Burrito is a Tex-Mex food that is often served in fast-food restaurants, street kiosks and Mexican restaurants, but you can also make it yourself. However, eating this tortilla wrap correctly can be a rather complicated undertaking; the tortilla can crack or open, dropping all the filling and causing a nice mess. Learning to eat it the right way allows you to focus only on the gastronomic enjoyment and not on preventing the wrapper from opening.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Eat the Burrito
Step 1. Do not completely remove the casing
The sheet of aluminum foil is the key element that prevents the tortilla from opening while you eat it; the latter is not in fact able by itself to guarantee such a tight seal of the filling.
Step 2. Hold the burrito upright
While it is still wrapped in aluminum foil, grasp it with one hand so that it is perpendicular to the table. A tightly closed roll should stand up on its own, but it's not a key detail to enjoy it.
Step 3. Remove the first 3-5 cm of wrapping
Slightly open the aluminum foil at the top by "peeling" the burrito as you would a roll of candy, but without removing all the coating. Tear off the loose piece of foil and set it aside; the rest of the sheet should preserve the structural integrity of your meal as you consume it.
If you remove the tinfoil completely by mistake, you can try wrapping it around the bottom end again
Step 4. Use two hands
Grab the burrito with both of them to keep it stable; if you are not in a fine restaurant, you can also keep it on the table and lean forward for the first few bites. Eventually you can lift it up and bring it to your mouth.
- When you lift it off the table to bite it, hold it with both hands.
- Don't squeeze it too hard, or you run the risk of tearing the tortilla apart.
Step 5. Take a bite from one of the corners
Most of these rolls are too big to fit in your mouth without choking; it is best to start from one of the corners.
By biting into the center, you just make the filling splash everywhere
Step 6. Proceed in the transverse direction
Bite into the burrito to gradually even out the top.
Step 7. Lay the other end on the table
During every second it remains suspended in mid-air, you run the risk of it opening releasing all the ingredients. The tinfoil should do its job very well, but while chewing it is better not to take risks and to support the roll; however, do not let go to prevent the tortilla from opening.
Step 8. Remove some more wrapping
As you work your way down, remember to eat the burrito in horizontal layers and tear off some aluminum foil to set aside.
Part 2 of 2: Avoid Getting Dirty
Step 1. Keep some napkins handy
Proper technique minimizes the likelihood of the filling splashing and causing a mess, but it's impossible to consume this dish without getting a little dirty. Make sure you have napkins available or wet wipes.
Step 2. Ball up the aluminum foil
As you tear it out of the burrito, wrap it in a ball instead of just leaving it on the table; in this way, you prevent crumbs and other residues from forming which can fly away or create disorder.
Step 3. Don't try to eat a burrito while walking
If it is not well wrapped, it may lose the filling. It is not at all easy to eat it and avoid getting dirty without the tortilla opening; therefore, sit back and enjoy your lunch.
Step 4. Consider using a knife and fork
If you proceed with caution, you shouldn't have any problems with the ingredients splashing from the tortilla; however, sometimes you can't avoid it and some of the filling falls on the plate. Keep some cutlery available so you don't have to use your hands to collect the various ingredients and get dirty.
Some burritos are garnished with cheese and sour cream on top; in this case, they are not wrapped in tinfoil, but served in some kind of container. If this type of dish is too large or is likely to get your hands too dirty, you need to use a knife and fork
Step 5. Turn it to its side if the tortilla breaks there
A hole in the side wall creates a lot of clutter; if that happens, turn the burrito with the tear facing up. You can also use a knife and fork until you have eaten the offending area and then start over with your hands.
Step 6. Cut it in half while still wrapped
If you share the burrito with another person or fear that you will not be able to eat it all by yourself, you can divide it in half; the best thing to do is to keep it wrapped in foil to prevent the tortilla from opening.
- You can consume half the burrito in the same way by pulling the foil as you eat.
- Usually, a burrito cut in half drops the filling, keep a fork handy to pick it up.
