a hearty mix that’s great in tacos and breakfast burritos. For tacos, pair with curtido, a vinegary cabbage slaw, that nicely cuts through the richness. For the best chorizo links, visit a Mexican grocery store with a deli. The links freeze well so it’s worth loading up.
Papas Con Chorizo

potatoes tacos burritos

Oven-roasted potatoes and fried chorizo combine in a skillet and become fast friends

Ingredients

  • 4 chorizo links
  • 4-8 medium Yukon Golden potatoes
  • vegetable oil
  • white vinegar
  • salt

Papas

  1. Set oven to 450°F
  2. Dice into half-inch pieces and put in a pot with water. Agitate with your hand and drain starchy water. Repeat with fresh water until the water runs clear-ish. Cover potatoes with water, add spoonful of salt, and a couple splashes white vinegar
  3. Bring pot to boil, then reduce to medium / gentle boil. Check after 5 minutes, and every couple minutes after, for potatoes to be fork-tender. Strain pasta into colander but do not rinse.
  4. After venting steam for a couple minutes, move to a sheet pan with 1/4 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil, and use hands to get potatoes covered in oil. Move to oven. After 10 minutes, start flipping and swapping middle with outer, every 5 minutes, until potatoes are golden brown. 20-30 minutes total.

Chorizo

Get started while the potatoes are boiling. Goal is to have the chorizo 90% cooked when the potatoes are done in the oven.

  1. Remove chorizo from casings, into a bowl
  2. Set large skillet over high heat, until it passes the water drop test1
  3. Add a couple tbsp vegetable oil and swirl around. Add the chorizo and use metal spatula to mix it around a few times. Lower heat to medium. The fat will render and the chorizo will fry in it, or at least, that’s the idea. Add more oil and mix around if looking dry and starting to burn. Gently mix every few minutes to get even browning
  4. When the chorizo is well-browned and crispy, move to a bowl lined paper towels in a X pattern. Use the paper towels to jostle the chorizo a bit, then slide them out and into green waste / garbage

Papas Con Chorizo

  1. Add chorizo and potatoes to skillet, mixing and frying together for a few minutes. If the potatoes absorb some chorizo grease and turn orange, you’re doing it right. Fry until crispy and taste for salt
  2. Move to a bowl and top with kosher salt or flaky salt

Notes

  1. Water Drop Test => AKA reaching the Leidenfrost point. In general, when searing or sautéing, add your meat or oil after the pan hits this point. You’ll have less issues with food sticking to the pan