Discada Tacos Recipe: Your New Favorite Way to Make Tacos

Picture this. A blazing hot metal disc piled with smoky bacon, spicy chorizo, tender beef, savory pork, peppers, and onions, all sizzling together until the aroma fills the air. That is Discada. And if you have never tried these tacos before, get ready, because they are about to become your new favorite thing to make when you need big flavor for a big crowd. Discada tacos are bold, smoky, and loaded with layers of savory richness, making them one of the most exciting Mexican street food dishes you can cook at home.

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What Makes Discada Tacos So Delicious

Most people know tacos like al pastor, carne asada, or barbacoa, but Discada rarely gets the spotlight in the United States. In Northern Mexico, though, it is a go-to dish for birthdays, holidays, neighborhood gatherings, and late-night street food. The reason is simple. Discada brings together multiple meats and vegetables in one cooking vessel, building deep, rich flavor that you cannot replicate any other way.

If you love exploring regional Mexican cuisine or you want a dish that delivers amazing flavor while easily feeding a crowd, Discada is a must.

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What Is Discada?

Discada refers to both the cooking method and the dish itself. The traditional vessel is an old plow disc that has been cleaned, seasoned, and repurposed into a round metal cooking surface. It is set over a propane burner or wood fire and heated until the entire disc is evenly hot. Think of a discada as a deeper, bowl-shaped version of a comal. The wide surface makes it easy to cook meats in the center and move them up the sides as they finish.

You can use any steady heat source for Discada cooking. I usually reach for a large propane burner because it gives precise, consistent heat, and the The Big Kahuna Burner is my go-to choice. I also cook on a homemade wood-fired rocket stove when I’m in the mood to play with fire.

You can check out my rocket stove build here.

One of the unique advantages of cooking on a discada is that once the food is finished, you can line the outer rim with tortillas. The perimeter stays hot enough to warm them perfectly without drying them out.

If you do not already own a discada, you can find pre-made discada cookers at Academy Sports, which is a great option if you want a sturdy disc that is ready to cook with right out of the box.

Why I Love Cooking on a Discada

• You can cook multiple ingredients at once
• It heats evenly and gets screaming hot
• It is perfect for breakfast tacos, fajitas, stir-fries, and big batch meals
• It feeds a crowd without any fuss
• And it is simply fun to cook on

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Ingredients For Discada Tacos

Meats

• ½ pound diced bacon
• ½ pound chorizo
• ½ pound ground beef
• ½ pound ground pork
• ½ pound diced ham

Vegetables and Base

• 1 white onion, sliced
• 1 poblano pepper, diced
• ⅓ cup sofrito
• ½ bunch chopped cilantro

For Serving

• 1 stack of your favorite tortillas, homemade or store bought

Note:
Sofrito is a tomato and pepper based cooking sauce commonly used in Mexican and Latin American recipes. It adds savory depth and helps tie the meats and vegetables together. Store bought works fine. I recommend Goya Sofrito Tomato Cooking Base because it has a classic flavor and is easy to find in most grocery stores.

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How to Make Discada Tacos

1. Heat the Discada

Propane is the easiest and most consistent heat source for cooking Discada. A sturdy burner like the Big Kahuna gives you steady, controllable heat and gets the disc hot fast. I cooked mine over a homemade rocket stove simply because it was a good excuse to play with fire, but propane is the way to go if you want simplicity and precision.

2. Prep the Vegetables

Slice the onion and dice the poblano pepper. Set them aside until the meats have cooked.

3. Cook the Bacon

Add the diced bacon to the center of the disc. Let it render and crisp. Push it up the outer edge where the heat is lower to keep it warm without burning.

4. Brown the Remaining Meats

Add the chorizo to the center and cook until browned. Push it up the sides.
Repeat with the ground beef, ground pork, and diced ham.

As the meats cook, rendered fat will start to collect in the center. A little fat adds great flavor, but too much can soak into the vegetables and leave the whole mixture greasy. A large puddle of hot fat is also a fire hazard, especially on a propane burner. If you notice excess fat pooling, carefully ladle some out and discard it before continuing.

5. Add the Vegetables

Place the sliced onion and diced poblano in the center of the discada. Cook until softened but still slightly crisp to maintain good texture.

6. Add the Sofrito and Combine Everything

Add the sofrito and fold it through the vegetables. Then bring all the browned meats back into the center and mix thoroughly so the flavors combine.

7. Warm the Tortillas

Line the perimeter of the discada with tortillas. The outer rim holds the perfect residual heat to warm tortillas gently and evenly without drying them out. This technique makes serving a full group much easier and is one of the best parts of cooking on a discada.

8. Serve

Fill warm tortillas with the discada mixture. Top with chopped cilantro and your favorite salsa. My Texas Green Salsa Recipe adds a bright, spicy kick that cuts through the richness and tastes incredible on these tacos.

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Tips for the Best Discada Tacos

• Keep an eye on rendered fat and discard excess throughout the cook. Too much fat can soak into the vegetables and leave the whole mixture greasy, and it also creates a fire hazard on high heat.
• Warm tortillas on the rim of the disc for perfect texture.
• Use a long-handled spatula to keep your hands safely away from the heat. I use a wok-style spatula with an extended handle, which makes it easy to scoop, flip, and move ingredients around the disc without getting too close to the flame.
• Discada is even better the next day in breakfast tacos, quesadillas, or nachos.

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Final Thoughts

If you give this Discada Taco Recipe a try, let me know down in the comments or over on my YouTube channel. And if you want to see this style of cooking in action, I’ve included a Discada Taco video right below. You’ll also find the full printable recipe card under the video so you can cook along step by step. Enjoy everyone.