Shredded Beef and Cheese Burritos.

Slow-braised pot roast, seasoned well with my favorite blend of spices, then shredded and layered with refried beans and melted cheese. Wrap and roll everything up, then heat each burrito in a skillet until the cheese melts and the tortilla stays soft with a few crispy, golden edges. Simple and totally not fancy. Serve with my chipotle sauce, yogurt or sour cream, and avocado. Great for game day, but just as good for an easy family dinner.

Finally, I made us beef burritos. It’s been a long time coming, I suppose, but I find burritos particularly difficult to photograph. I’d usually rather make a taco or quesadilla, but my family loves a burrito.

It really started with the classic steak burrito from Chipotle. I know, not exactly true Mexican food, but it was easy access for everyone. My brothers would often stop into our local Chipotle and order their favorite: steak burrito, extra meat, add rice, hold the beans, add all the sauces. A very typical guy order, and they still get them this way.

I used to make my brothers quesadillas all the time. I still do whenever I see them! Burritos became more of a thing in recent years as everyone started branching out and eating a wider variety of foods.

Slowly, I kept experimenting with everyone’s favorite foods, and eventually I started making these. They’re really not fancy. Sometimes I’ll make them with ground beef, but everyone prefers a chuck roast. I slow cook the roast in the oven or crockpot with my favorite spice blend and fresh orange juice. It takes just minutes to put together, then you can leave it to slowly cook until the beef is fall-apart tender.

At some point while the beef is cooking, I make the chipotle salsa with canned chipotle chiles and roasted pepitas. The pepitas might sound a little different, but they’re actually a common ingredient in many Mexican-style dishes. They add such a nice flavor and texture to any dish.

Then, just shred the beef, layer it with refried beans and melty cheese, and roll everything up.

I love to melt the cheese by heating each burrito in a skillet. Some sides get crispy and golden while others stay soft, and I really love that variation in texture. The nice thing is that you can cook them however you like. Keep them softer or let them get extra crispy.

And these are great to make ahead. Wrap the burritos in foil, keep them in the fridge, then warm them in the oven whenever you’re ready to eat. I always make a double batch over Christmas so everyone can easily grab a burrito before or after a day in the snow.

Can you believe it’s almost time to start thinking about feeding everyone for the holidays?

These are the details

Ingredients

Shredded Beef

• yellow onion
• chili powder
• smoked paprika
• garlic powder
• dried oregano
• chipotle chile powder
• chuck roast
• orange juice

Burritos

• flour tortillas
• refried pinto or black beans
• cilantro
• melty cheddar, quesadill cheese, or pepper jack cheese
• butter or olive oil

Chipotle Sauce

• chipotle peppers in adobo
• salted butter
• roasted pepitas
• apple cider vinegar
• honey

The Steps

Step 1: Start with the beef

I like to do this in a Dutch oven, but you can easily use the crockpot too. Add the sliced onion to the bottom of the pot.

Now, season the beef really well. I use chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, chipotle chile powder, and salt. Rub the spices all over the roast, really getting them into the meat, then set the roast right over the onions.

Pour the orange juice around the beef, then add a little water. The orange juice is my secret here. You don’t taste “orange,” but it adds so much flavor and helps create a really delicious braising liquid.

Cover and slow cook until the beef is falling apart and easily shreds. Your kitchen will smell so good.

The Crockpot: If you’re using the crockpot, just add everything to the bowl and cook low and slow. This is great if you want to get dinner going in the morning and forget about it.

Step 2: Make the chipotle salsa

While the beef is cooking, make the sauce. This is very easy.

Blend the chipotle peppers, some of the adobo sauce from the can, melted butter, roasted pepitas, apple cider vinegar, and honey until creamy. Taste and adjust to your liking. If you love heat, add another chipotle or a little more adobo.

The pepitas are a little unexpected, but don’t skip them. They give the sauce a really nice richness and are actually commonly used in Mexican cooking.

Step 3: Shred the beef

Once the beef is super tender, pull it apart with two forks. I like to toss the shredded beef back into some of the cooking liquid and onions. This keeps it juicy and gives the meat even more flavor.

And don’t throw away that braising liquid! It’s where so much of the flavor is. Spoon enough over the shredded beef to keep everything nice and saucy, but not so much that your burritos become soggy.

Step 4: Tuck and roll

Warm the tortillas first. This makes them softer and much easier to roll without tearing.

Spread each tortilla with refried beans, then add the shredded beef, cilantro, and plenty of cheese. I usually use cheddar, pepper jack, or a mix of both.

Fold the sides of the tortilla over the filling, then roll everything up into a burrito.

And don’t overthink this. They do not need to look restaurant-perfect. Mine certainly don’t.

My Best Tip: Try not to overfill the burritos. I know it’s tempting, especially with the beef and cheese, but they’re much easier to roll and crisp when they aren’t stuffed too full.

Step 5: Get the cheese melty

This is my favorite part and, in my opinion, what makes these extra good.

Heat a little butter or olive oil in a skillet. Add the burritos seam-side down first, then cook, turning as needed, until the cheese inside is melty.

I don’t try to make every side super crispy. I actually like a mix of textures—a few golden, crisp spots with other parts of the tortilla still warm and soft. So good.

Step 6: Serve

Serve the burritos warm with the chipotle sauce, sour cream or Greek yogurt, and avocado or guacamole. I usually put everything on the table and let everyone add what they like.

These are great for a family dinner, but they’re just as good for game days or busy winter weekends when everyone is coming and going.

Make Ahead: These are one of my favorite make-ahead meals. Assemble the burritos, wrap each one in foil, and keep them in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, warm them in the oven, then unwrap and crisp them in a skillet if you want those golden edges.