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Q: Chipotle Burritos: What's the recipe?? ( Answered 4 out of 5 stars,   3 Comments )
Question  
Subject: Chipotle Burritos: What's the recipe??
Category: Family and Home > Food and Cooking
Asked by: 011235813-ga
List Price: $25.00
Posted: 14 Jun 2004 11:57 PDT
Expires: 14 Jul 2004 11:57 PDT
Question ID: 360954
Does any body know the recipe for Chipotle Burritos?  I've just moved
from Denver to London (UK), and you can't get a good burrito anywhere
in this city!!

My two favorites were the Carnitas and the steak burrito.  If anyone
has the recipe for those two, plus the rice, pinto beans and the mild
salsa, you?d be doing me a huge favor.

I've looked on Chipotle?s website, and attempted to make the burritos
using the ingredients listed there, but they didn't taste right.  So,
what I'd really love is if someone had the proportions they use, and
some basic instructions as I'm a bit of a novice in the kitchen.  
Finally, do I have to use any special type of tortilla?

Request for Question Clarification by larre-ga on 14 Jun 2004 16:31 PDT
Hi there!

I know the pangs of "homesick for" burritos when in Europe. I've
located several Chipotle official and copycat recipes, hints for
ingredients and combinations, plus proportions of ingredients that go
into "official" Chipotle Gourmet Burritos, but not, unfortunately,
the, <s> whole enchilada. Would this information be helpful?

---larre

Clarification of Question by 011235813-ga on 16 Jun 2004 06:46 PDT
Larre,

Sounds like you have most of the details I?m looking for.  If its
80-90% there,  I?d be happy enough with that.

Thanks.
Answer  
Subject: Re: Chipotle Burritos: What's the recipe??
Answered By: larre-ga on 16 Jun 2004 19:11 PDT
Rated:4 out of 5 stars
 
Thanks for asking!

To make any of your Chipolte's favorites, you'll need to start with a marinade: 

CHIPOLTE'S MARINADE
-------------------

  1 (2 ounce) package dried ancho chiles
  1 teaspoon black pepper
  2 teaspoons cumin powder
  2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
  6 cloves garlic
1/2 red onion, quartered
1/4 cup vegetable oil
  4 chicken breasts or small steaks (6 ounces each)

Soak dry chilies overnight in water, until soft. Remove seeds. Add all
ingredients except meat in food processor. Puree until smooth.

Spread mixture over chicken, or other meats and refrigerate at least
one hour, up to 24 hours.

After marinading, heat grill to about 400 degrees F, or if cooking
inside, heat small amount of oil in skillet or grill pan over high
heat. Salt meat to taste (optional), and grill lightly, turning only
once, until done. 4 minutes per side for chicken, 8-10 minutes per
side for 3/4" thick steak.

Recipe will make four burritos. 


Pork is the meat in Chipolte's Carnitas Recipe. Here are the
directions for preparing:

CHIPOLTE'S PORK SHOULDER
------------------------

  1 pork shoulder roast, boneless (5-6 pounds, marinate if you like)
2-3 tablespoons olive oil 
  4 medium tomatoes (peeled, if desired)
  1 onion, thinly sliced
  1 teaspoon cumin powder 
2-4 sprigs fresh oregano (or 1/2 teaspoon crushed or powdered)
  2 whole cloves 
  2 bay leaves 
  2 dried chipotle chilies 
3/4 cup water or meat stock
    Salt/pepper to taste

Salt and pepper the pork shoulder; allow the meat come to room
temperature, about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Add olive oil to a large ovenproof pan. Sear the pork over medium-high
heat until very brown on all sides. Remove pork from the pan; let rest
on a platter for 10 to 15 minutes.

Leaving an even coating, drain excess oil from the pan. Add onions;
sweat over low heat until translucent. Return pork to the pan; add
remaining ingredients. Cover pan, place in the oven and cook for 2 to
3 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 140 to 150 degrees
F. Let pork rest 10 to 15 minutes before slicing


Chipolte's rice has middle-eastern overtones. 

CHIPOLTE'S BASMATI RICE
-----------------------

  1 teaspoon vegetable oil or butter 
  2 tsp. fresh cilantro
2/3 cup white basmati rice
  1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
  1 Lime

In a 2-quart heavy saucepan, heat oil or butter over low heat,
stirring occasionally until melted. Add rice and lime juice, stir for
1 minute. Add water and salt, bring to a full rolling boil. At
boiling, cover, turn down to simmer over low heat until rice is tender
and the water is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork.

[bahs-MAH-tee]
 Basmati is a long-grained rice, with a fine texture. It can be found
in Middle Eastern and India markets, as well as some supermarkets.


The source of these recipes is attributed to Chipolte's Executive Chef
(and CEO), Steve Ellis.



The Chipolte's Nutrition Calculator lists 4 oz. (1/2 cup, or a serving
the size of a tennis ball) as the amount of meat in a Chipolte's
Gourmet Burrito. The Calculator also shows a 13" flour tortilla is
used. Many chain restaurants use proprietary Mission tortillas -- made
specifically for the chain to their own recipe specification, by
Mission. You may find that the only way to duplicate taste, thickness
and moistness of the tortillas is to make them yourself.

You may view the Nutrition Calculator at:
http://www.freestartster.com/chipotle/

Working backward, you may be able to suss out the exact amount of the
ingredients or toppings you prefer on your burritos.

According to vegan protests, Chipolte's Refried Beans are cooked with
bacon, for flavoring.

I'm unable to find a Chipolte's Refried Beans copycat recipe, but here
is my mom's recipe, which she learned as a child growing up in
Phoenix. I'll include her Flour Tortilla recipe as well.

REFRIED BEANS
-------------

  1 lb. pinto beans
1/2 cup bacon drippings
  1 teaspoon salt
  6 cups lukewarm water

Pick over the beans and wash thoroughly in cold water, drain, add
lukewarm water and salt, and cook gently in a deep pot for about 2
hours or until the beans are tender. Stir frequently so that the beans
cook very evenly throughout.

In a large skillet, heat the bacon drippings over medium high heat.
Drain the beans, reserving the liquid. Add one large spoonful of
cooked beans to the hot oil, and mash down. Add a teaspoon of the
reserved pot liquid and stir. Repeat until all the beans are mashed.
Add liquid as needed until the right thickness is obtained, stirring
constantly.

HOMEMADE TORTILLAS DE HARINA
----------------------------

    2 cups flour
    2 tablespoons of lard, or vegetable shortening
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  2/3 cup water

Sift together the flour and the salt, cut in the shortening until well
mixed. Stir in cold water and form into a ball. Use more water if
needed until the bowl is clean of all dough. Knead well in the bowl or
on a floured board. Make the dough into balls the size of a large egg
(makes 8). Rub a little shortening on each ball, and let stand for 10
minutes. Pat thin, or roll out very thin with a rolling pin until the
tortilla is the desired size, up to 13 inches in diameter. Lift from
board into an ungreased skillet or frying pan, on medium heat. Turn
only once, allowing the tortilla to brown very lightly on each side.
The tortillas will become very slightly thicker as they cook. If they
are thicker than you prefer, omit the baking soda.


No Chipolte's Mild Salsa recipe, unfortunately. And just a small
variation in amount of ingredients can make such a difference to the
taste. I'm sorry that I can't actually help on that score. I'd
recommend trying various fresh (packaged) salsas if you're able to get
them, rather than cooked. I find that a very small pinch of sugar
(about 1/8 teaspoon) added to most brands of fresh salsas will bring
out the flavors

For cheese, select a very mild cheddar (or Colby) and shred it
yourself. If too "cheddary" mix it with Monterey Jack to tone it down.
I find that cheese is a bit stronger on that side of the Pond.


I know how difficult it can be to obtain the proper ingredients
abroad. You may find you need to order authentic tastes via the
Internet. MexGrocer carries all the ingredients, and will ship
internationally.

MexGrocer
http://www.mexgrocer.com/catagories-salsas.html



Search Strategy/Terms
---------------------------------------------------------------------

"chipolte's" copycat recipe 
chipolte nutrition 


I do hope that you're able to reproduce those beloved Chipolte's
burritos. If you have questions about the information or links, please
feel free to ask for clarification.

---larre

Request for Answer Clarification by 011235813-ga on 17 Jun 2004 04:16 PDT
Thanks Larre.

Unfortunately, MexGrocer doesn?t ship international.  I?ve tried
ethnicgrocer.com and Melissa.com, but unfortunately they don?t ship
international either.  Do you know of any other Mexican Online Grocers
that will ship international?

-David

Clarification of Answer by larre-ga on 17 Jun 2004 08:39 PDT
My apologies. I checked with my friend in Europe who buys MexGrocer
items, and learned that he does so though a third-party service,
AccessUSA.

AccessUSA (Reshipper)
http://www.myus.com/

I've looked over several more spice catalogs, and so far have located
only two with any indication they offer international shipping, or
information on it. I will continue the search, but let me give you
these two I've found so far. We have an eight hour time difference
between our respective locations.

SantaFe School of Cooking
Catalog and OnLine Market

I had to download the .pdf version of the Catalog and page through
(Page 14) to the order form, where it says: "Please call for
International [shipping] rates." I will call them a bit later in the
day, but in the meantime, you might try the email address:

cookin@santafeschoolofcooking.com

Santa Fe School of Cooking Catalog
http://santafeschoolofcooking.com/Downloadable_Catalog/

Santa Fe School of Cooking Online Market
http://santafeschoolofcooking.com/On-line_Market/


FlavorBank
http://flavorbank.com/

"Overseas customers - contact us for prices and delivery information.
Int'l phone: 01.520.747.5431"

FlavorBank Contact Information
http://flavorbank.com/cgi-bin/perlshop/flavorbank_ps.pl?ACTION=thispage&thispage=contact.html&ORDER_ID=146488440

---l

Clarification of Answer by larre-ga on 17 Jun 2004 18:04 PDT
I have also located:

British Cornership (Mexican Foods) - Online Store
http://www.britishcornershop.co.uk/pages/mexicanfood.htm

International Foods - Nothing for sale online, but located in South
Hampton. Perhaps they will ship to you direct.

83 - 95 Derby Road,
Southampton,
Hampshire,
SO14 ODQ
Tel: 023 80 220 914
Fax: 023 80 637007

International Foods
http://www.internationalfoods.co.uk/home.htm

---l

Request for Answer Clarification by 011235813-ga on 18 Jun 2004 03:05 PDT
Larre,

Thanks for tracking down those online grocers in the UK.

I?m having some trouble reconciling the Carnitas recipe below with the
details on Chipotle?s website.  On their website it describes their
Carntas as ??pork seasoned with thyme, bay leaves, juniper berries and
freshly cracked black pepper ? seared than braised for hours.?   
Which is close to the recipe below, but not exact.  The recipe you
gave me is closer to the Chipotle website?s description of their
Barbacoa: ??beef, braised with our own chipotle adobo, cumin, cloves,
garlic and oregano?

If you could add some insight, I?d be very grateful.

Thanks,
-David

Clarification of Answer by larre-ga on 18 Jun 2004 09:31 PDT
As is very common on the Internet, some of the recipes are labeled
"Chipolte's" but are attributed to different people. I'm not sure if
the Barbacoa recipe is authentic -- it refers also to goat and lamb in
the recipe itself, rather than beef. It may have been adapted from
some other source.

Searching on "barbacoa burrito" I've located several more sources of
Chipolte lore, including another Carnitas recipe, also attributed to
Chipolte's.


Burrito chain spices McDonald's
Giant's minority stake in Chipotle could heat up menus and culture
Susan Chandler, Chicago Tribune, August 2, 1998

"Chipotle's food is based on Ells' recipes, which call for fresh
ingredients, most of them prepared in the restaurant in front of
customers. Ells insists on toasting cumin seeds that are ground up
into a marinade for the steak, chicken or pork in his oversized,
20-ounce burritos. The burritos are wrapped in foil and meant to be
eaten with fingers.

No detail is overlooked. His tortilla chips are doused with citrus
juice before being fried daily, and then seasoned with kosher salt.
His roasted corn-chili salsa is made of charred, peeled and chopped
Anaheim and pasilla peppers mixed with baby corn-kernels."

http://www.frontenac.com/news/news_1998_08_02.asp


Chipotle's Barbacoa Burrito
Chef: Chef Kent Chambless
From Chipotle Mexican Grill 

Ingredients

  4 guijillo chiles 
  2 teaspoons cumin seeds 
  1 teaspoon ground cloves 
 10 allspice berries 
1/3 cup Mexican oregano 
 12 sprigs fresh thyme 
  6 garlic cloves 
  1 Spanish onion, roughly chopped 
1/3 cup cider vinegar 
  1 (6 to 8-pound) beef roast 
    Salt and pepper 
  1 (2-pound) package dried avocado leaves 

The full recipe, including directions is available at:

http://www.wfaa.com/cgi-bin/bi/dallas/recipe_display.cgi?step=Display&recipeID=10982


Burrito Wrap-Up [Steve Ellis]

"Nobody behind the counter at Chipotle Mexican Grill on Kirby speaks
English. A friend and I order a carnitas burrito and a barbacoa
burrito, and I chat with the three women in Spanish as they assemble
them. "Do you eat carnitas and barbacoa on the weekends?" I ask. They
all say that they do, and go on to list their favorite places to get
them: Fiesta, Matamoros Meat Market and La Michoacana.

"But why don't you get carnitas and barbacoa at Chipotle?" I ask,
putting the women on the spot.

"Because this isn't really carnitas or barbacoa," one answers in
Spanish, looking a little sheepish."

Houston Press
http://www.houstonpress.com/issues/2004-04-08/toque.html


"I took a panel of independent burrito investigators to Chipotle
several weeks ago and ordered nonstandard fare: a barbacoa burrito, a
steak fajita burrito, and a crispy carnitas taco. Chips and guacamole
came separately. Instead of aguas frescas, Chipotle sells bottled
fruit juices, but it does carry Mexican beers and margaritas.

Ells' gourmet approach succeeds in the braised and roasted meats. My
carnitas, torn into shreds, had been softly braised in their own
juices until all the fat melted off, with the meaty flavors
concentrated in each strand. They were neither overfried nor overly
fatty. Chipotle -- the smoked jalapeño -- and other spices perfumed
the stewed and finely shredded beef in the barbacoa."

¡Y Sus Golden Arches También!  
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/issues/2002-05-15/food.html


Boorito Day - Carnitas | Chef Ron Sedillo, Chipolte 

INGREDIENTS
4 ?5 lbs pork shoulder 
1 large onion 
1 tablespoon coriander seed 
1 tablespoon cumin seed 
1 tablespoon fresh oregano 
2 bay leaves 
1 tablespoon juniper berries 
2 cloves garlic 

News 10 Recipe - Carnitas Burrito
http://www.news10.net/recipe/print/p-burrito-day-carnitas.htm


A coupla Chipolte's fan sites:

http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~keflavic/chipotle.htm
http://www.chipotlelovers.com/

---l
011235813-ga rated this answer:4 out of 5 stars
Genuine desire to find the answer, even when not all the information
was available.  Very obliging.  Thank you!!

Comments  
Subject: Re: Chipotle Burritos: What's the recipe??
From: chndru-ga on 14 Jun 2004 13:21 PDT
 
From what i know, i couldn't find the entire recipe if any.
try,

http://www.keepcookin.com/recipes/chefs/ells/ells1.html
http://www.keepcookin.com/recipes/chefs/ells/ells2.html
http://www.keepcookin.com/recipes/chefs/ells/ells3.html
http://www.recipegoldmine.com/ccC/c169.htm
http://www.recipegoldmine.com/ccC/c336.html
http://www.recipegoldmine.com/ccC/c254.html
http://www.recipegoldmine.com/ccC/c343.html
http://www.recipegoldmine.com/ccC/c344.html
Subject: Re: Chipotle Burritos: What's the recipe??
From: chndru-ga on 14 Jun 2004 13:29 PDT
 
Mostly repetitive, Anyhow, 
http://www.azfamily.com/cgi-bin/recipes/reciperesults.pl?action=search&restaurant=Chipotle%20Mexican%20Grill
Subject: Re: Chipotle Burritos: What's the recipe??
From: toddgalloway-ga on 07 Jul 2004 13:22 PDT
 
Hey it's Todd from ChipotleLovers.com

You can use the feature on our website to create a shopping list. 
Once logged in - go to Potle Menu and go down the line like you would
at Chipotle -- once you have everything you need in your 'red basket'
click to 'wrap it up' -- on the next screen you will see the burrito
you created -- just click the little check box icon and you will have
a categorized list of items that you need to get!

Drop me a line in the Forums or an email if this helps you out!  You
may be able to find some other people craving potle on the site also
-- we have over 500 members!

Good luck with your home made chomp!
Todd

Homepage:
http://www.ChipotleLovers.com/

Potle Menu:
http://www.chipotlelovers.com/CreateStep.asp?line_pos=0&fn=browse

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