Three main components make up this burrito recipe: meat, beans, and sauce. They are all simple and easy to prepare, but the sauce is where the real flavor lies. Simply place the ingredients in a food processor, give it a few whirls, and you’re good to go.
A word about beansPintos: We all know that canned refried beans are readily available at grocery stores, but cooking dried pintos and giving them a quick mash requires very little effort. And the taste and texture are worth it. Canned beans tend to have the consistency of puree. Mashing the cooked beans with a potato masher leaves some lumps and little bits of the beans intact, just the texture you want.
make 5 burritos
Ingredients
for the beans
- 1 cup dried pinto beans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 very small onion, minced
- 2-1/2 cups chicken broth
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
for the sauce
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 jalapeno, minced
- 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 tablespoons marinade sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- sea salt
For the Grilled Meat
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 3 4 oz Kansas City steaks (or 2 6 oz skinny rib-eyes)
- olive oil for brushing, plus 1 tablespoon
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 5 burrito-size tortillas, warmed
- shredded cheddar cheese and cilantro leaves, for serving (optional)
Preparation
for the beans
- Place beans in a medium pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let soak for 1 hour. Drain and rinse the beans in a colander.
- Heat the same pot over medium heat and add the oil. Add the garlic and onion and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the rinsed beans and broth and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until beans are tender, about 1-1/4 hours. (There should still be enough liquid in the pot to almost reach the top of the beans.)
- Use a potato masher to mash the beans, leaving a few pieces of whole beans.
move along: If you won’t be using the beans right away, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. (Heat gently over very low heat in a nonstick skillet before using.)
for the sauce
- Place the first 5 ingredients (up to the lime juice) in a food processor. Process until smooth and thick.
- Add the broth and season with salt. Continue processing until smooth. Put it in a bowl and set it aside.
For the Grilled Meat
- Combine cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of steaks with spice mix.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and brush with oil. Grill steaks until charred on the outside and pink on the inside, about 4 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add onion and cook until translucent and soft, 6-7 minutes.
- Cut the fillets into very thin slices and add to the pan. Add the reserved sauce and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook until slightly thickened, 10 minutes.
To assemble the burritos, place the tortillas on a work surface and spread a generous amount of bean puree in the center of each, leaving about a 1-inch border at the bottom. Top beans with meat and sauce mixture. Top with cheese and cilantro leaves (if using). Fold up bottom edge of each tortilla and fold in sides, pressing gently to adhere. Serve immediately.