Chimichangas

Today is a little something for you and your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day. What we’re fixing today is the greatest green chile, beef, bean and cheese chimichanga with a green pepper sauce!

We start with a ground beef mixtures with Hatch green chiles and seasoned up with some cumin, ancho and smoked paprika for a bold flavor.

Next comes a dried ancho chili. You can shake the seeds out of it to reduce the heat or you can leave them in, whatever you want. I like to crush it really small and add it to the beef mixture ’cause it gives it so much flavor.

Let all this simmer for about 5-8 minutes until everything gets good and soft and that meat has browned. And make sure to stir it on occasion.

Once it’s all cooked, be sure to remove any excess grease from the skillet.

And, folks, it is not a chimichanga without some beans in it! And I’m gonna use about 2 cups of our homemade Refried Beans recipe (you can find here). However, if you want a quicker method- you can use just a can of refried beans, but I like to doctor them up a little with some mayonnaise, sour cream and onions (see recipe below).

Let that all simmer together for about 3-4 minutes stirring frequently, so it doesn’t stick to the skillet.

Time to Tuck and Roll the Chimichangas

When the meat cools off, put the cheese and meat on tortilla and roll it.

While the grease is getting hot, we’re gonna take us some of our homemade tortillas. or you can use 8-inch store bought tortillas.We’re going to take some cheese and put down the middle of the tortilla and then the meat mixture. We want this to be cheesy- so top that off with more cheese and now it’s time to roll!

Cover the side ends first so you can seal it.

Fold each side in toward the middle and then the bottom flap up to the middle- sort of like an envelope. Continue rolling all the way up. Now this is important- you want to secure the burrito with a toothpick so they stay closed when frying.

Deep-Fry the Chimis

Heat the grease to 375F degrees so the chimichangas crisp up and brown quickly.

We’re heating some Manteca in a Dutch oven. You can also use lard or a good high temp fry oil in a saucepan or deep fryer. Heat the oil to 365 to 375 degrees F. because we want this to be a quicker fry.

Place the burritos, sealed side down, and fry until a light golden brown, rotating frequently. Be sure not to overcook these so they become too crispy. You want a mix of crunch and softness. Remove from oil and let cool slightly on a paper towel or wire rack.

Enjoy the Chimichangas!

But don’t quit me now because we need something to dip these rascals in! It’s the perfect green pepper salsa to pair with it. It’s a blend of tomato, onion, serrano and jalapenos all blended up smooth.

So, go ahead and enjoy the chimichangas with your sweetheart on this Valentine’s Day or any day! Be sure to share the food and the recipes.

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Chimichangas - Cowboy Kent Rollins

Ingredients

• 1 lb. hamburger meat
• 2 green chiles chopped
• ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon Red River Ranch Mesquite optional
• 1 dried ancho chili crushed
• 1 15-ounce can refried beans or 2 cups homemade
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup diced green onion
• Oil or lard for frying
• 2 - 3 cups shredded cheese
• 8 - 10 large tortillas

Instructions

• Add the hamburger to a large cast iron skillet. As the meat begins to brown, stir in the green chiles. Season with the smoked paprika, cumin and Mesquite (optional). Add the ancho chili and continue cooking until the meat has completely browned, stirring occasionally.
• Drain any excess grease, if needed, and discard. Stir in the refried beans, until combined. If using canned beans, stir in the butter, mayonnaise and green onion in to the beans before adding to the meat mixture. Continue cooking for about 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat.
• Add enough oil or lard to a saucepan or Dutch oven to deep fry and heat to 365 - 375 degrees F.
• Sprinkle a layer of cheese down the middle of a tortilla. Top with about 3 tablespoons of the meat mixture and top with more cheese. Fold the outer edges of the tortilla toward the middle and then the bottom flap up to the middle, like an envelope. Continue rolling up toward the top flap. Seal with a toothpick. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
• Add a few burritos at a time to the oil and fry just until each side is a light golden brown, rotating around. Remove from the oil and allow to cool slightly on a paper towel or wire rack. Serve warm with green sauce (below).

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Green Pepper Salsa - Cowboy Kent Rollins

Ingredients

• 3 serrano peppers
• 1 jalapeno seeded
• 1 small tomato chopped
• ½ white onion chopped
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Juice of ½ lime

Instructions

• Cut the jalapeno in half and devein. Place the jalapeno and serrano peppers over a flame to roast until blistered, rotating occasionally. Remove from the heat and cut off the stems.
• Add the peppers, and remaining ingredients to a blends. Blend until smooth. Serve with the chimichangas.