BBQ Elk Taquitos

After smoking a full elk shoulder a few days ago, I found myself with quite a bit of meat left over after a meal or two. The solution? Taquitos, the taco you can eat like a snack stick. You don’t have to use elk for these; any slow-cooked game meat works well. Venison is perfect. I’ve even made versions with squirrel and pheasant in the past.

Serve the taquitos with salsa and sour cream for dipping.

You don’t need a ton of ingredients for this one, and you can get most of what you need even at a small grocery. I’ve used both flour and corn tortillas in the past.

You don’t need a lot of special ingredients for this recipe.

Flour is easier to roll, but to me, corn gives a more authentic taco flavor and the extra crunch is nice. A handy tip for rolling the corn tortillas without cracking them is to first put them into a sealed, zip-style plastic bag along with a damp paper towel, then microwave for a minute or two to soften. You can also warm the tortillas one at a time in a skillet just before rolling.

To build, simply add a spoonful of meat in a row just off center of the tortilla.

Layer the ingredients down the center of the tortilla before rolling.

Add some refried beans, then some diced roasted green chile peppers and shredded cheese. Sprinkle on some of your favorite taco seasoning. Next, roll the tortilla into a tight cylinder around the stuffing ingredients.

Freezing the rolled taquitos before frying helps them hold their shape.

You can pin the rolls closed with a toothpick, but I find it’s easier to place them on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes to an hour before frying. Once frozen, you can cook them immediately or place in a sealed vacuum bag for long-term storage in the freezer.

To cook, simply heat an inch or two of vegetable oil or lard to 350 degrees. Carefully drop in the taquitos and fry until crisp. Don’t overload the pan. Leave plenty of space so that the taquitos crisp up all over.

Fry the taquitos until the filling is heated through and the tortilla is crispy.

Serve with sour cream, salsa, taco sauce, or whatever you like for dipping. These make excellent party and game-day snacks or appetizers.