figured I’d also mention (for those with a Netflix sub) _Taco Chronicles_ which goes over a section of the huge variation on the theme found in the Mexican states. Spanish with English subtitles if that’s an issue for any watchers. Episode 10 is about hard shell tacos and is titled _American Tacos_. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2022, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-or-soft-shells-are-equally-valid-for-tacos-fuck-your-only-soft-shells-are-authentic-bullshit/972249/85 "2022-09-26T21:02:31Z")
Shush. Don’t spoil it for them. 🙂 But seriously, give it a watch. American taco variants of all sorts are barely scraping the surface of what is out there. Not that I’d probably want to eat _all_ of the options, but I’d certainly give almost all of them an honest try. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2022, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-or-soft-shells-are-equally-valid-for-tacos-fuck-your-only-soft-shells-are-authentic-bullshit/972249/86 "2022-09-26T21:31:08Z")
As much as I love pitas, I find the lightness of the taco starch (whether corn or flour) more to my liking, and the meat-to-starch ratio more enjoyable. Plus I like the smaller size, as well, so I can have two or three different tacos at one sitting (or more if they’re the even smaller tortillas about 4" in diameter.) They do tend to be messier to eat, though. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2022, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-or-soft-shells-are-equally-valid-for-tacos-fuck-your-only-soft-shells-are-authentic-bullshit/972249/87 "2022-09-26T21:42:19Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Screw authenticity. Is it good? That’s what counts. Can’t argue with that. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2022, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-or-soft-shells-are-equally-valid-for-tacos-fuck-your-only-soft-shells-are-authentic-bullshit/972249/88 "2022-09-26T22:01:54Z")
But it’s true that a pita actually works to hold the fillings. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2022, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-or-soft-shells-are-equally-valid-for-tacos-fuck-your-only-soft-shells-are-authentic-bullshit/972249/89 "2022-09-26T22:02:21Z")
Yes. That’s what I was getting at that tacos are messier to eat. ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2022, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-or-soft-shells-are-equally-valid-for-tacos-fuck-your-only-soft-shells-are-authentic-bullshit/972249/90 "2022-09-26T22:21:02Z")
A well made tortilla is quite pliable and holds it’s filling without much trouble. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2022, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-or-soft-shells-are-equally-valid-for-tacos-fuck-your-only-soft-shells-are-authentic-bullshit/972249/91 "2022-09-26T23:26:47Z")
Especially if you don’t overfill it. A good taco should just be two or three bites. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-or-soft-shells-are-equally-valid-for-tacos-fuck-your-only-soft-shells-are-authentic-bullshit/972249/92 "2022-09-27T00:07:22Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > But the only reason we think of Tex-Mex (and related Southwestern cuisines) as “Americanized” is because of a tendency to whitewash the history of the American Southwest, which has always been Hispanic. It’s not and never has been an attempt to adapt what “real” Mexicans eat for Americans, the way Chinese restaurants adapted Chinese food. The Southwest has always had an Hispanic food tradition. Yes, its different than various cuisines of Mexico, which also vary from each other, but it’s not less authentically itself. I’ve still got about 60 posts to read, but this is pretty much my angle on the situation. The border moved on the Mexican population of Texas, and they kept making food. No reason to hold it against them. And to those who think a crunchy shell has to fall apart: My mom liked to fry them to the prefect ratio. The edges were crispy, and the center was still a little bit flexible. She would fry a few totally crispy for us kids, but as I grew older, I learned the shells the adults grabbed were the really good ones. She also had a damn nice spiced ground beef/pseudo picadillo mixture. Mmmm, mom tacos with orange cheese, tomatoes, onions and iceberg lettuce. I probably won’t ask to make them this weekend, but they’re on the menu soon. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-or-soft-shells-are-equally-valid-for-tacos-fuck-your-only-soft-shells-are-authentic-bullshit/972249/93 "2022-09-27T00:10:34Z")
For those of you who want an AMERICAN taco, I give you [Jimboys!](https://jimboystacos.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-or-soft-shells-are-equally-valid-for-tacos-fuck-your-only-soft-shells-are-authentic-bullshit/972249/94 "2022-09-27T00:17:41Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I will agree insofar as by “hard shell” you mean a corn tortilla stuffed with meat, folded and deep-fried until crispy I don’t understand how “everyone” in this thread seems to think that hard-shelled taco = Taco Bell-style compressed corn sweepings. There’s a wide variety in shell styles and even degrees of hardness (should we put them on the Moh’s scale?). I tend to pan-fry tacos when making them at home. They are crispy, but not hard. Not that it matters, but there is a local and fairly authentic taqueria that has a birria beef taco platter done this way. Both corn and flour tortillas are great, for different reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-or-soft-shells-are-equally-valid-for-tacos-fuck-your-only-soft-shells-are-authentic-bullshit/972249/95 "2022-09-27T00:21:40Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > For those of you who want an AMERICAN taco, I give you [Jimboys!](https://jimboystacos.com/). One wouldn’t think that dusting the taco shell with Parmesan cheese would really work, and yet they’re still pretty good. No locations near me, sadly, but I often get them when visiting the parents. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-or-soft-shells-are-equally-valid-for-tacos-fuck-your-only-soft-shells-are-authentic-bullshit/972249/96 "2022-09-27T01:08:22Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > I don’t understand how “everyone” in this thread seems to think that hard-shelled taco = Taco Bell-style compressed corn sweepings. Because that’s what it is popularly referred to as a “hard-shlled taco” in American parlance. If someone told me about a hard-shelled taco they had, I would assume pre-formed taco shells a la Taco Bell or Ortega or Old El Paso–like the ones everybody seemed to have at “taco parties” in the 80s. People don’t usually talk about, say, tacos dorados as “hard-shelled tacos.” At least in my experience. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-or-soft-shells-are-equally-valid-for-tacos-fuck-your-only-soft-shells-are-authentic-bullshit/972249/97 "2022-09-27T01:08:58Z")
In honor (dishonor?) of this thread, I have just made tacos for dinner. Not authentic, but still tasty. Chicken breast marinated in homemade salsa (all garden ingredients, the last from MiL garden) - cilantro, roasted anaheim chiles (garden), minced shallots (also also garden), lime wedges (store), on skillet warmed 4" flat corn tortillas (store) and served with grated jack cheese. The cheese is a lacking store brand, but I had it in the house, and at least it’s not pre-grated. I raise a taco to you! Very, very carefully that is. 😆 ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-or-soft-shells-are-equally-valid-for-tacos-fuck-your-only-soft-shells-are-authentic-bullshit/972249/98 "2022-09-27T01:14:22Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Because that’s what it is popularly referred to as a “hard-shlled taco” in American parlance. I guess I have a different experience. Every Mexican restaurant I’ve been to offers tacos in hard-shell and soft-shell varieties. Soft is the default. Hard is most certainly not the pre-formed shells, though. From the menu of the taqueria closest to me: [![](https://i.imgur.com/AW4xy9v.png) ](https://i.imgur.com/AW4xy9v.png) At any rate, maybe my experience is different, being in California. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-or-soft-shells-are-equally-valid-for-tacos-fuck-your-only-soft-shells-are-authentic-bullshit/972249/99 "2022-09-27T01:15:39Z")
Huh. The Chicago Mexicans don’t do that. They may have some tacos dorados on the menu (quesobirria seems to be the trend the last couple years, and those are fried), but a hard shell is not a choice that I’ve ever seen here. Here’s what you may see on a menu: [![](https://10619-2.s.cdn12.com/m8/Restaurant-Las-Picosas-menu.jpg) ](https://10619-2.s.cdn12.com/m8/Restaurant-Las-Picosas-menu.jpg) Though, you’re right, in that it is described as “hard shell tacos” in the translation. I don’t usually see that translation (more like “fried tacos”) but “tacos dorados” is what I generally hear people call them. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-or-soft-shells-are-equally-valid-for-tacos-fuck-your-only-soft-shells-are-authentic-bullshit/972249/100 "2022-09-27T01:28:47Z")
There will be specialty plates too, which might be done in a certain way–I haven’t heard of tacos dorados, but the pan-fried birria beef style is common. Regardless, if there’s an a la carte menu, you can almost always get hard-shell tacos, typically deep fried, in about 6-12 choices of meat. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-or-soft-shells-are-equally-valid-for-tacos-fuck-your-only-soft-shells-are-authentic-bullshit/972249.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-or-soft-shells-are-equally-valid-for-tacos-fuck-your-only-soft-shells-are-authentic-bullshit/972249.md?page=6)