Panuchos Mercado Santa Ana ★ 4.5
Mercado Santa Ana stalls Mérida run panuchos and salbutes with shredded turkey, pickled red onion and habanero from 06:00 through late morning.
Try: Panuchos and salbutes
History
Salbutes share roots with panuchos in early-1900s Yucatán market cookery. Where panuchos hide refried beans inside the fried tortilla pocket, salbutes are open-faced and lighter, sold as a quick breakfast or street snack at peninsula markets. The masa is patted thicker than a tortilla and fried until it puffs slightly; toppings are turkey or shredded chicken, pickled red onion, avocado, lettuce and tomato. Mercado de Santa Ana morning puestos and Lonchería El Recreo on Calle 62 are the canonical street counters in Mérida centro, selling salbutes from 7am until they run out by mid-morning. La Chaya Maya runs the reference sit-down version.
Common allergens: Gluten, Turkey
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 350g masa harina
- 260 ml warm water
- Pinch of salt
- 300g cooked shredded turkey or chicken
- 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1 small red onion pickled in lime juice and vinegar
- Habanero salsa to serve
- Lard or neutral oil for frying
Method
- Mix masa harina with warm water and salt; rest 15 minutes.
- Form 10 balls and press each into a 9cm tortilla.
- Heat 1cm of lard or oil to 180°C in a heavy pan.
- Fry each tortilla 60-90 seconds per side until puffed and lightly golden.
- Drain on paper towels.
- Top each immediately with shredded turkey, lettuce, tomato, avocado and pickled red onion.
- Serve with habanero salsa on the side.
Tip from the editors. If you can't find lard, a neutral oil works fine; the puff comes from the moisture in the masa, not the fat.
Where to eat salbutes
Salbutes in Mérida
Salbutes y Panuchos Doña Tina ★ 4.3
Salbutes y Panuchos Dona Tina is a small Santa Ana market stall; panucho row regulars line up before the 07:00 opening for pavo and cochinita.
Why locals love it: Small Santa Ana market stall, the panucho row regulars line up before opening at 07:00.
Tip: Order panucho de pavo and salbut de cochinita.
La Chaya Maya ★ 4.4
La Chaya Maya on Santa Lucía in Mérida pours tortillas on a clay comal in the dining room and runs sopa de lima, poc chuc and panuchos seven days a week.
Signature: Sopa de lima, Poc chuc, Papadzules, Cochinita pibil
Mercado de Santiago ★ 4.4
Mercado de Santiago Mérida runs Lonchería La Lupita cochinita tacos and lechón al horno under 120 pesos, breakfast-to-lunch counter row in Santiago barrio.
Try: Cochinita pibil and lechón al horno
More cities are in research. Want salbutes covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.