Tremendous Breakfast Burrito
Prep
10m
Cook
20m
Total
30m
Bigly says
Folks. FOLKS. We need to talk about the breakfast burrito. The TREMENDOUS breakfast burrito. The greatest breakfast burrito ever assembled inside a tortilla in the history of breakfast, and there's been a lot of breakfast, breakfast has been around for thousands of years, the Vikings had a version of breakfast, the Egyptians had breakfast — they probably had burritos too, nobody knows, the historians won't say, it's a cover-up — and this burrito beats every one of them. It's not even close. It's a slaughter.
Most breakfast burritos out there are SAD. Sad little soggy tubes filled with rubber eggs and cold potatoes and one piece of bacon, ONE PIECE, who is that for, what are we doing — and they wrap it in a tortilla that splits the moment you pick it up, the whole thing collapses on your shirt, you've ruined your morning, you've ruined your shirt, you've ruined your life. Most chefs are afraid to fix this. They are. They cannot crisp a tortilla to save themselves. They serve you a limp pale wrapper like it's an accomplishment. It is not an accomplishment. It is an INSULT to the burrito.
But my burrito? My burrito is ENGINEERED. It is built. It is a TANK in tortilla form. Crispy potatoes — and I mean crispy, not the sad steamed potato cubes the diner serves you, those are a disgrace — soft scrambled eggs, melty cheese, smoky chorizo, and a tortilla seared on a hot pan until it gets that golden crackle on the outside. Big strong men, tough men, men who never cry, they eat this burrito and they cry. They cry, the actual tears, on the actual cheek. I've seen it. They come up to me, they say 'Bigly, the burrito.' And I say 'I know. I know.' Believe me.
Ingredients
- 1 largerusset potato, diced 1/2-inch(russet, not waxy — waxy potatoes are for salads, not burritos)
- 3 tbspolive oil
- 8 ozMexican chorizo (raw, casings removed)
- 6large eggs
- 2 tbspwhole milk
- 1 tbspunsalted butter
- to tastekosher salt
- to tasteblack pepper
- 1 cupsharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 4large flour tortillas (10-inch)(burrito-size, not the tiny ones, do not insult me)
- to tastesalsa or hot sauce (for serving)
- 1/4 cupfresh cilantro, chopped
Steps
- 1
Toss the diced potato with 2 tbsp olive oil, a big pinch of salt, and pepper. Spread on a sheet pan and roast at 425°F for 20 minutes, flipping once, until deeply golden and crispy on the edges.
- 2
While the potatoes roast, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook 6-8 minutes until browned and the fat has rendered out. Transfer to a plate, leaving about 1 tbsp of fat in the pan.
- 3
Whisk the eggs with milk and a pinch of salt. Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium-low and add the butter. When it foams, pour in the eggs.
- 4
Stir gently with a rubber spatula, pushing the curds around slowly, until just barely set — about 2 minutes. Pull them off the heat while they still look a little wet; they'll finish on residual heat.
- 5
Warm the tortillas one at a time in a dry skillet over medium heat, about 15 seconds per side, until soft and pliable.
- 6
Lay a tortilla flat. Down the center, layer 1/4 of the eggs, 1/4 of the chorizo, 1/4 of the potatoes, 1/4 cup cheese, and a sprinkle of cilantro. Don't overfill.
- 7
Fold the sides in, then roll tightly from the bottom up, tucking as you go. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- 8
Wipe the skillet, add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, and set over medium heat. Place each burrito seam-side down and sear 2 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Serve with salsa or hot sauce.
One more thing
That is the burrito. That is THE burrito. You wrap it in foil if you're taking it to go, you eat it standing up at the counter if you're at home, you do not — DO NOT — cut it in half for a photo, the TV chefs cut everything in half for the photo, it's a CRIME against burritos. Eat it whole. Eat it hot. Eat it before your phone rings. The burrito does not wait. The burrito has a window. You miss the window, that's on you. Now go eat.
★ QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ONE? ★
Ask Bigly about Tremendous Breakfast Burrito.
Substitutions, what to serve it with, why other chefs are wrong about it. He's got opinions.
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