Plancha
A plancha is a flat metal griddle heated from below, used in taquerías to sear meats, griddle tortillas and cook fillings such as steak and griddled al pastor.
Description
Larousse explains that the plancha was originally a large metal sheet set over embers to cook many items at once, and is now usually cast iron or steel, sometimes enameled or nonstick, heated by gas, electricity or a barbecue. It works at high temperatures, above 300 C, and because heat is uneven across the plate, different foods can cook at once in hotter and cooler zones. A plancha or heavy skillet can stand in for a comal.
In taquerías
Carne asada may be cooked over charcoal or a la plancha. Chilango notes that many taquerías skip the trompo and cook thin slices of marinated pastor meat on a plancha to save time, and Monterrey's tacos de trompo finish the shaved pork on oiled tortillas on a griddle. For suadero, N+ notes that the meat can be seared on a plancha or grill, though Mexico City taquerías cook it slowly in fat at moderate heat.
Reviews
Reviews and tips open at launch. Readers will be able to share where they found the best version of this and how they make it at home.
See also
References
- "Plancha". Larousse Cocina (Diccionario enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana). Retrieved 2026-10-10.
- "Carne asada". Larousse Cocina (Diccionario enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana). Retrieved 2026-10-10.
- "La historia del taco al pastor es la versión taquera de Romeo y Julieta". Chilango. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
- "Trompo Tacos Are So Much More Than Tacos al Pastor". Texas Monthly. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
- "Tacos: qué es el suadero y de qué parte del animal sale". N+. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
- "Comal". Larousse Cocina (Diccionario enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana). Retrieved 2026-10-10.