Deep-Frying Flautas: A Step-By-Step Guide To Crispy Perfection

Flautas are a tasty Mexican dish that can be made in a deep fryer. They are made by placing seasoned beef or chicken on one edge of a flour tortilla with a sprinkling of grated cheese on top. The tortilla is then rolled into a long tube and deep-fried until golden and crispy.

Flautas are similar to taquitos, but flautas are made with flour tortillas, while taquitos are made with corn tortillas. Flautas are also usually larger than taquitos.

To make flautas in a deep fryer, first prepare the filling. This can be made with seasoned shredded chicken, beef, or vegetables. You can also add cheese, salsa, and sour cream to the filling.

Next, warm the tortillas so that they are pliable and easy to roll. Place a few tablespoons of the filling on each tortilla and roll them up tightly.

Heat oil in a deep fryer to 325-375°F. Carefully place the flautas into the hot oil and fry for 2-4 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.

Remove the flautas from the oil and drain on a paper towel. Serve warm with your favorite toppings and dips, such as shredded lettuce, crema, avocado slices, salsa, or sour cream.

Choosing your filling

Flautas are a versatile dish, and you can fill them with anything from beef to pork, grilled veggies, or shredded chicken. Here are some ideas for choosing your filling:

Chicken

Shredded chicken is a popular choice for flautas and can be seasoned with cumin, chili powder, salt, garlic powder, and paprika. You can also add in some green chiles, lime juice, and cheese for extra flavour. If you're short on time, use a rotisserie chicken or leftover roast chicken.

Beef

If you're using beef, season the mince with salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder, and cumin. You can also add cheese to your beef flautas.

Pork

For a pork filling, try carnitas or salsa verde pork. You can also use shredded pork with the same seasonings as chicken.

Vegetarian Options

For a vegetarian option, you can fill your flautas with grilled veggies such as sweet potatoes, black beans, zucchini, or corn. You can also use refried beans, pinto beans, or chickpeas. Don't forget to season your veggies well!

Selecting the right tortillas

Flour Tortillas:

• Flauta Size: Flautas made with flour tortillas are typically larger and thicker than those made with corn tortillas. They are made by rolling the filling inside a larger tortilla, usually about 7-8 inches in size.
• Taste and Texture: Flour tortillas give flautas a different flavour and texture compared to corn tortillas. They are softer and more pliable, and have a milder taste.
• Availability: Flour tortillas are more commonly used in Northern Mexican cuisine and are widely available in the United States.
• Cooking Method: When using flour tortillas, it is essential to warm them before rolling to prevent cracking. You can dip them in hot oil briefly or warm them in a skillet or microwave.

Corn Tortillas:

• Taste and Texture: Corn tortillas have a more distinct corn flavour and a firmer texture. They are also thinner and crispier when fried.
• Authenticity: Corn tortillas are considered more traditional for making flautas, especially in Mexico. However, some regions in Northern Mexico also use flour tortillas.
• Cooking Method: To prevent cracking and tearing, warm corn tortillas before rolling. You can heat them in a skillet or microwave them wrapped in a damp paper towel.

Ultimately, the choice between flour and corn tortillas depends on your personal preference, the availability of ingredients, and the desired taste and texture of your flautas. Both options can be delicious, so feel free to experiment and see which one you prefer!

Rolling the flautas

Next, add your filling. For chicken flautas, you'll want to use about 3 tablespoons of filling per tortilla, adding it to the bottom third of the tortilla and spreading it out in a line from edge to edge. For beef flautas, you can simply add a thin layer of the beef filling to one edge of the tortilla. Don't overstuff the tortillas—one tablespoon of filling is enough for chicken flautas.

Now you're ready to roll! Tightly roll up the tortilla, starting at the filling side, and secure the end with a toothpick to prevent it from unravelling. Place the rolled tortilla seam-side-down on a plate while you repeat the process with the remaining tortillas.

If you're using flour tortillas, make sure to roll them tightly so that there aren't any open spaces in the flautas. This will prevent oil from leaking into the flautas and bubbling, and will help them fry up more evenly.

Heating the oil

Firstly, you'll need to choose an oil with a high smoking point and a neutral flavour. Oils that are suitable include vegetable oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, and sunflower oil.

Next, heat the oil in your deep fryer to 325°F (163°C). You can use a thermometer to check the temperature. It's important that the oil is hot enough so that the tortillas start cooking right away, but not so hot that it burns the flautas.

Once the oil has reached the right temperature, you can carefully add the flautas. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the deep fryer, which can cause the oil temperature to drop. Use tongs to gently lower each flauta into the hot oil, seam side down. Fry for 3-4 minutes, turning as needed, until the flautas are golden brown and crispy on all sides.

Adjust the heat as needed to maintain the oil temperature and ensure even cooking. If the flautas are browning too quickly, lower the heat slightly.

When the flautas are done, remove them from the oil with tongs and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil. It's important not to stack the flautas, as this will make them lose their crispiness.

Finally, serve the flautas warm with your choice of toppings and dips, such as shredded lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, sour cream, salsa, or guacamole. Enjoy!

Frying the flautas

If you are using a deep fryer, you will need to heat up some oil. Canola or vegetable oil are good options for frying flautas. You will want to heat the oil to around 375°F (190°C).

Once the oil is hot, you can start frying your flautas. Use tongs to carefully place each flauta in the hot oil, holding it until it firms up. Fry each flauta for around 2 minutes, or until it turns golden brown. You will probably be able to cook around 4 flautas at a time, depending on the size of your fryer.

When the flautas are golden brown, remove them from the oil and place them on a paper-towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Sprinkle with a little salt while they are still hot, if desired.

To keep the flautas warm while you finish frying the rest of the batch, place them on a baking sheet in a low oven—around 200°F (93°C).

Frequently asked questions