Shredded beef and bean burritos
Burritos are often contrasted with similar dishes, such as tacos, in which a small hand-sized tortilla is folded in half around the ingredients rather than wrapped and sealed, or with enchiladas, which use corn masa tortillas, and are covered in shredded beef and bean burritos savory sauce, to be eaten with a fork and knife. The word burrito means “little donkey” in Spanish, the diminutive form of burro, or “donkey”. Before the development of the modern burrito, the Maya civilization of Mexico used corn tortillas as early as 1500 B.
The precise origin of the modern burrito is not known. Some have speculated that it may have originated with vaqueros, the cowboys of northern Mexico in the 19th century. Another origin story tells of Ciudad Juárez in the 1940s, where a street food vendor created the tortilla-wrapped food to sell to poor children at a state-run middle school. The vendor would call the children his “burritos”, because burro is a colloquial term for a dunce or dullard. Eventually, the somewhat derogatory but endearing term for the children was transferred to the food that they ate.
In 1923, Alejandro Borquez opened the Sonora Cafe in Los Angeles that later changed its name to El Cholo Spanish Cafe. Burritos first appeared on American restaurant menus at the El Cholo Spanish Cafe in Los Angeles during the 1930s. Although burritos are one of the most popular examples of Mexican cuisine outside of Mexico, they are only popular in the northern part of Mexico. However, they are beginning to appear in some nontraditional venues in other parts of Mexico. A variation of the burrito found in the Mexican state of Sonora is known as the burro percherón. The origins of the Mission burrito or Mission-style burrito can be traced back to San Francisco, in the Mission District taquerías of the 1960s and 1970s.
Los Angeles also has several unique local burrito varieties. In addition to the version described, Los Angeles is also home to three burrito styles that can be said to fall under the category of Mexican fusion cuisine. The existence of such a large truly Mexican community in Los Angeles also makes it possible to find a variety of authentic burrito dishes from different regions of Mexico: from Oaxaca to Hidalgo. A wet burrito is covered with a red chili sauce similar to a red enchilada sauce, with melted shredded cheese on top.
The Beltline Bar in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is said to have introduced the wet burrito in 1966. A burrito bowl is not technically a burrito despite its name, as it consists of burrito fillings served without the tortilla. The fillings are placed in a bowl, and a layer of rice is put at the bottom. In 2017, a Meal, Ready-to-Eat version of a burrito bowl was introduced. A breakfast burrito, a take on the American breakfast, is composed of breakfast items, particularly scrambled eggs, wrapped in a flour tortilla. A taco is similar to a burrito, but is served open rather than closed, is generally smaller, and is often made with corn flour rather than wheat.
The taco editor of Texas Monthly argues that burritos are a type of taco. Taco Bell research chef Anne Albertine experimented with grilling burritos to enhance portability. This grilling technique allowed large burritos to remain sealed without spilling their contents. Bean burritos, which are high in protein and low in saturated fat, have been touted for their health benefits. Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico. Planet Taco: A Global History of Mexican Food. Tejano South Texas: A Mexican American Cultural Province.
Wahaca – Mexican Food at Home. The Ultimate Tortilla Press Cookbook: 125 Recipes for All Kinds of Make-Your-Own Tortillas–and for Burritos, Enchiladas, Tacos, and More. 75 Quick and Easy Ways to Turn Simple Tortillas Into Healthy Snacks and Mealtime Feasts. Encyclopedia of American Indian Contributions to the World: 15,000 Years of Inventions and Innovations.
New York: Facts On File, Inc. Foods that Changed History: How Foods Shaped Civilization from the Ancient World to the Present. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America. Tacos, Enchiladas and Refried Beans: The Invention of Mexican-American Cookery”. The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink.
Burrito king grows from frozen to fine dining”. Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America. What A Breakfast Burrito Will Do To Your Life”. Our critic puts 85 beloved Bay Area burrito joints to the test”. Chipotle serves up free burritos and drinks”.
