Although the origins of burritos are mysterious, it is clear to everyone that burritos are real portable goodies. A balance of flavors makes for the perfect burrito: the heavier basic ingredients of rice, meat and beans are balanced by lighter additional ingredients like vegetables, topped with spicy sour cream and plenty of guacamole. The burrito looks good in the hand, but looks even better inside your stomach.
Ingrediants
- Large flour tortilla
- Beans (Mexican-style beans or black beans are those traditionally used)
- Mexican rice
- Meat of your choice (see first part for more details)
- Grated cheese
- Chili con carne or another type of canned green chillies (optional)
- Diced tomatoes
- Green onions or grilled onions
- Sour cream
- Pico de gallo or another sauce
- guacamole
- Sliced lettuce
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Deciding the Type of Meat
Step 1. Try making "carne asada"
The carne asada is one of the most common ingredients of the burrito and is prepared by marinating a steak of steak, fillet or royal cut then grilled over high heat, lightly seared. It's considered an expensive cut but gets really tender on the grill. Like most Mexican meats, it is easily found in butchers.
Step 2. Try adding chicken to the burrito
Although chicken is not a common ingredient in burritos in Mexico, it is becoming popular elsewhere. There are tons of ways to prepare chicken, here are just 3 ways to cook chicken for burritos:
- Boiled and cut into strips. It constitutes the most common way in Mexico.
- Browned chicken. It is usually made with poultry fried with a little Mexican oil and spices, before being cut into small pieces.
- Chicken in mole sauce. Mole sauce is perfect as a topping for chicken. Try it if you haven't tasted a variation of the dish yet that 99% of Mexicans enjoy.
Step 3. Try the burrito stuffed with "carnitas"
"Carnitas" is the Mexican name for braised pork, especially for shoulder cuts. The meat is first braised to break down the collagen, then cooked and finally browned or fried to develop a crunchy texture.
Step 4. Cook it "the way of the shepherd", which would be the Mexican version of the Lebanese shawarma
It is a way to cook spiced pork and it is absolutely delicious. Try this meat in a burrito!
Step 5. Try the "chorizo"
Chorizo is a spicy pork sausage wrapped in a casing. When browned it is very tasty and aromatic. It is commonly used in breakfast burritos, but also in regular burritos.
Step 6. Try the "barbacoa"
"Barbacoa" is the Spanish term from which the English word barbecue derives. In modern Mexico, barbacoa refers to meat (usually sheep) cooked slowly over the coals.
Step 7. Experiment with other, more unusual cuts of meat
Most burrito consumers may not be used to more experimental cuts of meat, but they offer a nice break from the usual beef and pork. Go to your local butcher and ask:
- Cow tongue.
- Cow brain.
- Tripe.
Step 8. Prepare with ground beef
Grinding beef, flavoring with tacos flavorings, is a way to prepare the meat for a perfect burrito. If you don't feel like going crazy trying Mexican toppings for the first time, try this simple recipe and get inspired.
Part 2 of 2: Making the Burrito
Step 1. Reheat or steam the tortilla
Tortillas have wonderful elasticity when subjected to heat or steam. If you don't have a steamer for burritos on hand, try cooking them in the microwave for about 20 seconds.
Remember to choose a burrito that's big enough. You may find yourself making a burrito that is too large, but trying to wrap the burrito in a tortilla that is too small is stressful and the result will be lackluster. Make a hearty one
Step 2. Place the tortilla on aluminum foil and place a generous layer of Mexican rice on a rectangle in the center of the tortilla
The shape is not essential, as long as you leave enough space along the sides of the tortilla to be able to roll it up. If you don't want to cook Mexican rice, you can make plain white rice, or even brown rice as a healthier option.
Step 3. Put some beans on top of the rice
If you choose to use black beans, be sure to drain any excess liquid before using them. Here too the quantity is not fixed, most people put on quite a lot, but you can choose what you prefer.
Step 4. Add a generous amount of the meat of your choice
Meat is the protagonist of the recipe, so give it a way to bask in the spotlight. The same goes for vegetarian variants, such as tofu or mushrooms.
Step 5. Dust the meat with cheese (optional)
You don't have to put in cheese if you don't want to, but many of the aficionados choose to do so. In specialized shops you can also find some typical Mexican cheeses, for example:
- Monterrey Jack.
- Cheddar.
- Asadero.
- Queso Blanco.
Step 6. Add the green chillies and tomato in roughly equal parts
None of these ingredients are strictly necessary, but they can make an already good burrito truly exceptional. If you decide to add sauces or pico de gallo, don't overdo it with tomatoes.
Step 7. Add some onion
Both green and sweet spring onions and grilled and lightly salted onions are fine, which will add flavor to your burrito, but don't overdo it as they will cover up the other flavors.
Step 8. Add sour cream, guacamole, and salsa in roughly equal quantities
These toppings add flavor and help keep the burrito from getting too dry.
Step 9. Finish with some lettuce
The crunchy, watery lettuce softens the burrito's other strong flavors. Especially if the other ingredients are hot, the lettuce will go limp a bit. Add a little more than you think you want.
Step 10. Roll up the burrito
Fold the two side parts of the tortilla towards the center. Pinning the two edges together with your fingers, use your thumbs and fold the edge at the base over the side edges. Hold the burrito in the center and roll it up on itself until the top edge of the tortilla is no longer visible.
Last the burrito by wrapping it in aluminum foil, which will keep it warm. As you eat, discard the aluminum foil
Advice
- There are tons of variations you can prepare. Try making a stew burrito after you become an expert.
- The sauces will make the recipe even better.
