The Mission-style Burrito

YouTubeSavory
Written By Adam Witt

What if I told you the burrito that inspired Chipotle, Qdoba, and Moe’s wasn’t from Mexico at all, but born right here in the United States? Wild, right? In this video, we dive into the origins of the legendary Mission-style burrito and I take on the challenge of making one completely from scratch. That means crafting a giant tortilla, orange rice, refried beans, guacamole, steak, and building it all into a perfect foil-wrapped package. We’ll stack mine up against a crowd favorite for a taste test and finally deliver it to a trusted expert for the final verdict. Lez cooook!

The Mission-style Burrito includes a Flour tortilla, refried beans, carne asada, guacamole, salsa roja, shredded lettuce, arroz rojo (Mexican red rice)

Flour Tortillas at Home

Yield: 6 Burrito-sized Tortillas
Large Flour Tortillas (on a wok)

Large Flour Tortillas (on a wok)

Prep time: 40 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 1 H & 20 M

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, work the fat into the flour with your fingers until incorporated like pie dough. Make a well in the center of the bowl. Dissolve salt into the water then pour it into the well and work it into the flour by hand. Work the dough until it comes together, then dump it onto the counter and knead until smooth.
  2. Divide the dough into 6 portions, set them covered on a plate and let rest for 30 minutes.
  3. With flour as needed, roll out the little balls to 14 inches with a rolling pin. Heat a large, wide, ungreased pan or tray over medium heat and cook the tortillas for 20-30 seconds, flip and repeat on the other side. Store the finished tortillas wrapped in a clean kitchen towel or tortilla container as you work.

Adam's Notes

  • Don’t overcook the tortillas or they’ll become crispy.
  • Before storing, cool the tortillas completely. Store the finished tortillas in an air tight sealed bag at room temperature.





Refried Pinto Beans

Yield: 8-10 servings
Refried Beans

Refried Beans

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Heat the lard in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
  2. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, arbol chiles, and epazote leaves (if using) to the skillet. Sauté for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until aromatic.
  3. Add the cooked pinto beans, chilies and epazote and about 1 cup of their reserved cooking liquid to the skillet.
  4. Mash the beans with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon, mixing them thoroughly with the toasted aromatics.
  5. Cook over medium heat, stirring and mashing continuously, until the beans are smooth and creamy or reach your desired consistency. Add more reserved liquid, a few Tbsp at a time, if needed.
  6. Season with salt to taste and serve warm. Pick out chilis.

Jonathan’s Carne Asada

Yield: 4 cups of marinade
Jonathan's Carne Asada

Jonathan's Carne Asada

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Blacken the serrano chiles and whole garlic cloves until tender, using a grill or a dry skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Combine the blackened serrano chiles, garlic cloves, soy sauce, and lime juice in a blender.
  3. Begin blending on low speed, gradually increasing to high speed, until smooth.
  4. With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the blend oil to create an emulsification. Blend until fully emulsified and smooth.
  5. Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade for serving, if desired, and pour the rest into a shallow dish or resealable bag.
  6. Add the skirt steak to the marinade, ensuring it is fully coated. Marinate for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours in the refrigerator.
  7. Preheat a grill to high heat or prepare the broiler. For the broiler, rub most of the marinade off the steak before cooking to prevent burning.
  8. Grill or broil the steak for 3-4 min per side, or until charred on the outside and pink on the inside.
  9. Rest the steak for 5 min, then slice against the grain. Serve with the reserved marinade for extra flavor.

Guacamole

Guacamole (that doesn't suck)

Guacamole (that doesn't suck)

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
  2. Mix by hand making sure to leave somewhat course and chunky.
  3. Store in a sealed container in the fridge until needed.

Salsa Roja (Basic Red Salsa)

Yield: 4 cups
Basic Salsa Roja (Red Salsa)

Basic Salsa Roja (Red Salsa)

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Char all the vegetables and dried chilies in a dry, heavy-bottomed pan making sure not to burn them fully. Set aside.
  2. Add all ingredients, but the tomatoes to the blender and blitz to a puree. Season to taste. Add the tomatoes and pulse the blender until broken down but coarse.
  3. Season to taste with salt and more lime juice if necessary. Store in a sealable container in the fridge until needed.

Red Rice (Arroz Rojo)

Yield: 10-12 servings
Arroz Rojo (Mexican Red Rice)

Arroz Rojo (Mexican Red Rice)

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Sauté rice in melted lard over medium heat until lightly browned.
  2. Add chopped onion and minced garlic; continue cooking until onions are soft.
  3. Stir in tomato sauce gradually, adjusting to achieve a rosy color.
  4. Add enough water to cover rice by 1 inch.
  5. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then add salt to taste.
  6. Continue to cook uncovered until most of the water has evaporated.
  7. Cover the pot and reduce heat to low.
  8. Finish cooking until water is fully absorbed and rice is tender. Season with lime juice and more salt if needed. Optionally add cilantro.

Disclaimer: I earn commission income with qualifying purchases made through Amazon’s Affiliate program and other affiliate links in this description.

Adam Witt https://adamwitt.co
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