A burrito is normally something quick. So what happens if we do everything to squeeze every last bit of flavor out of it?
Prep and Cook Time: 212 hours
Makes 6 burritos
INGREDIENTS
Hot Sauce - 168 hours
1 pound (450g) red fresno or red jalapeño chilies, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon (14g) Kosher salt, plus more to taste (salt is 3% of weight of chilies for proper fermentation)
2 tablespoons (30g) sugar
1/3 cup (80ml) white distilled vinegar
1/2 teaspoon (0.5g) xanthan gum
Water for blending
Preserved Lemons - 168 Hours
3/4 cup (216g) Kosher salt
3 tablespoons (36g) granulated sugar
7 meyer lemons
16 Hour Carnitas - 16 hours
4 pounds (1.8kg) boneless, pork Boston butt, cut into 1-inch thick slices
Salt, to taste
1 cinnamon stick
1 lime, cut into rounds
1 fresh bay leaf
1 orange, cut into wedges
10 cloves garlic, peeled
Borracho Beans - 15 hours
1 pound (450g) dried pinto beans
Water, to cover and cook beans
½ pound (225g) bacon, roughly chopped
2 jalapeños, thinly sliced
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons (2g) cumin powder
2 teaspoons (8g) smoked paprika
1 tablespoon (15g) light brown sugar
2 chile de arbol
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
1 12-ounce bottle Modelo Negra beer
1 tablespoons (4g) finely chopped fresh oregano
1/3 cup (15g) finely chopped cilantro
Sourdough Tortilla - 12 hours
1 ½ cups (225g) all-purpose flour, plus more for bench flour
1 1/2 teaspoons (9g) fine sea salt
1/2 cup (120ml) warm water
1/3 cup (86g) mature sourdough starter
1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil
Fried Garlic Citrus Rice - 45 minutes
2 cups (380g) medium grain rice
2 cups (480ml) water
1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Salt, to taste
Zest of 1 lime
2 1/2 tablespoons (35g) lime juice
1 tablespoon (11g) finely chopped preserved lemon peel (optional)
Black Garlic Salsa Negra - 15 minutes
1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil
3/4 ounce (18g) chile de arbol, seeded
1 ounce (28g) guajillo chile, seeded
10 cloves fresh garlic
15 cloves black garlic
1 tablespoon (15g) light brown sugar
2 tablespoons (29g) white distilled vinegar
2 teaspoons (4g) cumin powder
Salt, to taste
Preserved Lemon Pico - 10 minutes
3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 red onion, very finely diced
1 serrano chile, seeded and very finely diced
3 cloves garlic, grated
3 tablespoons (34g) preserved lemon skins, brunoise
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons (8g) finely chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste
Assembly
Sourdough tortillas
Black garlic salsa negra
Fried garlic citrus rice
Carnitas
Preserved lemon pico
Borracho Beans
1 1/2 cups (300g) freshly grated Monterey jack cheese
Hot sauce
INSTRUCTIONS
For The Hot Sauce
Place the chilies into a large bowl and toss with salt to evenly combine.
Place chilies in a vacuum seal bag and vacuum the bag. Leave peppers at room temperature for 7 days.
The day of making the burrito, pour all of the contents from the bag, including any liquid, into a blender along with the sugar, vinegar, xanthan gum and salt to taste. Blend on high speed until smooth.
Pour the hot sauce into a squeeze bottle and refrigerate until ready to serve.
For The Preserved Lemons
Combine salt and sugar in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
Cut just the tip off the top and bottom of each lemon. Turn the lemon so it is sitting on one of these flat edges and then cut the lemon into quarters without cutting all the way through the bottom; this will hold the lemon together just at the base. Repeat with the remaining lemons.
Open up one of the lemons and spoon as much salt and sugar mixture into the lemon as it will hold. Transfer the lemon to a 1-quart glass jar and repeat with the remaining lemons, layering in a spoonful more of the salt and sugar mixture between each lemon.
Use a dowel or rolling pin to press down and crush the lemons, releasing as much liquid as possible. Keep pressing on the lemons until the lemon juice covers the lemons. Add the remaining salt and sugar mixture to the top of the jar.
Cover with cheesecloth and tie tightly to the jar with kitchen twine. Let sit at room temperature for at least 7 days but up to 1 month.
To use the preserved lemon peel, in the rice for example, cut the peel away from the flesh and finely dice the peel.
For The 16 Hour Carnitas
Heat water in a large pot or sous vide container fitted with a sous vide machine to 185℉ / 85℃.
The day before making the burrito, season the pork shoulder generously on both sides with salt.
Char the cinnamon stick with a kitchen torch or over an open flame.
Place the pork in an even layer in a large vacuum seal bag with the cinnamon stick, lime rounds, bay leaf, orange wedges and garlic cloves. Vacuum seal the bag.
Lower the bag into the sous vide and cook overnight or for 16 hours.
The day of making the burrito, preheat oven to 400℉ / 204℃.
Pour the contents of the bag into a medium sized bowl. Roughly shred the pork with your hands and place on a sheet pan lined with foil. Using a ladle, drizzle some of the juices from the bowl over top of the pork.
Bake the pork for 8-10 minutes or until crispy in parts but still moist.
For The Borracho Beans
The day before making the burrito, cover beans with water by 1-inch, cover with plastic wrap and soak overnight or for 12 hours.
The day of making the burrito, strain the beans from the water. Transfer the beans to a large Dutch oven and add 2 1/2 quarts (2.5 L) of water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and reduce heat to low to simmer. Cook for 2 hours, adding water as needed to keep the beans covered, or until the beans are soft but not falling apart. Drain beans and set aside.
To that same pot over medium heat add bacon and cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes or until the bacon is crispy and golden brown. Add the jalapeño, onions and garlic and cook for about 2 minutes, or until fragrant and the onions become translucent. Add the cumin, paprika, sugar, chilies and stir to combine and cook for 20 seconds. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Stir in the pinto beans, tomatoes, beer, oregano and a generous splash of water. Bring to a boil over medium high and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the flavors combine and the liquid reduces slightly. Remove from the heat. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover to keep warm until ready to serve.
For The Sourdough Tortilla
The day before cooking, make sure to feed your sourdough starter so it matures for 12 hours, or overnight.
The day of making the burrito, to a medium bowl add the flour, salt, water and mature sourdough starter. Mix together until you have a rough dough. Remove from the bowl to a clean work surface and knead the dough for 3-5 minutes or until smooth. Form into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature 30 minutes.
Separate the dough into 5-6 pieces and roll into small balls. Lightly dust the work surface with flour and roll each ball into 11-inch tortillas.
Heat a large, 12-inch, cast iron pan over medium high heat until very hot. One at a time, add a tortilla to the skillet. Cook for 15-30 seconds or until puffed and lightly charred. Flip and cook on the other side for 15-30 seconds. Remove from the pan and repeat cooking the rest of the tortillas. Keep the tortillas warm by wrapping in foil or a clean towel until ready to use.
For The Fried Garlic Citrus Rice
The day of making the burrito, cook the rice during some down time when cooking the beans.
Wash your rice. Just do it.
Put rice into a rice cooker with water and set to cook.
To a small pan add the vegetable oil. Turn the heat to medium low. Cook until the garlic begins to fry and turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and strain the fried garlic into a small bowl to stop it from cooking.
When the rice is done cooking, open the lid and season rice with salt to taste. Stir in 2 tablespoons (30g) of garlic oil, fried garlic, lime zest, lime juice and preserved lemons, if using.
Keep warm in the rice cooker until ready to serve.
For The Black Garlic Salsa Negra
Make the day of making the burrito.
In a large pan over medium heat add the oil and chilies and cook 3-4 minutes or until fragrant and a few dark spots appear on the chilies.
Add both fresh and black garlic cloves, sugar, vinegar and cumin and lightly stir while the mixture boils for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Transfer the cooled mixture to a blender and blend on high speed until smooth. Season with salt to taste. Transfer to a bowl and set aside until ready to serve.
For The Preserved Lemon Pico
The day of making the burrito, combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To Assemble
Place a tortilla on a clean work surface. Lightly schmear the tortilla with the black garlic salsa negra. Add a line of the rice across the lower third of the tortilla, leaving a 1 ½-inch space between the rice and the bottom edge of the tortilla. Top the rice with the carnitas followed by the preserved lemon pico, beans, cheese, and hot sauce. Roll into a burrito, slice in half and enjoy!
