Course
Main
Duration
1 hour
Serves
3 to 4
A chimichanga is nothing more than a deep-fried burrito—but it feels like so much more than that. To me, this meal offers the best of crunchy tacos and warm, comforting burritos. Some people speculate that this delicious dish was created in Tucson, Arizona, back in 1922 when a cook accidentally dropped a burrito in the deep-fat fryer. I would speculate that the fried burrito never made it to the table. Instead, the cooks probably studied it in awe until one of them built up enough courage to try a bite. It must have been such a hit that it later landed on the menu.
You’ll find chimichangas served with or without sauce on top. A common phrase for ordering the sauced version is to ask for it “wet.” You can load it with any type of filling, but prepared meat, rice, beans, and cheese are the most common. That freedom easily translates over to varying types and cuts of wild game.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. venison steak
- 1 tbsp. oil
- 1 tbsp. Saber-Tooth Slayer Coffee Chili Rub or other coffee rub
- 1 bell pepper, seeded and quartered
- ½ yellow onion, halved again
- 2 cups prepared white rice
- 2 cups prepared black beans
- 2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
- 3 to 4 large flour tortillas
- Oil for frying
- 1 cup enchilada sauce or taco sauce
- 1 cup hatch green chile salsa or salsa verde
- 1 cup Mexican crema
- Jalapeño, cilantro, guacamole, and tomatoes for garnish
Also works with
Special equipment
Preparation
- Add the oil to a deep pan or pot and heat to 350°F.
- Next bring a cast-iron pan or grill to high heat. Toss the venison steaks, onion, and bell pepper quarters in oil and the Saber-Tooth Rub.
- Once the pan is heated, add the steaks and sear each side to your liking. Add the bell peppers and onions and brown each side. Remove the meat and vegetables, slice them into thin strips, and divide into four equal parts.
- Warm the tortillas in the microwave in a damp towel or in a pan on the stove—you'll need them to be flexible to roll. They should be warm but not crispy or hot to the touch. Lay out your tortillas flat on a working surface and add equal parts of veggies and meat to the center of each. Then add a couple of spoons of rice and beans and sprinkle with cheese. Fold the contents of the tortilla towards the middle, then tuck in one corner and roll the entire burrito towards the top of the tortilla. You should not have any of the contents spilling out. If you do, remove some rice and beans.
- Once the oil has reached 350°F, carefully add one burrito and brown each side. Once browned and crispy, remove and set aside to drain. Repeat with the remaining burritos.
- Once fried, place each burrito on a plate and top with the taco sauce, hatch chili sauce, and Mexican crema. Garnish with jalapeños, cilantro, guacamole, and tomatoes.
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A chimichanga is nothing more than a deep-fried burrito—but it feels like so much more than that. To me, this meal offers the best of crunchy tacos and warm, comforting burritos. Some people speculate that this delicious dish was created in Tucson, Arizona, back in 1922 when a cook accidentally dropped a burrito in the deep-fat fryer. I would speculate that the fried burrito never made it to the table. Instead, the cooks probably studied it in awe until one of them built up enough courage to try a bite. It must have been such a hit that it later landed on the menu.
You’ll find chimichangas served with or without sauce on top. A common phrase for ordering the sauced version is to ask for it “wet.” You can load it with any type of filling, but prepared meat, rice, beans, and cheese are the most common. That freedom easily translates over to varying types and cuts of wild game.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. venison steak
- 1 tbsp. oil
- 1 tbsp. Saber-Tooth Slayer Coffee Chili Rub or other coffee rub
- 1 bell pepper, seeded and quartered
- ½ yellow onion, halved again
- 2 cups prepared white rice
- 2 cups prepared black beans
- 2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
- 3 to 4 large flour tortillas
- Oil for frying
- 1 cup enchilada sauce or taco sauce
- 1 cup hatch green chile salsa or salsa verde
- 1 cup Mexican crema
- Jalapeño, cilantro, guacamole, and tomatoes for garnish
Also works with
Special equipment
Preparation
- Add the oil to a deep pan or pot and heat to 350°F.
- Next bring a cast-iron pan or grill to high heat. Toss the venison steaks, onion, and bell pepper quarters in oil and the Saber-Tooth Rub.
- Once the pan is heated, add the steaks and sear each side to your liking. Add the bell peppers and onions and brown each side. Remove the meat and vegetables, slice them into thin strips, and divide into four equal parts.
- Warm the tortillas in the microwave in a damp towel or in a pan on the stove—you'll need them to be flexible to roll. They should be warm but not crispy or hot to the touch. Lay out your tortillas flat on a working surface and add equal parts of veggies and meat to the center of each. Then add a couple of spoons of rice and beans and sprinkle with cheese. Fold the contents of the tortilla towards the middle, then tuck in one corner and roll the entire burrito towards the top of the tortilla. You should not have any of the contents spilling out. If you do, remove some rice and beans.
- Once the oil has reached 350°F, carefully add one burrito and brown each side. Once browned and crispy, remove and set aside to drain. Repeat with the remaining burritos.
- Once fried, place each burrito on a plate and top with the taco sauce, hatch chili sauce, and Mexican crema. Garnish with jalapeños, cilantro, guacamole, and tomatoes.