Until recently I had never tried homemade Chimichangas. I guess I must have been missing out all this time because these were great. If you are not familiar with the Chimichanga it is basically a burrito that is deep fried. This is a fairly lengthy recipe that requires a bit of work, but in the end, you should find that it’s well worth it. If you like Mexican food, these should be a must try for you. If you don’t like the idea of deep frying this makes great burrito meat as well. I actually tried one before I deep fried them and it was great. I really enjoyed the nice flavor that the lime juice added to the meat mixture. For the meat, if you can find already cut up beef stew meat that would work well, and save a lot of time. Enjoy.
(Makes 5 Servings)
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Chimichanga Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lbs pound boneless beef rump (cut into one-inch cubes)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 onions (chopped)
- 3 teaspoons minced jalapeno pepper
- 2 tablespoons garlic (chopped)
- 2 ¼ cups beef broth
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 (15 ounces) can pinto beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 (15 ounces) can black beans (drained and rinsed)
- ¼ cup lime juice (about 3 limes)
- ½ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
- 10 (11 inches) flour tortillas (warmed in the microwave)
- Oil (for frying)
- 2 ½ cups shredded pepper jack cheese
- 2 cups iceberg lettuce (shredded)
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup tomatoes (diced)
Instructions
- In a large stockpot over medium-heat heat. Add 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Add beef cubes and brown on all sides.
- Add onions and jalapeño pepper and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and sauté for 1 additional minute. Mix in chili powder, cayenne, garlic powder, and flour. Cook stirring frequently for 2 to 3 minutes. Add beef broth and red wine vinegar.
- Mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 hours.
When the meat is fork-tender, shred the beef with 2 forks. Add pinto and black beans, lime juice, and cilantro. Cook until heated through. Remove from heat. - In a large deep skillet add about 1” of oil. Heat the oil to 325 degrees or until the oil is hot enough to frying. While the oil is heating prepare the chimichangas. Lay out a flour tortilla and fill the bottom half with a ¾ cup of the beef/bean mixture (if the beef mixture has a lot of liquid, scoop it out with a slotted spoon).
- Top with about 2 tablespoons of pepper jack cheese. Lift the edge of the tortilla and roll it over the filling to secure it.
- Fold in both sides and continue rolling until you reach the opposite end. Place a skewer through the seam side of the burrito to secure it (can also use toothpicks). Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Lower chimichangas into the hot oil and fry for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Fry in batches of 4. Serve with lettuce, tomato, and sour cream.
Adara
Sunday 5th of May 2013
Wow! I'm definitely impressed. These were fantastic! I used an egg wash to hold them together. I started the beef mixture the day before I planned to serve them. Great recipe!
Kat
Monday 26th of November 2012
So good! Tried these tonight and they were fantastic. I changed them up a bit & they were still great- only used one onion, half a can of black beans, no pinto beans & a mexican cheese blend. I didn't have toothpicks and tried sealing them with egg- worked well. Thanks for sharing!
Bobby
Friday 21st of May 2010
Rick - That sounds like a great idea. Thanks for the tip.
Rick
Friday 21st of May 2010
Bobby,great as usual. When I make Chimichangas, I use an egg to glue the seams. If you coat the whole tortilla with egg, it makes it brown nicely. Thanks, Rick.
Rocquie
Monday 17th of May 2010
Those look scrumptious. I've never made Chimichangas, although I love to order them when we go out. Your post inspires me to make them. This is the kind of fussy recipe I love to make.