Griddled Barbacoa Burritos with Cilantro-Lime Rice

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Chipotle-and-clove braised chuck roast shredded into a fast-casual-style burrito with cilantro-lime rice, garlicky black beans and cheese. The real lesson here is construction: how much filling a 12-inch tortilla can actually hold, how to fold it so nothing leaks, and how a dry griddle sears the seam shut into a crisp, sliceable package.

Ingredients

• 3 lb boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 3-inch chunks
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large white onion, roughly chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, smashed
• 4 canned chipotle peppers in adobo, plus 2 tbsp adobo sauce
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 1/4 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 4 12-inch flour tortillas (burrito size)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cup pico de gallo, well drained
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Season the chuck chunks all over with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high until it shimmers. Sear the beef in two batches, 3–4 minutes per side, until deeply browned; transfer to a plate. Do not crowd the pot or the meat will steam instead of crust.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion and cook 4 minutes, scraping up the browned bits, then add the smashed garlic and cook 1 minute more.
3. In a blender, combine the chipotles, adobo sauce, vinegar, cumin, oregano, cloves, and 1/2 cup of the beef broth. Blend smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour into the pot along with the remaining 1 cup broth and the bay leaves; bring to a simmer.
4. Return the beef and any juices to the pot, cover, and braise in a 325°F oven for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, turning the meat once at the halfway mark. It's done when a fork twists through a chunk with no resistance.
5. Transfer the beef to a bowl and shred with two forks, discarding large fat pockets. Discard the bay leaves, skim the fat off the braising liquid, then simmer the liquid on the stove over medium-high for 8–10 minutes until it thickens slightly. Pour just enough over the meat to coat it glossily (about 1 cup) and stir in 1 tbsp lime juice. Reserve the rest for serving. Important: the filling should be moist, not soupy, or the burrito will leak.
6. Make the rice: rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs nearly clear, then drain well. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a saucepan over medium, add the rice, and toast 2 minutes. Add 2 1/4 cups water, the bay leaf, and 1 tsp salt; bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low, and cook 15 minutes. Rest off heat, covered, 10 minutes, then discard the bay leaf and fluff with a fork. Fold in the cilantro and 2 tbsp lime juice.
7. Make the beans: heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium, add the garlic and cumin, and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the beans, 1/3 cup water, and 1/2 tsp salt. Simmer 5–6 minutes, mashing about a quarter of the beans against the pan, until thick and scoopable with no free liquid. Let cool slightly.
8. Warm the tortillas one at a time in a dry skillet over medium heat, 20–30 seconds per side, until soft and pliable. A cold tortilla cracks at the fold; a warm one stretches. Keep them stacked under a clean towel.
9. Build one burrito at a time on a sheet of foil or parchment. Sprinkle 1/3 cup cheese in a horizontal band across the lower third of the tortilla, leaving a 2-inch border on each side. Layer on 1/2 cup rice, 1/3 cup beans, about 3/4 cup barbacoa, then 1/4 cup drained pico and a spoonful of sour cream. Keep the pile compact — roughly a 5-inch log, no more than 2 inches tall.
10. Roll it tight: fold the bottom edge up over the filling and pull it back toward you with your fingertips to compress the log. Fold both sides in over the ends, then continue rolling forward, keeping steady tension, and finish seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining three.
11. Heat a dry large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Griddle each burrito seam-side down first for 2–3 minutes without moving it, until browned and sealed, then turn and toast the second side 2 minutes. The tortilla should be spotted golden and firm enough to hold when cut on a bias.
12. Rest 2 minutes, then cut in half on a sharp diagonal. Serve with lime wedges and the reserved braising liquid for dipping.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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