My dad and my grandma Salazar cooked up the most delicious beef burritos. I think I just may have taken their lead but improved upon this old family favorite.
My grandma bought cans of shredded roast beef from the old wholesaler, Smart & Final. I mean tons. I tagged along many a time when dad loaded the car with cases of the stuff. I don't actually know how many cans came in a case, but I guess it was probably 24 cans.
I fondly recall grandma opening can after can in the back of Nana's Tacos.
She dumped the juicy roast beef from the can into a huge pan. Something like a whole can case filled up that restaurant-size cook pan.
So, out came my pressure cooker. I've had this trusty pot for over 20 years and it still works fine. It gives my slow cooker a run for top pot in the kitchen.
Here's my recipe for Mexican beef burritos like my grandma made but with freshly made roast beef -- Better and healthier, costs a lot less, too.
Delicious Beef Burritos
Ingredients:
10 flour tortillas, meat filling
Meat:
1 3-4 lb. chuck roast
2 tablespoons real butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 heaping tablespoon kosher salt
1 heaping tablespoon ground black pepper
1 heaping teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup beef or chicken broth
1 cup apple juice
Burrito Filling:
1/2 yellow onion, rough sliced
1/2 red pepper, sliced
2 jalapenos, cored and sliced
1/4 cup whole canned corn, drained
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
Instructions:
Brown the meat on both sides in the butter and oil. Mix the spices in a bowl, and rub browned meat. Add the liquids around the sides of the browned meat. Cover, set the pressure gauge at 10. Bring to boil or when the gauge starts to perk. Reduce heat to medium until the gauge perks every minute or so.
Don't let the perk be continuous, that's an indication the temperature is too high. If you leave it high, the liquid will evaporate and the meat will scorch on the bottom.
Cook for 45 minutes. Remove the gauge and let the pot depressureize and cool. Do NOT open lid without depressuring it first. After about 15 minutes, when all the hot steam is gone, it may be safe to open the lid.
Remove the meat from the pot. It should be fall-into-shreds tender. Discard any remaining liquid. Immediately shred meat using a fork. Pull the meat apart. It should be very easy to do. Save in a container with a lid or use immediately.
Add butter and oil to a frying or saute pan. On low heat, add the sliced onions, peppers, jalapenos and corn. Simmer until tender. Stir gently. Cover for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the shredded meat. Cover and continue simmering for another minute or two. You can mix the meat with the vegetables if you want. I leave them divided.
To serve, I warm the flour tortillas. I have a tortilla warmer, but put the tortillas in tin foil, seal the edges and warm in the oven for about 5 minutes. Guests can fill their tortilla, roll it up or fold it into a burrito as they prefer.
Garnish: I set out a bowl of shredded iceberg lettuce, fresh cut peeled tomato, plenty of cheddar cheese, chopped black olives, sliced scallions and salsa.
Side Dish: I also serve cubed potatoes that have been fried with a crispy outside and soft inside, but it really isn't necessary unless you just want to or you have a large crowd.
Yields 10 good-sized beef burritos or 20 small ones.
This whole meal (not including the leftovers we'll have) is less than $5 per person based on buying the roast beef at Sam's Club and the remaining ingredients at Walmart Supercenter. Now that's a deal. Plus, before I shred the meat, I put aside a chunk in the freezer to make sandwiches next week. That'll give my honey a smile. Wowee Cazowee! Sometimes, I amaze myself.
Well, that's it blog friends. My honey and I are having a bit of a date night. These beef burritos are on the menu. Leftover from last night. I'm not serving the potatoes tonight, but a frugal glass of Lambrusco wine will substitute nicely. [smile] After dinner, my honey makes up a big bowl of popcorn to go with our date night movie.
That's what's on my mind today\