Burritos

Welcome to a new edition of Paulina Cocina ❤️️ , where you'll find the perfect recipe for Mexican Burritos. Here you'll find the most original recipe with all the details: meat burritos and vegan burritos , in any size and variety you like.

Stay reading until the end because the history of this dish is beautiful. These Mexican burritos are what you needed to start this new year off right! 

About the Burritos Recipe

The original burritos are prepared with wheat flour tortillas , and are usually presented folded like a small package, with the ends normally closed, or with one end open and one end closed.

They are served already prepared, and usually have beans and many sauces. 

HIS STORY

When I set out to find out the history of this dish, many nuances emerged that I had no idea about, and behind them appeared a story that I hadn't expected.

Did you know that burritos used to be made by wrapping a flour tortilla around any filling you could imagine? Usually meat, beans, rice, and salsa . Okay, normal. But something curious arose: they were originally known by the nickname "logs," an affectionate term for a healthy fast food that filled your stomach without emptying your wallet.

Later on, the famous "wraps" , which were everywhere except in Mexican restaurants.

So far, so good, but really, where did the original burrito originate? What did the first ones taste like? After all, a chicken burrito could turn into a Caesar salad overnight. Who knew what evolution the burrito went through to become what we know today? 

We took this research seriously, and I'll tell you a little more about how we resolved the dilemma in a moment.

4 original burrito fillings you have to try

These fillings are very Mexican. Maybe in Argentina we don't eat as much spicy chili, but here we are sharing a gastronomic adventure.

1. Bacon in green sauce : For this filling, cook chilies with tomatoes, salt, and a little water, then blend the cooked mixture. In another bowl, sauté onions with butter, then add the sauce and the bacon, cut into medium pieces. Let it rest to absorb the flavor before serving.
2. Red chili pepper filling: This one sounds spicy, and to prepare it, fry a little pork until golden brown. Add potatoes on top of the meat and cook for a while longer. Now add the dried, chopped red chili pepper, along with garlic and salt; finally, add a little chicken broth. Let the potatoes cook, and serve.
3. Bean filling (vegan): First, cook the cleaned red kidney beans, lentils, and chickpeas. Then, julienne a bell pepper and onion, cut a carrot into medium sticks, and chop the chili pepper, removing the seeds. Then, in a pan with oil, sauté the onion, chili, and bell pepper. Then, add the carrots, a little barbecue sauce, and tomato sauce, and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Shredded Beef Filling: Cook the beef with water, chopped onion, garlic cloves, and salt to taste until very tender (note that this process takes a while). Let it cool and shred it with two forks. Sauté the chopped onion lightly, add chili and tomato, and cook for a while. Then add the shredded beef along with salt to taste.

My dilemma with the history of burritos

The more I learn about the history of burritos, the more I feel like I'm playing an intergenerational version of "telephone," where a message is passed through so many people that it ends up being completely different from the original.

Apparently, its name "burrito" comes from an old saying, "If I had a horse, I'd make my fortune, but I only have a donkey ." And it was people riding donkeys who gave this dish its current name, as it was an easily transportable food for these workers.

My reflection on history is that things change . Tastes change. Foods evolve. Each new cook interprets the past and creates a new meaning for an old one. Perhaps the original isn't always the best. It's not that the new is better or the old is better, but that each interpretation can be valid for a specific time and place.

With this reflection, we conclude this investigation into burritos. I hope you found it interesting and that it inspires you to travel to Mexico in your own kitchens. 

INGREDIENTS

for the tortilla

• 100 g all-purpose wheat flour
• 50 ml of warm water
• 2 g of salt

How to make wheat tortillas for burritos step by step

1. Mix the flour with the salt in a bowl and add the water, mixing with a spoon until a dough begins to form.
2. Transfer the dough to a flat surface and begin kneading well with your hands until you get a smooth dough.
3. Divide it into 50 gram portions and form into balls.
4. Using a rolling pin, roll out each ball into a tortilla about 20 cm in diameter.
5. Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. When it reaches its maximum temperature, lower the heat slightly to avoid burning the tortilla. Place a tortilla on the hot skillet and flip it over when the edges rise. When it begins to bubble, flip it over for a few more seconds.
6. As they come out of the pan, they should be wrapped in a cotton cloth to keep them warm.

Fill these tortillas with your favorite filling and enjoy the full experience of this dish.