A Mission burrito (also known as a San Francisco burrito or a Mission-style burrito) is a type of burrito that first became popular during the 1960s in the Mission District of San Francisco, California. It is distinguished from other burritos by its large size and inclusion of rice and other ingredients. A key method to the burritos’ construction is to steam the wheat flour tortilla to increase its flexibility prior to adding the other ingredients,[2] although that is not a requirement and burritos may be grilled instead. It has been referred to as one of three major styles of burritos in the United States, following the earlier, simple burrito consisting of beans, rice, and meat. It precedes the California burrito, which was developed in the 1980s in San Diego and contains carne asada, cheese and French-fried potatoes.
Many taquerías in the Mission and greater San Francisco Bay Area specialize in Mission burritos. It is typically a large flour tortilla that is wrapped and folded around a variety of ingredients, served in a piece of aluminum foil. A food critic for the San Francisco Chronicle counted hundreds of taquerias in the Bay Area, and noted that the question of which taqueria makes the best burrito can “encourage fierce loyalty and ferocious debate”.[4][5] New York-based writer Calvin Trillin said that the burrito in San Francisco “has been refined and embellished in much the same way that the pizza has been refined and embellished in Chicago”. Since its commercial availability began in the 1960s, the style has spread widely throughout the United States and Canada.
Mission burrito Ingredients
For the Carne Asada
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- 1pound top sirloin steak
- 1(12-ounce) can Tecate beer
- Kosher salt
- 5tablespoons pork lard or 3 tablespoons neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable oil), plus more for searing the burritos, if desired
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For the Beans
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- 3tablespoons pork lard (optional)
- 1(15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained (about 1⅓ cups beans)
- Kosher salt
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For the Assembly
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- 4burrito-size (9- to 10-inch) flour tortillas
- 1cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1cup finely chopped homemade or store-bought pico de gallo
- ¼cup salsa verde
- ½cup sour cream
- 1avocado, mashed
Preparation of Mission burrito
- Cut steak in half crosswise. Place both pieces in a resealable plastic bag, squeeze out excess air from the bag and seal. Using a meat mallet, heavy frying pan or rolling pin, pound meat until about ¼-inch thick. Make sure there are no holes in the bag, then pour the beer into it. Let the steak marinate for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove steak from bag, discarding marinade, and pat steak dry using a paper towel. Season steak on both sides with salt.
- Meanwhile, heat the beans: In a small pot over low heat, combine the lard, if using, and pinto beans. (If you’re not using lard, add a few tablespoons of water to keep the beans from sticking to the pot.) Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Remove from heat, season to taste with salt and keep covered until ready to assemble burritos.
- Cook the steak: Heat 5 tablespoons lard or 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high. Working in two batches to avoid crowding the pan, cook each steak until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove from heat, and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Once slightly cooled, chop steak into bite-size pieces.
- Assemble the burritos: Working with one tortilla at a time, sprinkle ¼ cup cheese in a strip (running parallel to you) across the middle of the tortilla, leaving a 1-inch edge on the left and right sides so the fillings don’t spill out when you roll it. Top with ⅓ cup beans and ½ cup chopped steak. Top with ¼ cup pico de gallo, 1 tablespoon salsa verde and 2 tablespoons sour cream. Using a spoon, smear a quarter of the mashed avocado on one side of the fillings.
- To wrap the burritos, fold the short left and right edges in towards the filling. Keeping the sides folded, fold the bottom of the tortilla up and over the filling. Tightly roll away from you until the entire burrito is secure.
If you’d like to crisp the outside of the burritos, heat 2 tablespoons of lard or oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Place the burrito in the skillet and cook each side until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Tightly wrap a piece of aluminum foil around each burrito, and serve warm.