Mexican Food Archives - Page 2 of 24 - Poor Man's Gourmet Kitchen

Chili Chimichangas

The Best Chimichangas

Why is it that everything gets better when it’s fried? A Chimichanga is just a fried burrito and you can put anything you want in them; beef, chicken, carnitas or, in this case, chili. My chili recipe is incredible, too. That’s why it’s called Amazing Chili. And you’re going to need this recipe or one you like well enough to make these Chimi’s. Technically, you can use canned chili but I would only do it as a last resort.

My cold left over “Amazing Chili” in a round Tupperware container.

Tricks to make Great Chimichangas

It’s all about the filling. You can stuff a chimichanga with beans and cheese, beef, pork, chicken or whatever your little heart desires, practically. That’s why it’s genius to use chili to fill your burritos before they’re fried because chili can be made with any of those meats I just mentioned. So just imagine the possibilities.

One of the tricks is to use a thick chili recipe. Refrigerating my chili over night thickens it even more and it makes it easier to fill the tortilla’s before you roll them.

One package of fresh Flour Tortilla’s from my local Mexican Market.

It’s also important to use a good tortilla. If you’re buying the Mission tortillas or something else at you’re grocery store, you’re chimichangas aren’t going to turn out nearly as good as they could be. Go to your local Tortilleria or Mexican Market, where they stock fresh Flour tortilla’s. They’re just as cheap but 10x the quality.

One crispy fried Chili Chimichanga on a paper towel, sitting on the counter top.

Making, Storing and Frying Chimi’s

Burritos are easy to make. You just add all of the ingredients to the center of a flat flour tortilla, fold the left and right sides, then roll the tortilla from the back to the front. If done right, these burritos can be placed in zip lock or vacuum sealed bag and stored in the freezer.

Frying the burritos can be done in shallow oil or deep fried, which ever your preference. In the video tutorial I use a medium sized pan with 3/4 of an inch of canola oil in the bottom. I heat the pan over medium low heat and fry the burritos for about a minute on each side or until golden brown and crispy. Once the burritos are fried, you now have a Chimichanga.

Chili Chimichanga video tutorial by PoorMansGourmet.

chili Chimichangas Ingredients:

1 doz Flour Tortillas
1 qt. Thick Chili, homemade or canned
1 cup Canola Oil

Toppings Optional
1 lbs Cheese, grated
1 cup Sour Cream
1 bunch Cilantro, chopped
2 Green Onions, chopped

Sometimes I like to add my Chili Verde or red Enchilada sauce, right over the top of the Chimichangas before I add the toppings. You can also place the chimichangas in the oven, under a broiler, to melt the cheese before you add the other toppings. Be sure to watch the video tutorial and I’ll show you exactly how to make these Chili Chimichangas.

Chili Rellenos

5 Poblano Chili Peppers stacked on a butcher block counter top.

The Best Chili Rellenos

One of my favorite recipes to prepare, serve and eat has got to be stuffed peppers. They come in all shapes and sizes, prepared differently all around the world including Asian, Indian and European cultures. The Germans have great stuffed Bell Pepper recipes and so do the Cajun’s, here in the United States.

I’ve seen and tried recipes stuffed with meats varying from ground pork, veal, beef, lamb, chicken and even shrimp. Also rice, legumes, potatoes and quite often the addition of cheese. One of the most famous stuffed pepper recipes in the world, however, is the Chili Relleno made with Poblano Chili Peppers and, if you don’t know already, it comes from Pueblo Mexico.

2 Roasted Poblano Chili Peppers, sitting on a paper towel with black blistered skins, ready to be peeled.

Why this Recipe intimidates People

Making Chili Rellenos can be quite tedious, especially if you’re making them for the first time it can be difficult and seem intimidating. That’s why I waited so long to share this recipe with you. I spent a lot of time over the years trying to come up with a fool proof method that will make anyone feel comfortable making this dish and it all starts with roasting the Chili’s until the skin blisters up, evenly around the whole body of the pepper.

One roasted and peeled Poblano Chili Pepper, with a table knife, on a white flower printed plate.

Once the Chili Peppers have been roasted they’re placed in a bag or bowl where they can be covered and steamed with their own heat. This helps the flesh of the pepper lift and blister, for easy removal, as the pepper continues to cook and soften a bit more.

After 10 minutes or so, the skin is removed. this can be done by peeling with your fingers, rubbing or pulling with a paper towel but I find that it works best using the small serrated edges of a table knife by gently scraping the scorched skin off. Realize these peppers are getting soft so, if you don’t want to rip and tear your Chili Rellenos before they’re even made, be careful.

Grated Monterey Jack, Colby Jack and Queso Fresca Cheese.

The next step to making perfect Chili Rellenos is creating a small incision down the side of each roasted and skinned Poblano Pepper. You can, at this point, choose to remove the seeds, if you so desire, but it really isn’t necessary. Besides, it’s just another opportunity to rip and tear a perfectly good pepper so, why risk it. Now, just stuff the Pepper with grated Monterey Jack cheese, seal the incision back together, temporarily, with tooth picks and roll each one in flower.

2 stuffed, roasted, skinned Poblano Peppers, sealed with tooth picks and rolled in all purpose flour.

Rolling the Poblanos in flour is a very crucial step. In fact it’s one of the reasons why the skin is removed; it helps the flour stick and adhere to the pepper better which in turn, like most frying, grasps the egg wash batter for deep frying.

What’s the other reason the skin is removed, you say? I believe that it gives the peppers an unpleasing texture like trying to eat the outside layers of a cooked unpeeled onion. I’ve tried it this way before, out of pure laziness, and it left one to be desired so, roast, peel and flour your stuffed Chili Relleno Peppers.

One smothered Chili Rellenos Pepper, with Colby Jack Cheese, Chili Sauce and Pico De Gallo.

My Chili Rellenos

As far as I’m concerned, you can do what ever you want with this dish as far as the filling goes. It doesn’t have to be stuffed with just cheese. You can fill these Poblanos with meat or any of the other ingredients I mentioned above. I’ve seen sautéed onions and mushrooms and even tomatoes on the inside of these peppers with cheese.

According to the history of the original recipe, that dates back to the 1850’s, Nun’s were absolutely stuffing their Chili’s with meat so, go crazy if you want to. In it’s simplest form, however, I cook my Chili Rellenos stuffed with Monterey Jack, then bake under a broiler in a Red Chili Sauce with Colby Jack, then I top it off with cold Pico De Gallo and crumbled Queso Fresca.

YouTube video tutorial on How to make Chili Rellenos by PoorMansGourmet.

Chili Rellenos Ingredients: Makes 8 to 12

Chili Relleno’s Ingredients:

8 to 12 Poblano Chili’s, roasted
1 lbs Monterey Jack Cheese, grated
1 lbs Colby Jack Cheese, grated
1/2 lbs Queso Fresca Cheese, crumbled
2 cups Pico De Gallo
2 cups Red Chili Sauce

6 to 8 eggs
3 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt

Oil for frying

Just follow the instructions in the short video tutorial and I’ll show you exactly how to make these wonderful Chili Rellenos.

Beef Steak Ranchero’s with Potatoes

Beef Ranchero’s with Potatoes in a frying pan.

The Best Beef Steak Ranchero’s

If you’re a fan of Mexican food and you’ve never tried this dish, you’re going to love it. Beef Steak Ranchero’s is so very versatile and it can be made mild or spicy. It can be served with or over rice, for breakfast with eggs, tacos, burritos, tortes, the skies the limit because you’ve got well seasoned and marinated beef, onions and tomatoes and, in this recipe, we’re adding potatoes.

2.37 lb. Raw packaged Beef Carne Taco Meat from the grocery store, $3.98 per lb.

What kind of Beef

As you read the title, “Beef Steak” Ranchero’s you were probably wondering what cuts to use. At my local grocery, they put together packages of beef for stews, tacos and burritos. It’s usually just the miscellaneous scraps from steaks and roasts that is too meaty to waste and throw away. Sometimes it’s even pre-seasoned but I like to get a few packages at a time that isn’t seasoned so, I can do whatever I want with it. One for the fridge and one for the freezer.

If you don’t have this available to you, I would recommend buying the cheapest cuts you can find because the meat tenderizes as it cooks so there’s no reason to get real spendy with this dish. Also, you’re going to need to get familiar with my Blackened Seasoning recipe because I use it on the meat.

Plate of Beef Steak Ranchero’s with rice, beans and a folded flour tortilla.

How to serve this Dish

As I mentioned above, there are so many different ways to eat Beef Steak Ranchero’s. The way I prepare it, in the video down below, I just serve it with beans and plain white rice. You can serve it with Spanish rice, if you prefer, but I find the Ranchero’s flavor has plenty of spice to blend in with white rice. Also, the addition of Potatoes in this recipe makes Ranchero’s great in burritos or along side a Chili Relleno. What ever you decide, you might want to consider a few classic Mexican additions because, you can never go wrong with a squeeze of lime, chopped green onion or chives and cilantro.

Beef Steak Ranchero’s with Potatoes Ingredients:

2 lbs Beef Stew Meat
2 tbsp Blackened Seasoning
2 tbsp Cumin, ground
1 tbsp Garlic, chopped
1 Jalapeno, chopped
1/2 cup Brisket Beef Fat, chopped
1 can of Tomato, diced

Kosher Salt & Pepper to taste (aproximately 1/2 tbsp each)

2 tbsp Beef Fat Rendered or vegetable Oil
1 Onion, chopped & sautéed
2 Potatoes, Pre-boiled then cubed & sautéed
1 tsp Oregano

Kosher Salt & Pepper to taste and consider adding lime, green onion and cilantro when serving.

Boiled the potatoes beforehand for 20 minutes then refrigerated overnight. Cook the diced potatoes and onions together but separately from the meat and tomatoes before combing. Follow the instructions in the video tutorial and I’ll show you exactly how to make Beef Steak Ranchero’s with Potatoes. Also, this meal can be cooked in a slow cooker.