Mexican gorditas are served with perfectly seasoned taco meat and lots of taco toppings.
One of the big reasons that I chose The Pastry Queen for this month’s Cookbook of the Month is simply because it has both sweet and savory recipes. Despite what it might look like on my blog, I really only make dessert for the two of us once a week. (This doesn’t count work treats or birthday treats!) So by choosing a dessert only cookbook, that means that that cookbook is the only one I will use for desserts that month. Although that wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing, sometimes I want to use some of my other cookbooks or recipes I have found elsewhere, and waiting for the whole month to be over is torture sometimes. It usually means I end up making an extra dessert, which we really don’t need!! (But we enjoy it nonetheless!)
So when I learned of this cookbook, I thought it would be perfect. And even more perfect when I received my copy and learned that it also had a breakfast section.
I went through the chapter on Lunches and Light Dinners – so many of them sound delicious!! I really wanted to make the Green Chilie Crab Cakes with Tomatillo Salsa, but my grocery store was out of lump crabmeat (and I don’t dare buy it anywhere else around here.) My next choice was Brie and Brisket Quesadillas, but I didn’t have time to make the brisket. I’m going to have to try that one over a weekend. Then I saw the recipe for Ground Beef Gorditas, and knew that it was another that I wanted to try. I have never had a gordita, and the only ones my husband has had were from Taco Bell. (I absolutely refuse to eat Taco Bell. I’m not a fast food snob, but I haven’t had Taco Bell in probably 11 years, and I don’t intend to start any time soon!) So gorditas it was.
I knew it had to happen sooner or later – to have a cookbook of the month recipe that just didn’t work out for me. I have been debating for the last few days whether or not I should even post it, but I’m just keeping it real here! Let me first say that I totally blame myself. This recipe obviously works, because it is served at the author’s restaurant. And I don’t really know what goes into making a cookbook, but I’m pretty sure there are recipe testers in the equation, and if the recipe doesn’t work, the recipe wouldn’t be in the cookbook. But for some reason, my gorditas turned out like concrete disks. The recipe says to slice them in half – there was no way I could get into them, so I cut them in half instead. We each took a couple bites, and that’s about as far as we could go. We couldn’t even bite into them without effort or without worrying that we would chip a tooth.
But there is definitely good that came out of this recipe. The beef filling is fantastic!! I’m not sure if it is the mix of spices, or if it’s the addition of the tomato sauce, but this filling would be perfect for tacos – in fact, this will probably be my go-to recipe for taco meat now. We actually ended up taking the meat from the gorditas and putting it in tortillas and eating that for dinner. It started out as a disaster, but ended up as a delicious dinner!
So now I ask you – if you have made gorditas before, what did I do wrong? I would love to learn from my mistake, but I just can’t figure it out.
I’m giving you the recipe – but prepare the gorditas at your own risk!! But the beef mixture – definitely try it!
Ground Beef Gorditas
Ingredients
Gordita Dough
- 4 cups corn masa mix or 12 ounces fresh masa dough
- 1 teaspoon salt f necessary
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- Safflower oil for frying
Beef Filling
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce like Tobasco
- 1 8- oz can plain tomato sauce
For Assembling
- 1/2 head iceberg lettuce shredded
- 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup queso fresco crumbled or grated Monterey Jack
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
For the Dough:
- If using the mix, mix in a large bowl according to the package instructions. Beat the masa, butter and salt in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment until it forms a ball. If using fresh dough, just add the butter and mix until a ball is formed. Using your hands, shape the dough into 8 discs, roughly 4 inches across and 1/2 inch thick. Grease a large skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. Cook the gorditas until lightly browned on each side, about 5 to 10 minutes on each side.
- Fill a large skillet with enough oil to come about 1/2 inch up the sides. Heat over medium heat until hot enough that the oil bubbles when a small ball of dough is dropped in. Lower the gorditas into the hot oil – the oil should start bubbling. Fry the gorditas for about 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
For the Beef Filling:
- Saute the beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the meat is brown – 8 to 10 minutes. Drain off the fat. Add the garlic, salt, cumin, pepper, hot pepper sauce, and tomato sauce. Cook for 5 minutes.
To assemble.
- Split gorditas in half and set them on individual plates. Spoon the beef mixture over the bottom halves. Sprinkle with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream. Lean the top half of the gordita at an angle on top of the beef mixture and serve.
Linda says
Hello, I have been obsessed with gorditas for a year or so. Have found u don’t need banking powder at all. Follow instructions on masa bag then form 1/8 inch thick. Cook on griddle only a minute or two. Then fry on med high spooning grease over them. The secret is to not dry out the dough and spooning grease over makes them puff because the two sides cook at different temps yet both sides are set to trap moisture- thus the puff. Really pretty easy. Oh yes, also let dough
Rest 15-30 min. Covered. Hope this helps someone. They are delicious and fun to make. I cook on griddle, cool, refrigerated, and fry up to three days latter and get a puff. Good luck.
Deborah says
Thank you! I have been wanting to try my hand at these again and I will definitely use your tips!
Deb says
I have made them in the past, years ago. I would take a ball and pat it to a circle form, dry fry it on both sides a few minutes on each side..
drop in into a deep fry and when it came to the top remove it.. usually both sides were done, drain it and split it open to fill. The best ones are in San Antonio in the Market Place, they are divine!
There use to be a recipe for the dough on the side of the White Wing Flour bag~~ to tell you the truth I don’t remember making them with butter. That might be the issue.
will send you the recipe if I come across it.
Love your blogs !
TOMO says
Mmmmmm, Gorditas, I LOVE them! I was lucky to eat my fill of these while Living in Las Cruces NM. I too have attempted to make my own, but have to failed miserably! I truly believe I need to be a Hispanic 70 to 80 year old abula (Grandmother)who can create this wonderful dish in her sleep, with hands of old that can roll , flatten and dip in oil this elusive fried dough that brings added flavor to the Gordita! This must be the key!, I never see anyone else in the back kitchen frying up this delicious food., But Seriously, I think the Key to the Dough, is LARD! Just like good flour tortillas as well as Tamales, its what gives them that great taste!
Keep Trying!
Cara says
I’m so glad you tried this recipe, even though it didn’t work out for you. I’ve had my eye on this recipe for a while, and even bought all the ingredients…but I think making the masa dough intimidated me a little, so I haven’t tried it yet. I may have to try it with some of the dough recipes posted in the other comments!
Katie says
These look really good! I’m suprised they didn’t work out, but it looks yummy nonetheless!
Elle says
Everyone is talking about this cookbook…gotta check it out!
I’ve awarded your blog and “E for Excellent”. Go to my Feeding My Enthusiasms site at http://feedingmyenthusiasm.blogspot.com to see the post. You were an easy choice with such a great blog.
Veron says
The ground beef filling looks delicious. There is always that recipe that does not work and really should be tested better.
Mary says
I tagged you for the 6 word meme! (Please don’t be annoyed!)
KJ says
That’s a shame Deborah. I guess mistakes happen – ingredients get left out, wrong amounts included etc. Who knows?
Kristen says
Yummmy! I’m sorry it didn’t turn out, but it sure looks delicious 🙂
Bellini Valli says
If you know Ben of Whats Cooking-US he will have a recipe for gorditas that is fail proof I am sure. His family owned a Mexican restaurant. I tried to make sopas and they were a bomb..but we will persevere:D
Kevin says
It is too bad they didn’t work out. They sound good. So do the other recipes in that book. Now I am going to have to look for a gordita recipe to try.
Lore says
At least you now have a new favourite mixture for tacos. Will have to remember that mixture for the next tacos dinner!
Katie says
Hi Deborah
I have tagged you for a Six Word Memoir.
Please go to my blog for info
http://appleandspice.blogspot.com/2008/04/award-and-six-word-memoir.html
Thanks 🙂
Ellie @ Kitchen Wench says
No idea what a gordita is but sorry to hear it didn’t work out 🙁 But at least the beef filling was lovely – and to be honest, it’s what really grabbed my eye in the photos 😀 So in lieu of the gorditas, what would you suggest serving the beef with (that isn’t tacos as I’m not a huge fan)?