Burrito Grande, Oven Baked

libragay42's Note:

Shortly after my husband and I were married, we dined at a restaurant in Punta Gorda, Florida. They had an item on the menu called "Burrito Grande" and we fell in love with the meal which was served with, what else, beans and rice. I went home and experimented for some time until I came up with this recipe. It is a favorite in our household to this day. I have also made this recipe using 2 pounds of cooked, shredded beef (such as chuck roast). It is best to let these cool for about 15 minutes after removing from the oven then you can use your spatula to separate the cheese and remove the burritos without tearing them up.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 45 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 8

Yield: 8.0 burritos

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion , chopped
• 3 tablespoons ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic cloves
• 2 lbs lean ground beef
• 1 -2 tablespoon chili powder
• red pepper flakes
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 cups low sodium beef broth
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 2 (10 ½ ounce) cans condensed tomato soup
• 8 flour tortillas , 10-inch
• 14 ½ ounces refried beans
• 1 ½ cups salsa (whatever heat degree you want)
• 1 cup cheddar cheese , shredded
• 8 ounces sour cream
• 2 cups Mexican blend cheese , shredded

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add olive oil to skillet over medium heat and heat until hot. Add the chopped onions to the pan and saute approximately 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ground cumin and cook for another minute. Add the ground beef and cook until browned about 10 minutes.
2. Add the chili powder and salt, (and red pepper flakes, if desired) stirring. Then add the beef broth and tomato paste and bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered approximately 20 minutes or until most of the liquid is evaporated.
3. After beef is cooked, pour 1 can of the tomato soup into a 2 cup measuring cup and add about 1/3 can of water; stir well. Pour the soup mixture evenly into a baking dish measuring approximately 9" x 13". Then repeat the procedure with the 2nd can of soup and set aside.
4. Take a tortilla and lay on your working surface. Spread about 1/4 cup of refried beans across the lower third of the tortilla. Pile 1/8 of beef mixture on top of the beans. Top the beef mixture with 2 - 3 spoonsful of salsa then add about 2 spoonsful of sour cream. Finish with 1/8 of the cheddar cheese, then roll bottom of tortilla up and over the filling, fold in the sides then fold over again, tucking any excess on the top in and under the roll.
5. Lay prepared burrito in pan lengthwise (you will have 2 rows across of 4 down). Repeat with remaining 7 burritos then top with reserved soup mixture, covering evenly. Sprinkle Mexican cheese blend evenly over the burritos.
6. Bake in oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until edges are bubbling but before cheese begins to excessively brown.

Reviews

[2Bleu]

Yummy! First let me say that the flavor here is awesome! Lots of cumin for authentic Mexican flair! That said, a few notes to mention. I made this exactly as directed using 15 oz. of Johnny Jalapeno's Easy Refried Beans in lieu the canned beans. I could only fit 6 burritos in my 9x13 measured pan. Even after 30 minutes of simmering, the liquid was still plentiful (I wound up having to strain it in a collander), so I would suggest using just 1/2 cup of beef broth per 1 lb of meat. I used a generous 1/4 cup of meat for each burrito and had plenty left over, so I would reduce the beef mixture by half next time also. We all felt it definitely calls for doubling the refried beans for even texture. Finally, please don't let my 'notes' scare you away from trying this recipe. The flavor is mucho grande worth it!