First attempt at a burrito.

[chef jimmyj]

The Burritos look good and you are off to a great start. I agree with Radishes and another option for crunch, Shredded Cabbage is common in Tacos and Burritos. I like to add Cilantro, Pico and Sour Cream with Guacamole on the Side...JJ

 

[gmc2003]

The Burritos look good and you are off to a great start. I agree with Radishes and another option for crunch, Shredded Cabbage is common in Tacos and Burritos. I like to add Cilantro, Pico and Sour Cream with Guacamole on the Side...JJ

Thanks chef JJ, I like both cabbage and radishes, but never thought about combining them together with shrimp and rice. The side also sounds like something I'll have to add to the next round.

Chris

 

[tallbm]

Hey great start!

Don't get discouraged you only have 2 things in your burrito so it can only get better :D

I'm in board with the salsa mild or not just get some in there.
Don't worry about one flavor overtaking another. When putting the right kinds of items in the burrito they all compliment one another for a flavor explosion of diversity with synergy!

You have a meat and rice, try adding these:

• Cheese
• Salsa (has onion, garlic, cilantro, and a little bit of squeezed lime juice)
• Sour Cream

Here are some other additions you can add as you work up to what you do and do not like from the stuff above:

• Pico de Gallo (diced tomato, onion, jalpeno, cilantro, garlic, and/or other stuff)
• Avocado or Guacamole
• Grilled Onions and/or Bell Pepper
• Refried beans, well seasoned Pinto Beans, well seasoned Black Beans, or Ranch Style Beans (they are already well seasoned out of the can) - to me this is almost a must in every burrito but not every one has access to good pinto or black beans or makes them
• Squeeze some lime juice from a lime wedge into it

No matter what try this to DRASTICALLY improve your tortilla.
Put a flat nonstick skillet on the burner on like med-high heat. Put your store bought tortillas on it and let it warm up and start getting darker and just a hair crispy. Don't worry if you get it too crispy and it breaks when rolling, it is still perfectly edible AND will taste 100 times better than not doing this approach.
Don't be afraid to fork and knife the thing if it gets loaded up, the flavor is what you are going for not pure edibility with your hands :D


Finally if you want to make the simplest and one of the BEST burritos, get some good refried beans and heat them up in a little pot. Warm up a tortilla the way I mention above. When the beans are done/ready and piping hot take your torilla and lay it out. Put a good amount of refried beans on the tortilla and spread it all over the tortilla with a spoon. Then put a hefty amount of good EXTRA Sharp or just Sharp cheddar inside the tortilla. Roll that sucker up. Eat when the beans are not going to burn your mouth hahaha and be prepared to be amazed!!!!
You can apply a hot sauce to the outside or onto the area you bite over and over for more taste but it may not need it.


I hope this info helps and enjoy experimenting! :)

 

[gmc2003]

Responses in red:

Hey great start!

Don't get discouraged you only have 2 things in your burrito so it can only get better :D

I'm not discouraged at all, I'm looking forward to getting better at this style of cooking, and starting on the first rung on the ladder is my style.

I'm in board with the salsa mild or not just get some in there.
Don't worry about one flavor overtaking another. When putting the right kinds of items in the burrito they all compliment one another for a flavor explosion of diversity with synergy!

I totally forgot about adding a sauce to these. I did intend on doing that. The right combo is what I'm shooting for. I can't help but worry about one flavor overpowering another. I'm still a newbie to how Mexican flavors go together.


You have a meat and rice, try adding these:

• Cheese
• Salsa (has onion, garlic, cilantro, and a little bit of squeezed lime juice)
• Sour Cream

Here are some other additions you can add as you work up to what you do and do not like from the stuff above:

• Pico de Gallo (diced tomato, onion, jalpeno, cilantro, garlic, and/or other stuff)
• Avocado or Guacamole
• Grilled Onions and/or Bell Pepper
• Refried beans, well seasoned Pinto Beans, well seasoned Black Beans, or Ranch Style Beans (they are already well seasoned out of the can) - to me this is almost a must in every burrito but not every one has access to good pinto or black beans or makes them
• Squeeze some lime juice from a lime wedge into it

Check, I originally wanted to go with a pulled smoked chuck steak and re-fried beans. Plans changed and I had to switch to shrimp. I've never had guacamole or Avocado so I'll have to try that out first separately.

No matter what try this to DRASTICALLY improve your tortilla.
Put a flat nonstick skillet on the burner on like med-high heat. Put your store bought tortillas on it and let it warm up and start getting darker and just a hair crispy. Don't worry if you get it too crispy and it breaks when rolling, it is still perfectly edible AND will taste 100 times better than not doing this approach.
Don't be afraid to fork and knife the thing if it gets loaded up, the flavor is what you are going for not pure edibility with your hands :D

I didn't heat it up on skillet, but I did heat it up on the grill. Maybe I should have went a tad longer.


Finally if you want to make the simplest and one of the BEST burritos, get some good refried beans and heat them up in a little pot. Warm up a tortilla the way I mention above. When the beans are done/ready and piping hot take your torilla and lay it out. Put a good amount of refried beans on the tortilla and spread it all over the tortilla with a spoon. Then put a hefty amount of good EXTRA Sharp or just Sharp cheddar inside the tortilla. Roll that sucker up. Eat when the beans are not going to burn your mouth hahaha and be prepared to be amazed!!!!
You can apply a hot sauce to the outside or onto the area you bite over and over for more taste but it may not need it.

This is close to what my original plan was to be. However my wife just made a big batch of my grandmothers baked beans, and well I was just beaned out at the time. The next one will be close to this.


I hope this info helps and enjoy experimenting! :)

It was and I will - for sure.

Thanks
Chris

 

[chef jimmyj]

Mexican Salsas can range from simple to something like Mole Pablano with 2 Dozen ingredients. Example...

Flame Roasted Salsa

8 oz Ripe Roma Tomatoes, about 3.
1-2 ea *Jalapeños (or 1-2 Canned Chipotle's)
2-3 ea Lrg Cloves Garlic, peeled
1 ea Small Onion, peeled
A Handful of Cilantro Leaves
1/2tsp Oregano
1/2tsp Black Pepper
1/2tsp Salt

Place the Veggies on a baking sheet.
Place the tray 4 inches below your Broiler and Broil, turning occasionally, until Blistered and Splotchy Black, about 5 minutes. A Veggies Basket on your Grill works too.
Remove from heat and let cool enough to handle. Cut the Root from the Onion and Seed the Jalapeño , if desired.
Place all in a Blender, cover, and Puree.
Adjust thickness, as desired, with a little water if needed.
Adjust Seasoning and Serve.
Store in the Refer for 3-5 days.
MAKES about 2 Cups.
NOTE*: If you don't want any Heat, substitute an Anaheim or Pablano Chile for the Jalapeño. A small can of, drained, Green Chiles, works as well. All these have Good Flavor but generally no Heat.

Guacamole is easy to make but the Avocados have to be PERFECTLY Ripe and unless your Grocery labels them when they are ready, it takes a bit of practice to get it right by Feel. When squeezed gently with your Thumb, the skin should yield, slightly, then the whole thing feels firm like a Tennis Ball. Any harder, it's a day or two, under ripe, any softer and it's too far gone.
Make sure the brown spot where the Avocado attached to the Stem is intact. If missing the meat will be streaky Brown from oxidation. Can be eaten but don't look so nice.
In any event, there is some really good Prepared Guacamole available in half pint containers near the Cold Salad Dressing in the Produce Isle. Or on shelf by the Cheese, Sour Cream, etc...JJ

 

[tallbm]

With the list of stuff I provided don't worry about anything hurting the flavor, you can't go wrong with all of that or any combo of it. The only thing that might go wrong is not having enough tortilla to roll it all up. In this case fold it and you have a soft taco hahaha.

Grilling the tortillas is good to go. You will know you are improving it as you cook that styrofoam taste out of the tortilla but getting it cooked more by it showing more dark spots, darker spots, and getting the signs that it is getting a little crisp. This will much improve things.

Keep experimenting. The good thing is that burritos and tacos can be made with just about any combination of the stuff I mention so it really makes life easy and things tasty even when you only have a few of the ingredients to apply lol

 

[chef jimmyj]

If you are worried about the Tortillas breaking...Toast them as described above but then Stack them on a plate, cover with a " Barely Damp" Dish Towel and hold until needed on the lowest, 150+/-, oven temp. They will have that great toasty cooked flavor, but stay soft and pliable...JJ

 

[S-met]

Sky's the limit. And minor variations and you can have a variety of Mexican dishes. Sorry to photo-bomb your thread, just get excited sometimes.
Roll them up and line em in a baking pan. Smother with a thick spicy tomorrow sauce, top with cheese and bake it. Call it enchiladas.

Chicken fajitas with sauteed onions and bells (can roll into a burrito like my wife or taco-style with corn tortillas for me).

Leftover fajitas become breakfast. Crack an egg and wisk. Fry in a skillet as your keto-friendly tortilla.

Top with sour cream and salsa verde and sprinkle with cheese.

And if you are feeling adventurous, fusion Mexican with your smoked goodness. Left, Smoked chicken enchiladas with roasted salsa verde.
middle front, smoked pork belly street tacos with habanero mango salsa, cilantro lime rice and thai red curry butternut puree, smoked babba ghanoush and a tziki sauce.
Right. Smoked chuck crostini, thai butternut puree.

 

[gmc2003]

Guacamole is easy to make but the Avocados have to be PERFECTLY Ripe and unless your Grocery labels them when they are ready, it takes a bit of practice to get it right by Feel. When squeezed gently with your Thumb, the skin should yield, slightly, then the whole thing feels firm like a Tennis Ball. Any harder, it's a day or two, under ripe, any softer and it's too far gone.

I think I'll try the premade to start, and work my way up to making it.

Thanks.
Chris

 

[forktender]

Heck I'd eat those in a heartbeat.
But to jazz them up next time try some pico de gio, fire roasted passilla or jap peppers, charred green onions, cojita cheese, creme or sour cream, avocado slices or guacamole, chopped cilantro and 50/50 mix of finely grated Jack and sharp cheddar cheese and some whole black beans, then slather on the TX Pete, and a good squeeze of fresh lime......good eats right there brother.

 

[gmc2003]

With the list of stuff I provided don't worry about anything hurting the flavor, you can't go wrong with all of that or any combo of it. The only thing that might go wrong is not having enough tortilla to roll it all up. In this case fold it and you have a soft taco hahaha.

I've always wanted one of those big round burrito's you see on the tele. Store bought tortillas that size aren't available around here(at least not that I've seen). I'll have to try and make my own after a few more experiments. The burritos I made were about the size of the ones you find in the freezer section of the local grocer.


S S-met no problems with the photo bomb. Those look really good and I get a visual as well.

Chris

 

[gmc2003]

Heck I'd eat those in a heartbeat.
But to jazz them up next time try some pico de gio, fire roasted passilla or jap peppers, charred green onions, cojita cheese, creme or sour cream, avocado slices or guacamole, chopped cilantro and 50/50 mix of finely grated cheese and some whole black beans, then slather on the TX Pete, and a good squeeze of fresh lime......good eats right there brother.

Thanks fork, It sounds really good, but now I have to go back to google and find out what some of that stuff is - pico de gio, passilla, tx pete. My wife is sensitive to heat so I have to stay on the milder side of things. Think Wise BBQ potato chip heat.

Chris

 

[gmc2003]

NOTE*: If you don't want any Heat, substitute an Anaheim or Pablano Chile for the Jalapeño. A small can of, drained, Green Chiles, works as well. All these have Good Flavor but generally no Heat.

This would be more of what I could get away with. I like to bring on the heat, but the wife is another story. Our tastes bud differences make it hard to season food in some instances.

Chris

 

[forktender]

The great thing about making most Mexican food is most of the things mentioned above are condiments and can either be put on or left off to each person's taste.
When I make taco's or burrito's I have a spread of small bowls with each ingredient separated so everyone can pick and choose what they want on theirs, it makes for a fun meal to share with everyone. Oh, I forgot sliced black olives as well. I mainly use 12'' tortillas but around here in CA there is a Mexican store every 2 miles not kidding, so when I want a big jumbo I just go pick up a pack of the 16 or 18'' tort's.

Pasilla =Pablano pepper.

Pico de gio= Salsa made from diced fresh or fire roasted tomatoes , white or red onion, chopped cilantro, roasted garlic and Jap or pasilla peppers if you'd like and fresh squeezed lemon and lime, salt and pepper. You can cheat by picking up a can or two of Rotel and jazzing it up.

Tx Pete= pepper sauce like Frank's, Tobacco, any other red LA pepper sauce.

 

[forktender]

Edited in the wrong place, sorry.
I guess we can't delete our own posts anymore..........weird!!!

 

[gmc2003]

Thanks Fork, you just saved me about a half hour of research.

Chris

 

[forktender]

Once again I can't freak'in sleep and I'm dreaming of food.......LOL

 

[gmc2003]

WOW I just noticed your in Cali. It's what 2:30 am there?

Chris

 

[forktender]

Yep, we keep weird hours, because my wife works night shift at the ER. so it's not weird to see me on forums in the middle of the night.

 

[gmc2003]

That's one tough job she has especially the overnighter. More power to her and you. I did the overnight for about 8 years where I work. I won't go back to it. Living on 4hrs sleep wasn't living for me.

Chris