Saturday, August 20, 2011

Beck's Chimichangas - A Family Favorite

Caleb makes these almost every Saturday night for supper.  They are a real family favorite and I wanted to share the recipe with you... cause I'm just nice like that!

3-ish pound beef roast (cheapest cut with as little marbling as you can get...it will shrink)
an onion, quartered
about 2 cups beef broth (or 2 c water + 2 t bouillion)
Cook above in crock pot for about 6 hours on high. You really want this to fall apart.

Gather:
8-10 10-inch flour tortillas (burrito size)
1 small can plain tomato sauce
chili powder/taco seasoning
shredded colby jack or cheddar cheese (about 10 oz?)
about 1/3-1/2 cup oil and a pastry brush

When roast is done, take out of broth (save for another use...great for the beginning of french onion soup!), and let cool enough to handle. In a large bowl, shred beef well with two forks. Pour on tomato sauce, however much is needed (this keeps it moist...you WANT this. My tomato-hating children hate these without it!) and sprinkle on a good amount of chili powder/taco seasoning. Blend well.

Heat tortillas in the microwave for about 30 seconds, IN THEIR BAG to make them pliable and moist. I work one tortilla at a time, keeping the others in the bag.

Lightly grease a baking sheet, either with PAM or oil, or whatever you use.

Lay out tortilla, sprinkle some cheese on the center, where you're going to lay your meat. Maybe 1/4 cup or less? Lay the meat on top of the cheese. Picture this as if it's divided vertically into thirds. You want to fill the center third, and leave about 2 1/2 inches at either end. You are making the size of your chimi here. Fold in the ends, and then one side. Tightly roll the chimi into the final side, and lay onto baking sheet, seam side down. The weight of the chimi will hold itself together, and the cheese is now on "top" of the meat, to ooze down into it, yummy-like.

Keep rollin'. When you're out of meat, you're done. I find that a 3 lb roast gives me a good 8-10 chimis (but I often make more roast and freeze some for omelets later! )

Brush the chimis with oil, and bake 10-15 minutes or until golden in a 375 degree oven. We serve with sour cream, black olives and sprinkling more of cheese.
 
Holler if you give these a try.  We really love them :)