Chicago-Style Steak Burrito

  • Level: Intermediate
  • Yield: 4 burritos
  • Total: 1 hr 30 min (includes soaking time)
  • Active: 50 min
People often ask me “You big Jeff, I didn’t know there was a ‘Chicago-style’ burrito!” Well, I’m here to tell you there is. There really aren’t scientific journals or internet authors defining this style of burrito. All I know is, this was the style of burrito I grew up eating, in Chicago, usually very late at night. It’s all about the quality steak, the omission of rice and beans and duality of the salsas. Viva Chicago.
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Ingredients

Salsa Verde:

12 ounces large tomatillos (about 3), husks removed

3 cloves garlic, skin intact

1 dried ancho chile

1 poblano chile

1 small yellow onion, skin and root intact, quartered

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1 teaspoon agave

1 Roma tomato, chopped

1 lime, juiced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Burrito:

1 pound outside skirt steak

Mexican-style all-purpose seasoning such as dried adobo spice, for sprinkling

Oil, for the grill

4 jumbo flour tortillas

Sour cream, shaved iceberg lettuce, diced beefsteak tomato and very thinly-sliced avocado, for serving

2 cups shredded Chihuahua or Oaxacan cheese

Store-bought fire-roasted red salsa, for serving

Directions

  1. For the salsa verde: Heat a large grill pan to medium-high heat. Add the tomatillos, garlic cloves, ancho chile, poblano chile and onion. Char on all sides until blackened in parts, then remove as charred to a cutting board. (Depending on their size, each vegetable or chile will char at a different rate.)
  2. Place the charred ancho chile in a small bowl and pour over enough hot water to cover. Allow to sit until the chile is softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the stem and seeds and reserve the water to adjust the consistency of your salsa, if needed.
  3. Remove the stem and seeds from the poblano and the skins from the garlic and onion.
  4. Put the ancho, poblano, garlic, onion, tomatillos, cilantro, agave, tomatoes and lime juice in a food processor and blend until mostly smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  5. For the burrito: Coat the steak in the adobo seasoning. If you have the time and inclination, place the seasoned steak on a wire rack set in a sheet pan in the fridge overnight to ensure a super chared crust!
  6. Heat a well-oiled grill or grill pan on high heat.
  7. Grill the steak until super charred, 7 to 8 minutes per side. Let the steak rest on a plate for at least 10 minutes or up to 30. Chop the steak into small pieces. Mix back in any accumulated juices and season to taste with more adobo if necessary.
  8. In a tortilla, schmear sour cream in an even layer from end to end. On top of the sour cream, “glue down” an even, end-to-end layer of iceberg, then an even layer of diced tomatoes, then a thin layer of avocado followed by a final layer of cheese.
  9. Place some chopped skirt steak on top of cheese and roll up the burrito.
  10. Place the burrito on a flat griddle drizzled with oil over medium heat until at least two sides are slightly golden. Repeat to make 3 more burritos.
  11. Serve with the salsa verde and fire-roasted red salsa.

Let's Get Cooking!

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