Machaca Chimichangas Recipes

ALMOST-FAMOUS CHIMICHANGAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Melt the butter with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet; transfer to a bowl. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeno and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and 1 teaspoon salt; toast 30 seconds. Add the tomato and cilantro and cook until slightly dry, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken and sour cream and warm through. Remove from the heat.
• Brush a rimmed baking sheet with some of the butter-oil mixture. Spread 2 tablespoons refried beans down the center of each tortilla, leaving a 2-inch border on both ends. Top with 1 cup chicken mixture and 1/4 cup cheese. Fold in the ends and roll up.
• Put the chimichangas seam-side down on the baking sheet; brush with the butter-oil mixture. Bake 8 to 10 minutes per side, brushing again after you flip. Top with the sauce, more cheese, lettuce and tomato. Serve with rice and the remaining beans.
• Saute onions and garlic cloves in a skillet with vegetable oil. Add a pinch each of chili powder, cumin, sugar and salt; cook 30 seconds. Stir in green chiles; cook 2 minutes. Add chicken broth and simmer until thickened, then puree. Stir in cilantro.

BEEF CHIMICHANGAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Brown the ground beef, onion, garlic, taco seasoning, and oregano in a skillet over medium heat, breaking the meat up into crumbles as it cooks, about 8 minutes. Drain off excess fat. Stir in sour cream, chilies, and vinegar until well mixed. Remove from heat, and mix in the Cheddar cheese.
• Melt margarine in a small skillet over low heat. When melted, dip each tortilla into the margarine for about 30 seconds, or until soft. Place the softened tortilla onto a baking sheet, and fill with about 1/3 cup of the meat mixture. Fold the right and left sides of the tortilla over the filling, then the top and bottom, making an envelope that completely encloses the filling. Flip the tortilla seam side down on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the tortilla is crisp, about 15 minutes.

MACHACA (AUTHENTIC MEXICAN SHREDDED BEEF)

Steps:

• Place meat in large saucepan. Add water, peppercorns, 1/4 onion and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Cover and simmer until meat is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Cool meat in broth. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup broth. Mash garlic with 1/4 teaspoon salt to make a paste. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add chopped onion and garlic paste. Cook until onion is tender. Cut chili into short strips. Add chili strips and tomatoes to cooked onion.
• Cook 3 to 4 minutes. Add meat, cumin and freshly ground pepper to taste. Cook until meat is heated through. Stir in reserved broth. Taste and add salt if needed. Keep warm.
• NOTE: Can be served as a main dish or in tacos or other tortilla dishes.

CHIVICHANGAS DE MACHACA (STEWED BRISKET AND CHEESE CHIMICHANGAS)

Steps:

• Place brisket, onion, garlic, salt, coriander, cumin, black pepper, cayenne, garlic powder and onion powder in a 4- or 5-quart pot or Dutch oven. Add 3 cups water and cover pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 3 hours or until meat is tender when pierced with a fork.
• If using a charcoal grill, fill a chimney starter with charcoal and light. When the coals are white-hot, pour them out of the chimney starter into the grill to form a hot bed of coals. Use tongs to move any flaming coals off to one side of grill. Set grill grates over the coals, and allow them to get hot. If using a gas grill, preheat to medium-high. If using a broiler, turn oven to broil setting.
• Grill tomatoes and peppers over medium-high heat (or broil) rotating from time to time, until skins are evenly blistered and charred, about 20 minutes. Place into a metal bowl and seal with plastic wrap. When cooled, peel tomatoes and peppers and discard skin and stems. Use your hands to crush tomatoes and peppers into a rough salsa in the bowl. Set aside.
• When tender, remove meat from pot and set aside. Discard onion, garlic, and all but 1 cup cooking liquid. When meat is cool enough to handle, shred thoroughly, scraping off any fat and setting aside as you go. Finely chop the fat and add back into meat.
• Return pot to stove and set over medium heat. Add meat, fat, crushed salsa, and grated cheeses. Stir well to combine, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt as needed. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes until thick and unctuous.
• To form chivichangas, spoon a heaping 1/4 cup of machaca mixture into the center of each tortilla and spread into a 3-inch rectangle. Fold the bottom half of the tortilla over the filling, then pull the edge of the tortilla back toward the top of the filling to create a tight cylinder of filling. Fold both sides of the tortilla in, then tightly roll the chivichanga toward the top of the filling to yield a small, rectangular burrito.
• Stoke grill or preheat griddle or skillet to medium-hot. Cook the chivichangas for about 2 minutes per side until evenly crisp and golden brown. Serve hot with sliced radishes and wedges of lime.

MACHACA CHIMICHANGAS

Steps:

• Add the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, water, lime juice, 1 tbsp oregano, cumin, 4 of the garlic cloves, 1 of the serrano peppers, olive oil, salt, and black pepper to a blender, and blend until smooth to make the marinade. Seal marinade and skirt steak in a freezer bag and marinate for 4-8 hours in refrigerator. Remove steaks from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Wipe them off and pat them dry with paper towels, then cut them in half width-wise. In a large, heavy pot, heat two tablespoons of peanut oil over medium high heat. Working in batches, brown the steaks in the oil for about 90 seconds on each side, adding more oil as necessary. Set steaks aside on a plate. Add the onions, remaining serrano peppers, bell peppers, and remaining garlic to the pot, along with a little more oil if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat to medium, and saute until softened (about 5 minutes). Then, add tomatoes, beef broth, remaining oregano, and the steaks into the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for two hours. Remove steaks from pot and let rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, bring pot back to a low boil and reduce slightly, stirring often. Shred the steaks, and add the meat back to the pot. Stir in cheese, and remove from heat. Warm tortillas slightly so that they are pliable. Evenly divide meat between tortillas, piling into the center. Brush the edges with egg whites, and then fold opposite sides into the center. Fold the top down, then fold the entire chimichanga over so that the seam is on the bottom. Secure with toothpicks if necessary. Heat about a half inch of oil over medium-high heat, and fry the chimichangas for about 30 seconds on each side.

CARNE MACHACA

Steps:

• In a large, heavy pan with a lid, over medium heat, sauté onions, Ro-tel, red chili flakes, Tabasco, black pepper and cumin, adding a little water only as needed to keep the mixture from sticking.
• Stir frequently, cooking until the onion is translucent and tender.
• Add tomatoes with their liquid and stir well.
• Cook for 3-5 minutes.
• There won't be much liquid at this point.
• Add beef.
• Reduce heat to simmer, cover pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-1/2 hours or until beef is thoroughly tender.
• When beef has cooled, refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, shred beef pieces, using fingers.
• Skim and fat from cooking juices and return beef to pan.
• Reheat over low heat and serve.

SHREDDED BEEF CHIMICHANGAS

Steps:

• Place beef in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Pour in water. Cover, and cook for 30 minutes. Remove cover, and cook until liquid has evaporated, and beef is well browned, about 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine beef broth, red wine vinegar, chili powder and cumin. Pour over beef. Cover, and cook until meat is very tender, and pulls apart easily, about 2 hours. Allow to cool, then shred and mix with pan juices.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
• Brush both sides of each tortilla with melted butter. Spoon shredded beef filling down center of each tortilla. Fold ends over filling, then fold sides to center to make a packet. Place chimichangas, seam side down, in a 9- by 13-inch baking pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and salsa.