Mission-Style Burrito

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The Method for Mission-Style Burrito

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1. Combine the lime juice, orange juice, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt and oil, add the steak, and marinate, covered, in the fridge for 2 to 4 hours.

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2. Cook the rice, then fold through the lime juice, coriander and salt while it is still warm. Let it cool to just above room temperature.

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3. Get a griddle or heavy pan smoking hot. Cook the steak 3 minutes a side for medium-rare, then rest 8 minutes and slice thinly against the grain.

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4. Steam each tortilla: hold it over a pan of simmering water for 15 seconds a side, or microwave between damp kitchen paper for 20 seconds, until soft and floppy.

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5. Lay a hot tortilla flat. Sprinkle cheese down the centre third first so it melts against the warm fillings, then the rice, beans, steak, pico de gallo, guacamole and soured cream.

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6. Keep the filling in a tight log with a clear 6 cm border at each end and 8 cm nearest you.

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7. Fold the near edge up and over the filling, tuck it firmly underneath, then fold in both sides.

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8. Roll away from you, keeping constant tension, and finish seam-side down. Wrap tightly in foil, twisting the ends.

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9. Sear the wrapped burrito seam-side down on the hot griddle for 60 seconds a side to seal it, then cut in half through the foil.

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Related guides: Prep, cook and total time · Choosing rice.

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Worth Getting Right

• Do not overfill. The classic mistake is a burrito that cannot be closed, and a slightly smaller one eats far better.
• Cheese goes against the tortilla, not on top of everything. It melts into a layer that holds the whole thing together.
• The foil is structural, not decorative. It is what stops the burrito falling apart in your hands.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Lemon is the everyday swap for lime in this kind of dish — the acidity plays the same role even though the flavour is not identical.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the stand-in usually given when you are out of fresh garlic; it will not brown the same way, and it burns easily, so add it with the liquid.
• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried oregano at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Pairs Well With

Tortilla chips and salsa · Horchata or an agua fresca · A cold lager with lime

Sides from the same cuisine on this site: Pan de Muerto.

Keeping and Reheating

Wrapped burritos keep 2 days refrigerated and freeze 2 months without the soured cream or guacamole. Reheat in foil at 180°C / 350°F for 25 minutes.

What's in a Serving

No nutrition figures are given for this recipe: they cannot be worked out reliably from its ingredient list (some ingredient lines cannot be read). Why some recipes have none.

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