# Huevos Rancheros! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 8, 2003, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huevos-rancheros/167253 "2003-04-08T05:47:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huevos-rancheros/167253/1 "2003-04-08T05:47:00Z")
Lets talk about _huevos rancheros_, which shall be referred to herein as huevos rancheros, so as to avoid lots of annoying coding. Is there some “standard” way that huevos rancheros is made, or can it be any eggie dish with a Mexican flair? I make it in a number of different ways, depending on my motivation level and what I happen to have in the fridge. For example, today I made super-lazy huevos rancheros: I took two eggs + two egg whites, beat in a big spoonful of store-brand salsa and some cumin, and used that mixture to make a cheddar omelet. I ate it with more salsa and some tortilla chips. Yum yum! But the thought plagued me: Was it really huevos rancheros that I was eating, or was it just an omelet with some salsa mixed in? Obviously, I know gornisht about Tex-Mex food. So, what’s the deal with huevos rancheros? ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huevos-rancheros/167253/2 "2003-04-08T05:55:08Z")
That is not Huevos rancheros as I know them. Here’s how my mama and I make them: you will need (give or take) (per person) 2 eggs, cooked sunny side up or over easy. 4 corn tortillas warmed up salsa (we make it, but you can use store brought if you prefer) oil Put oil in pan. place tortillas in hot oil. leave in hot oil until ‘translucent’ pat off excess oil. place on plate, place eggs on top. pour salsa on top of that. sprinkle with cheese (if you like it that way. I don’t, but mr babs does). ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huevos-rancheros/167253/3 "2003-04-08T05:57:02Z")
[http://www.batista.org/huevos.html](http://www.batista.org/huevos.html) here is a site I found for it. Also, in Mexico, one typically has refried beans for breakfast,too. ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huevos-rancheros/167253/4 "2003-04-08T06:06:34Z")
(Pit word) you. (Pit word) you all. It’s just after midnight, I have eggs and salsa but that’s it, the nearest Mexican restaurant is at least five hours away and involves crossing an international border, and you have to start this. Well, at least I can still get beer so I can have a hangover tomorrow, which is a part of the huevos rancheros experience as I know and love it. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huevos-rancheros/167253/5 "2003-04-08T10:12:27Z")
I agree with **Babs**. Also agree with **2trew** , although my situation is not nearly as dire. ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huevos-rancheros/167253/6 "2003-04-08T12:38:27Z")
BNB has it right. Tortilla (lightly fried but still soft) + fried eggs + sauce. But here there is a sauce that is made especially for huevos rancheros. The recipe that BNB linked to calls for canned tomatoes, which are seldom found in Mexico, plus fresh are available year round. Eggs scrambled with tomatoes, onions and green chiles are called _huevos a la mexicana_. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huevos-rancheros/167253/7 "2003-04-08T13:03:04Z")
I dunno where you all come from, but in my ex-neck o’ the woods, the defining bit of food that made the difference between eggs-n-salsa and huevos rancheros are BEANS. Ya GOTTA have beans to make it huevos rancheros. 1 slighly fried tortilla topped with beans in a bit of sauce 2-3 fried eggs on top sauce (salsa or green chili or ranchero) cheese That be huevos rancheros. ---
**Author:** ![Yossarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/9de0a6/32.png) [@Yossarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yossarian)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huevos-rancheros/167253/8 "2003-04-08T14:03:56Z")
And if you love huevos (blanquitos) rancheros (which I’ve also seen made by poaching the egg in the salsa and then served as described by **BNB** ), you’ll probably like Enchiladas Montadas. (Fried egg served on top of a small stack of flat red chile chese enchiladas.) ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huevos-rancheros/167253/9 "2003-04-08T15:05:01Z")
Best huevos rancheros I ever had was at a restaurant across Central from UNM in Albuquerque, and rather than salsa they covered the eggs in a layer of deep red chile pequin paste 🙂 Mmmmm! Lessee…slightly corny western-cowboy name… Frontier? That sounds right. Frontier Diner. Around the corner from the Purple something-or-other and the head shop 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huevos-rancheros/167253/10 "2003-04-08T15:06:37Z")
Good job, AHunter. You got it in one. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huevos-rancheros/167253/11 "2003-04-08T15:33:35Z")
Aha! I’m glad I asked. I haven’t been eating huevos rancheros after all. Rather I’ve been eating eggs and salsa, or sometimes _huevos a la mexicana_. I don’t think I’ve ever had real huevos rancheros. I’ll have to try it. This month’s Bon Appetit is devoted to Mexico, so there are some good recipes in there for tortillas and sauce. Would it be an inexcusable corruption to have the eggies scrambled instead of sunny-side-up? Unadulterated egg yolks make me queasy. ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huevos-rancheros/167253/12 "2003-04-08T15:42:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Pantellerite \* > \*\*And if you love huevos (blanquitos) rancheros (which I’ve also seen made by poaching the egg in the salsa and then served as described by **BNB** ), you’ll probably like Enchiladas Montadas. (Fried egg served on top of a small stack of flat red chile chese enchiladas.) \*\* Small nit-pick…since the subject is Mexican food, the word is _blanquillos_. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huevos-rancheros/167253/13 "2003-04-08T15:48:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Green Bean \* > \*\* Would it be an inexcusable corruption to have the eggies scrambled instead of sunny-side-up? Unadulterated egg yolks make me queasy. \*\* Do whatever you want! 🙂 It won’t really be Huevos Rancheros, without fried eggs\* (anymore than you could have, say…Eggs Benedict without poached eggs), but it should still be yummy and you should be able to get the idea. Fenris \*Well, it won’t be. The cooking method of the egg is crucial to Huevos Rancheros, as the yolk is supposedta mix with the salsa making a sauce. Without that, it just ain’t Huevos. Don’t make me start my “Words mean things” lecture. I’m not afraid to use it, you know! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Yossarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/9de0a6/32.png) [@Yossarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yossarian)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huevos-rancheros/167253/14 "2003-04-08T16:03:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CBEscapee \* > \*\*Small nit-pick…since the subject is Mexican food, the word is _blanquillos_. \*\* Gracias! (Although I’d still feel less embarassed by asking for “blanquitos” rather than huevos!) ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huevos-rancheros/167253/15 "2003-04-08T16:20:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CBEscapee \* > \*\* > > The recipe that BNB linked to calls for canned tomatoes, which are seldom found in Mexico, plus fresh are available year round. > > \*\* True. The reason I linked to that site is because I tried to get a recipe that would easily be reproduced by someone not familiar or who has access to Mexican ingredients. I figured it was ‘close enough’. 🙂 Enchiladas Montadas… mmmmmm. ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huevos-rancheros/167253/16 "2003-04-08T16:39:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Pantellerite \* > \*\*Gracias! > > (Although I’d still feel less embarassed by asking for “blanquitos” rather than huevos!) \*\* De nada… There is another egg dish similar to _huevos rancheros_ called _huevos divorciados_. It follows the same tortilla + eggs + sauce routine but you place one egg on one end of the plate, the other egg on the other end. Cover one with green sauce and the other with ranchera sauce and place a serving of beans between them. It is best to use an oval plate. Also _huevos en rabo de mestiza_ are sometimes confused with _rancheros_. The eggs are poached in the sauce which is also tomato based but with strips of grilled poblano chiles and sauteed onions. _Chilaquiles_ are often served _montados_ and _sopa de arroz_ is sometimes served with _un huevo frito_. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huevos-rancheros/167253/17 "2003-04-08T16:48:55Z")
Huevos divorciados? Is that divorced eggs? Hee! I need to learn more about Mexican cooking. I have Rick Bayless’s book, but I’m not inspired by it, for some reason. Maybe I’ll try some things out of that new Bon Appetit. Any cookbook suggestions for a _gringa_? I have plenty of access to ingredients.) ---
**Author:** ![Godfrey\_Daniels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Godfrey\_Daniels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Godfrey_Daniels)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huevos-rancheros/167253/18 "2003-04-08T17:38:30Z")
A little easy egg dish that a friend showed me how to make that is kind of a Mexican thing (her husband is Mexican): fried eggs served on warm corn tortillas topped as follows: heat a tablespoon or so of olive oil in a frying pan on medium to med. high heat - angle the pan so that the oil collects on one side directly over heat. add crushed red pepper, chili powder, cumin, maybe a little garlic powder, and some dried parsley ( I just eyeball the amounts based on past experience) quickly crush everything together, using a wooden spoon or whatever, don’t let anything burn. Pour over eggs for eggy spicy goodness. Serve with frijoles and maybe a couple of roasted anaheims on the side. Cheese or no, your choice. She called this grokamole. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huevos-rancheros/167253/19 "2003-04-08T18:59:25Z")
Eggs and refried beans? Together? I sure hope you’re not working with other people in a confined space. Oh the humanity! ---
**Author:** ![Washte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Washte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washte)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huevos-rancheros/167253/20 "2003-04-08T19:01:52Z")
As taught to me by a Mexican friend: 1 large tomato - chopped roughly 1/2 medium onion - roughly chopped 2 large eggs 2 flour tortillas 1/2 cup frijoles refritos (refried beans) 1/2 cup Spanish rice - leftovers are great Salsa or Tobasco to top Garlic (salt or fresh) optional Heat beans in pan slowly. Add garlic if you want (my preference). Reheat rice. In a large frying pan add 1 TBS oil, tomato and onion. Fry until onion are translucent. Add eggs and _rumble_ them - shake pan and stir all ingredients together. Zap tortillas in the microwave or on a griddle. Top with beans, rice and egg mixture. Top with salsa or tobasco. Fold then Enjoy! 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huevos-rancheros/167253.md?page=2)