By Rosa's eighteenth death anniversary. September 15, 2034. Eighteen years. The ritual in three locations. The chile colorado in two kitchens. The prayer on the stone floor. Eighteen years is longer than Luis Jr.'s childhood. Eighteen years is longer than any of my children's childhoods. The grief has outlasted the raising. The grief will outlast everything except the recipes, which will outlast the grief, which will outlast me, which will outlast the bakery, which will outlast the building, and the lasting is the lasting, and the lasting is Rosa.
Every September 15th, the chile colorado goes into two kitchens at once — mine and my sister-in-law’s — because that is what Rosa would have wanted, the recipe doubling itself the way love doubles when it has nowhere else to go. These burritos are what we wrap and carry, what we hand to the children and the grandchildren, what we leave on the stone steps before the prayer. Eighteen years of this, and the folding of the tortilla still feels like Rosa’s hands guiding mine. I make them because the lasting is the only thing I have left to give her.
Brown-Bag Burritos
Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 2 hrs 30 min | Total Time: 2 hrs 50 min | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup beef broth
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 8 large flour tortillas (10-inch)
- 2 cups cooked pinto beans, drained
- 2 cups cooked long-grain white rice
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- Sour cream and salsa, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Brown the beef. Heat oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season beef cubes with salt and pepper. Working in batches, brown the beef on all sides, about 4–5 minutes per batch. Transfer browned beef to a plate and set aside.
- Build the sauce. Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the same pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, and cayenne, toasting the spices for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Simmer the chile colorado. Return the beef to the pot. Pour in crushed tomatoes and beef broth, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork-tender and the sauce is deep red and thick.
- Shred the beef. Remove the beef from the pot with a slotted spoon and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded beef to the sauce and stir to coat. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- Warm the tortillas. Wrap the flour tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30–45 seconds, or warm them one at a time in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20 seconds per side.
- Assemble the burritos. Lay a warm tortilla flat. Spoon a generous portion of chile colorado beef down the center, followed by 1/4 cup pinto beans, 1/4 cup rice, and a sprinkle of shredded cheese. Fold in the sides of the tortilla, then roll from the bottom up into a tight burrito.
- Wrap and serve. Wrap each burrito in foil or parchment for easy carrying, or serve immediately with sour cream and salsa on the side.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 520 | Protein: 31g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 57g | Fiber: 6g | Sodium: 680mg