Meat Tornado Burrito
Video Stats
Recipe Overview
Overview
The Meat Tornado Burrito is not just a meal; it’s an experience. Inspired by the beloved show Parks and Recreation, this dish combines a variety of meats, including marinated flank steak, tender carnitas, and spicy tinga de pollo, all wrapped in a massive tortilla. The preparation begins with marinating the flank steak in a zesty mixture of lemon juice, soy sauce, and spices, which adds depth to the flavor. The carnitas are cooked low and slow in lard, resulting in a melt-in-your-mouth texture that pairs perfectly with the other components.
Assembling the burrito is where the fun begins. The giant tortilla serves as a canvas for layering the meats, along with refried beans and a generous drizzle of hot sauce for those who crave a kick. The combination of flavors and textures creates a satisfying bite that is both hearty and indulgent. This dish is perfect for gatherings, whether you’re hosting a game day party or simply looking to impress friends with a culinary adventure.
The Meat Tornado Burrito is a testament to the joy of cooking and the creativity inspired by television. It’s a reminder that food can be both fun and delicious, and that sometimes, going big is the best way to go. So gather your ingredients, roll up your sleeves, and get ready to tackle this epic burrito that is sure to be a hit at any gathering.
Recipe Details
Steps & Tips
Make gravy from the drippings after frying chicken fried steak.
Shred potatoes for hash browns and fry them.
Prepare scrambled eggs in bacon fat.
Make tomato sauce by sautéing onions and garlic, then adding tomatoes.
Prepare whole wheat dough for calzones.
Fill and fold calzones with sautéed vegetables and cheese.
Deep fry mini calzones until golden brown.
Tip: Whisking in cream slowly helps prevent lumps in gravy.
Tip: Squeezing excess moisture from shredded potatoes ensures crispiness when frying.
Tip: Covering hash browns while frying helps them cook evenly.
Tip: Simmering tomato sauce for an hour and a half deepens its flavor.
Tip: Letting dough rest in the fridge for a day improves flavor and texture.
Tip: Using a food processor to knead dough can yield better results than hand kneading.
Prepare a marinade for flank steak with lemon juice, vegetable oil, soy sauce, chicken stock, cayenne pepper, ground cumin, white sugar, crushed garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper.
Tip: Marinating your meat in a bowl or casserole helps prevent cross-contamination in the fridge.
Pour the marinade over the flank steak and cover it to marinate in the fridge for about 4 hours.
Tip: After the first hour of simmering, replace the orange rind with onion and garlic for added flavor.
Debone, deskin, and defat a pork shoulder, cutting it into 2-inch pieces.
Melt 2 lbs of lard in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add the pork pieces to the melted lard along with orange juice and flesh.
Tip: The milk proteins in the cooking process will adhere to the meat and help it brown beautifully.
Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low and maintain a bare simmer for about 2 hours.
Remove the orange rind and add onion, garlic, bay leaves, cinnamon, cumin seeds, and oregano.
Add beer and evaporated milk to the simmering pork.
Tip: Searing skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts helps protect the delicate meat and adds flavor.
Fridge the cooked carnitas until ready to use.
Sear skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts in a pot.
Sauté onion and garlic in the pot after removing the chicken.
Tip: Using a pizza peel can help flip large tortillas more easily.
De-glaze the pot with chicken stock, vinegar, crushed tomatoes, and chipotle chilies.
Simmer the chicken in the sauce for about 45 minutes.
Tip: Kneading the dough longer helps develop gluten, making it less delicate.
Shred the cooked chicken and return it to the sauce.
Grill the marinated flank steak.
Tip: Slice flank steak thinly across the grain to avoid chewy pieces.
Prepare a large tortilla dough using flour, salt, and lard.
Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, then let it rest.
Tip: Letting the burrito rest after rolling helps the flavors meld together.
Roll out the dough into a large tortilla.
Fill the tortilla with carne asada, carnitas, cheese, tinga de pollo, and refried beans.
Roll the burrito tightly.
Prepare chili by sautéing onions and garlic, then adding ground beef.
Tip: Simmering chili uncovered allows it to thicken and develop flavor.
Add crushed tomatoes and water to the beef, then simmer.
Tip: Cooking cheese sauce over medium heat while stirring constantly prevents lumps.
Prepare cheese sauce by combining evaporated milk and cheddar cheese.
Slice onions into rings and freeze them.
Prepare batter for onion rings.
Tip: Freezing onion rings before frying helps them maintain their shape and prevents slippage.
Heat oil for frying onion rings.
Fry onion rings until golden brown.
Tip: Toasting buns in a cast iron skillet adds flavor and texture.
Toast burger buns in a skillet.
Cook burger patties in the skillet.
Tip: Cooking potatoes over medium-low heat helps drive off excess moisture for fluffier mashed potatoes.
Boil peeled and chopped Yukon Gold potatoes until tender.
Tip: Letting chicken fried steak rest after frying helps keep it crispy.
Mash the potatoes with half and half and butter.
Fry chicken fried steak after breading.
Ingredients
Nutrition
Skill Level
Frequently asked questions
Below you will find answers to the most common questions about this recipe.
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Interesting Tidbits
- •The Meat Tornado Burrito is inspired by a fictional dish from the show Parks and Recreation.
- •Flank steak is marinated to enhance its flavor and tenderness before grilling.
- •Carnitas are traditionally made by braising pork in lard until tender and crispy.
- •Tinga de pollo is a Mexican dish made with shredded chicken in a spicy tomato sauce.
- •The giant tortilla is made from scratch, ensuring a fresh and delicious wrap for the fillings.
