It’s wonderful to see more companies and restaurants choosing to fry with beef tallow instead of industrial lubricant (I mean, “seed oils”). However, we all know there are still rows and rows of ultraprocessed foods in the grocery store that get loaded into millions of shopping buggies every day.

One of those products is the frozen taquito - a fried dough filled with ground beef or cheese. This recipe gives you a fully carnivore way to satisfy your craving for deep fried food with nourishing, nutrient-dense ingredients. Remember, just because food is fried doesn’t mean it’s problematic. Frying gluten-laden dough in seed oils will cause a cascade of inflammation and insulin response, whereas frying beef in its natural fat will give your body healthy energy to crush your goals.

I love making these taquitos to bring to work and while they’re best eaten freshly fried, they do reheat pretty well if you want to make them for meal prep.

When it comes to sourcing chicken skins, ask your local butcher to save them for you. I frequently buy mine from BillyDoe Meats, but if you’re unable to find skins sold by themselves, you can purchase skin-on chicken thighs and simply remove the skins.

Ingredients

1 pound (about 10 large individual) chicken skins
16oz ground beef
Salt, garlic, and other seasonings of your choice
Beef tallow for deep frying (I use South Chicago)

Directions

Roll the chicken skins tightly so they don’t come apart in the fryer. Treat them like a burrito, folding the sides in first!

Preheat your deep fryer to 375°F and add tallow according to your manufacturer’s instructions.
Pat the chicken skins dry with a towel.
Cook, season, and drain the ground beef (you can save the drippings for another recipe). Portion the beef onto the chicken skins, about 2 tablespoons per skin.
Roll the chicken skins as shown below, pinching in the sides like a burrito as you roll.
Fry the taquitos at 375°F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Place on paper towel to cool, then enjoy!