Why can't food establishments get nachos right?

[Nathanial Essex]

One of my favourite snacks are nachos, especially when you get those deep friend and puffy tortillas which taste so amazing. Thing is though, you don't need fancy deep fried tortillas to make a good, in fact decent, nacho meal. Almost every where I go though simply gets it fundamentally wrong. How they are supposed to be done is you have a single layer of tortillas, then you put on cheese, another single layer, more cheese, another single layer, more cheese then finish of with your dips, meat stew etc. What I get in pretty much every where I go is a bunch of tortillas tossed carelessly into a dish, a sprinkle of cheese and then the condiments. Yes, the first layer is bearable but after that you are just left with tortillas; no cheese, dip nutin. Where are the damn layers?

As a 5 year old I could be doing a better job. Just how much effort does it take to do it properly?

 

[Truck_1_0_1_]

Hmm...

I'm making nachos for dinner tonight.

- 1 layer of yellow corn tortilla chips (the only way to go). Not crisps for you Brits, but corn chips. Just salted.
- 1 layer of a good amount of yellow cheddar cheese (white doesn't melt properly), which I magic bullet 'til it's all pulverized and then melt it in the microwave, with a tiny bit (literally, a tablespoon or two) of milk put it as well. It comes out silky-smooth and pour that over the chips.
- 1 layer of minced striploin or blade steak (tonight, I'm using blade), 120-150 g a person. I pan-cook/saute/whatever it, with a ton of spices and some liquids.
- 1 layer of tomatoes. Just cut them up into small squares, more of a chop and less of a mince.

Homemade Guac on the side and sour cream as well.

I wouldn't touch a deep-fried flour tortilla, unless on occasion; with that many layers, each bite is literally like 150 calories lol

 

[mjqjazzbar]

Location: London

I think that might be your problem...

 

[Truck_1_0_1_]

Here's how mine came out:



As you can see top-left, there was the guac and it's not in the pic, but Sour Cream as well.

They were BEYOND awesome.

 

[Nathanial Essex]

Hmm...

I'm making nachos for dinner tonight.

- 1 layer of yellow corn tortilla chips (the only way to go). Not crisps for you Brits, but corn chips. Just salted.
- 1 layer of a good amount of yellow cheddar cheese (white doesn't melt properly), which I magic bullet 'til it's all pulverized and then melt it in the microwave, with a tiny bit (literally, a tablespoon or two) of milk put it as well. It comes out silky-smooth and pour that over the chips.
- 1 layer of minced striploin or blade steak (tonight, I'm using blade), 120-150 g a person. I pan-cook/saute/whatever it, with a ton of spices and some liquids.
- 1 layer of tomatoes. Just cut them up into small squares, more of a chop and less of a mince.

Homemade Guac on the side and sour cream as well.

I wouldn't touch a deep-fried flour tortilla, unless on occasion; with that many layers, each bite is literally like 150 calories lol

Sounds amazing

 

[Nathanial Essex]

Here's how mine came out:

View attachment 7312

As you can see top-left, there was the guac and it's not in the pic, but Sour Cream as well.

They were BEYOND awesome.

I've always grated my cheese. Never thought of putting them in a blender. I think next time I'm going to use mozzarella and make a separate cheese sauce.

So, layer of tortilla, mozzarella another layer of tortillas, cheese sauce, minced meat and topped with grated cheese.

 

[Truck_1_0_1_]

Most people grate, but then it only partially melts and just... sits there lol.

If you grate and melt the same way, it doesn't come out properly either, thus with the grinding/pureeing, it melts wonderfully and the little bit of milk keeps it a liquid a bit longer, 'cause once it dries, it dries QUICKLY.

It literally looks and pours out like a cheese sauce (think the nacho cheese you get at movie theaters and sports events, though not sure if it's the same in the UK as here in NA), but it's REAL CHEESE!