Burros de Machaca

Machaca is a pounded dried seasoned beef that can easily be found in local Mexican grocery stores. American convenience stores offer the unpounded version, commonly known as beef jerky, so if you need a substitution, grab the jerky (though perhaps not teriyaki flavor), a meat tenderizer or hammer and a sturdy cutting board and get pounding. Servings: 4 small burritos

Oil or lard, as needed

1 small white onion, diced in 1⁄4-inch pieces

2 Roma tomatoes, diced in pieces

2 large cloves garlic, minced

4 ounces carne machaca, shredded dry beef

1⁄2 cup chile colorado, or to taste Chopped cilantro, to taste

Salt, as needed

4 10-inch flour tortillas

Preparation:

1⁄4-inch

Heat a skillet over medium, adding enough oil or lard to cover the bottom of the pan when hot. When the oil begins to shimmer, carefully add diced onion, stirring to coat. Cook until softened, approximately 5 minutes, and season lightly with salt.

Add diced tomatoes and stir to combine. Lightly season with salt again. Once tomatoes have softened, approximately 3 minutes, add minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Add machaca, stirring well to combine with onions and tomatoes.

Continue to cook over low heat for two or three minutes, while continuing to stir, allowing the machaca to absorb any liquids released by the vegetables. After a few minutes, add chile colorado to the pan. Stir and once fully absorbed into machaca, remove from heat. Heat a dry skillet over medium. Briefly warm a tortilla on both sides, just long enough to heat through, but not toast. Remove from heat and add 1⁄4 of the filling in a narrow rectangle down the center of the tortilla. Fold the bottom and top of the tortilla over the filling, fold in each side of the tortilla, encasing the filling, and roll the burrito closed. Once all burritos have been filled and rolled, return to dry skillet, seam side down, to seal and toast to a golden brown color.