Smoked brisket, Queso Quesadilla, and cheddar cheese rolled into a jumbo tortilla then shallow fried till golden brown.

WHAT’S GOING ON HERE:

Brisket: Brisket is my meat of choice for this chimichanga its smokey, salty and super tender. Use any meat you have on hand or skip the meat and stuff it with grilled veggies, beans and or rice.

Cheese: Oaxaca and queso quesadilla are great cheeses for rolling and stuffing. They are white, semi-soft creamy cheeses that melt really easily and produce the perfect cheese strings. I like to toss a little cheddar in just for some color. Use any cheese you prefer and have on hand. Just make sure its a melting cheese.

Jumbo tortillas: Jumbo or burrito style tortillas are a must have. The giant tortillas roll and tuck alot easier to keep all the fillings in. If you do not have jumbo tortillas maybe stick with taquitos, they are similar but utilize a smaller tortilla.

TIPS & TRICKS FOR THE BEST BRISKET & CHEESE FRIED CHIMICHANGAS

tortilla size matters:  keeping everything contained is the difference between a great dinner or a frustrating one. chimichangas are simple to make and put together. when it comes time to roll and fold make sure you tuck the edges to keep the filling from dropping out of the sides. once the cheese starts to melt it will keep the edges and seam intact.

rolling and securing: overstuffing the tortilla will result in a loose chimichanga that may result in it unwrapping in the pan. ease up on the amount of filling and make sure you’re able to tuck and roll the chimichanga.  the chimichanga shouldn’t need extra security like a toothpick to hold its shape, simply place it seem side down. once the chimichanga is placed in the pan ( seam side down ) the oil will seal the seam.

pan frying: i like to use a combination of lard and cooking oil for my pan fry. that’s because the lard offers alot of flavor and can really permeate the cooking oil. 1/2c of lard goes  along way and i think its the key to getting that golden brown pillowy fried tortilla look and taste. keep the oil shallow enough that you don’t risk splattering your hands and counters adding in the chimichanga. don’t heat the oil too hot or you’ll risk burning and cooking the tortillas too quickly.

draining: once the chimichangas are cooked you may want to jump right in, but first place them on  a wire rack seam side down for 1-2 minutes to let all that residual oil out. sometimes hot pocket of oil can still be in the seams which will make for an unpleasant bite.

SIMILAR INGREDIENTS TO:

1. CHORIZO, SWEET POTATO & EGG TAQUITOS
2. SMOKED HOT CHICKEN QUESADILLAS
3. SPICY POTATO & CHEESE TAQUITOS + ROASTED TOMATO PINTO BEAN DIP

ENJOY THIS RECIPE WITH:

1. CHICKEN, WHITE BEAN & CHORIZO SOUP
2. REFRIED PINTO BEANS
3. TWO LAYER CHEESE STUFFED JALAPENOS & REFRIED BLACK BEAN TOSTADAS

LET’S STAY CONNECTED