Beef Chimichangas

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Beef chimichangas are a fabulous left-over make-over meal that cost just .92 cents per serving. The flavor, texture, acidity and aroma of these chimichangas makes them a stand out, budget friendly meal for your family!

When I was in my twenties (which was back in the dark ages it seems), I had my first beef chimichanga at a Mexican restaurant called La Boca. The dish was served in this crispy tortilla shell and loaded with a yummy beef mixture which I discovered was pot roasted beef. Many years after that I decided I would try them at home creating my own version and it has become a family favorite.

There is plenty of filling to fill 8-10 tortillas. An alternative to the pot roasted beef is to use left over shredded chicken in its' place. 

• 3 cups* left over pot roast - shredded
• 10 white flour tortillas
• oil for deep frying plus some for sautéing onion and peppers 
• 1/2 large onion- medium dice (approximately 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper - medium dice
• 1 - 16 oz. jar salsa (choose your heat level)
• 1  - 4 oz. can green chilies - chopped
• 1 garlic clove - minced
• Monterey Jack cheese - shredded 
• 1 tbsp. Mexican Spice blend (recipe below)
• 1 lime for serving
• Sour cream - optional

1. Get your pot roast out of the refrigerator and using your hands, shred the meat.
2. In a deep skillet add in a tablespoon or so of oil. Turn the heat on to medium and add in the onion, garlic and bell pepper and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally until the vegetables soften a bit. About 4-5 minutes.
3. Add to the pan the chopped green chilies and the salsa along with the 1 tablespoon of the spice blend. Give a good stir and simmer on low for about 10 minutes.
4. Add in the beef and mix well. Taste for any additional seasonings like salt and pepper or if you want it spicier and a little more heat, add in more cayenne pepper. Cook for about 3-4 minutes or until the beef is warmed through.

*COOKS NOTE: for measuring the shredded beef I used a liquid measure cup instead of dry. For the onion and pepper a dry measuring cup.

SPICE BLEND:

• 2 tsp. each cumin, chili powder and granulated garlic
• 1 tsp. each oregano, paprika, onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1. Mix all ingredients together. Save the left over spice mix in an airtight container for use at another time. Should last for 3 months or longer.

ASSEMBLY:

In your flatware set they generally give you a large spoon for soup - for purposes here I call it a serving spoon. Make sure you tortillas are soft and pliable. If they aren't a quick spin in the microwave for about 8-10 seconds should make them soft enough for assembly.

1. Place a serving spoon size spoonful or so of the chimichangas mixture on the upper third of the tortilla.
2. Add in some cheese.
3. Fold in the sides, then roll down to the end of the tortilla, burrito style.
4. Place a toothpick on both sides to keep them in tact while frying.

FRYING:

1. Make sure your oil is at 350°.
2. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and place a rack over it.
3. Place one or two chimichangas in the oil and fry until golden brown, turning once.
4. Remove from the oil and drain over the wire rack.
5. Do in batches as necessary.

I served ours with my version of Mexican Crema and wedges of lime. If you want to make the crema it is very simple: 1 cup sour cream mixed with about 1/2 cup half and half, 1 tsp. salt and 1 tbsp. lime juice.

If you want to make these fancy rather than burrito style:

1. Place the flat tortilla in your Deep Fryer and using a soup ladle press in the center.
2. Fry until golden brown - turning over as necessary.

This method makes for a nice crispy tortilla bowl which you can add in the chimichanga mixture and serve that way with your crema and lime wedge.

An alternative to the Deep Fryer is to have a deep wide skillet in which to fry the burrito-style rolled chimichangas.

I hope you enjoy these as much as we do. Feel free to come back and leave a comment on the post!