True Love, Baby!

I'm feeling much better about yesterday's burrito sauce shenanigans and in a good mental state now to share. The recipe for shredded beef is versatile, and I've used it more for chili than burritos, so keep that in mind if I've made you sauce shy.

Shredded Beef Burritos 

Here’s what you need:

2½ lbs. of boneless beef, cut into 1” thick strips
2 cups of water
12 oz. tomato juice
2 tablespoons of chili powder
½ teaspoon of oregano
¾ teaspoon of cumin
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 medium onions, diced
½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper
1 smallish chipotle pepper, seeded, stemmed and broken into pieces (optional; depends on if you want this flavor)

If you make burritos, here’s what you need for sauce and filling:

One package of large flour tortillas
One package of Mexican blend shredded cheese, room temperature (I used Kraft Philadelphia mix this time)
1 cup of beef broth
A dash of balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of cornstarch, if needed

Here’s what to do:

Brown beef in oil and salt after browning. (I forgot to do this, and I’m not sure it made any difference. Except a noticeable lack of salt; so, if you also skip this, add a few grinds of sea salt to your pot at some point.)

Transfer beef to a dutch oven, mix in remaining ingredients, and bake at 325° until meat is tender. This was about three hours for me on this batch. Remove from heat and separate beef from liquid. Pour the liquid into a medium sauce pot and shred the beef in a separate bowl.

If you want to avoid the sauce fiasco part, I recommend removing about one cup of the liquid and discarding it. Now, stir in one cup of beef broth and bring to a low heat. (I know what you’re thinking; just trust me.) Stir in balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper, then begin whisking in small handfuls of shredded cheese, letting the cheese melt completely before adding more. (Having the cheese at room temperature helps it melt without clumping. So does using a wire whisk.) Continue adding cheese until the sauce thickens. If it doesn’t, or you’re worried you’re reaching clogged artery critical mass, then spoon one tablespoon of the sauce into a small dish and let it cool, then mix in the cornstarch. Slowly whisk this sludge into your sauce and bring to a boil, whisking constantly for about one to two minutes. If you don’t have a thick sauce by now, I’m sorry, but I think you’re screwed and should probably make quesadillas instead. If you do have sauce, great! Move on to the next paragraph.

Raise oven heat to 350°. Grease a glass dish that’s large enough to fit your tortillas lengthwise. Fill tortillas with cheese and beef, then roll up and set in dish flap side down. Pour sauce over the burritos to cover, then top with cheese and bake for about 15-20 minutes. Serve to your loving and grateful husband (who, incidentally, made an amazing homemade salsa to accompany.)