What’s better than a smokey, savory machaca breakfast burrito? I don’t have the answer to that.
This Mexican jerky is the real deal, except it’s smoked versus sun-dried. I can sun-dry the meat down here in Arizona during summer – but that doesn’t help you! Read along and I’ll show you how easy it is to make machaca and turn it into a delicious breakfast burrito.
Fresh Machaca, No Crockpot Here.
It also doesn’t help me much, because I want it much more often than just summertime. More like “every-time”.
Machaca is one of my favorite ingredients, and most likely something you haven’t run across if you’re not from the Southwest region of the US. The authentic process takes multiple days to create carne seca, the precursor to grinding it up into machaca. That’s why it isn’t common and is generally $15-25 per pound if you want to purchase it.
To get the most of out this post I highly recommend that you check out the recipe for Smoked Carne Seca: Mexican Jerky, which is the base recipe for machaca.
The best way to grind down the carne seca jerky is using a molcajete or a mortar and pestle. The molcajete really helps push the fibers down and break them apart into a fluffy texture.
I don’t recommend a food processor as it tends to gum up the meat.
Once ground, this can stay fresh in the fridge for a few months, sealed. It’s technically jerky – which means it can also sit out at room temp for at least a month.
At this point you’ll have yourself a giant pile of fluffy flakes of meat. What do you do now? Yes, you can and should just pop some into your mouth.
We can cook with it though! The options are limited by your imagination, but I will share a few… starting with this machaca breakfast burrito recipe.
Customize to your tastes
There isn’t an official “authentic” recipe for a machaca burrito. You probably won’t find one at a Mexican place near you either. The biggest key for constructing one of these is to have moisture for the machaca to soak up and rehydrate. I love pico de gallo salsa, so I basically recreate that combination of vegetables and their juices with meat and eggs. This machaca breakfast burrito ends up being smokey, spicy, and full of bold acidic flavors. Incredibly easy to throw together in a few minutes once you have the machaca ready to go.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
This recipe might not work well if you use store-bought jerky. It tends to be very sugary and moist, usually not dry enough to grind into fibers.
Prior to this burrito recipe, you should view Smoked Carne Seca: Mexican Jerky, which is the base recipe for machaca.
Machaca Breakfast Burrito recipe BELOW!
Machaca Breakfast Burrito: Smoked and Simple
This machaca breakfast burrito is smoky, spicy, and full of bold acidic flavors. Incredibly easy to throw together in a few minutes.
- Total Time: 15
- Yield: 2 1x
Ingredients
- 2 large flour tortillas
- 2 tbsp beef fat, lard, or neutral oil
- 1 large tomato, finely diced
- ½ white onion, finely diced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ cup machaca, finely ground
- 4 eggs, scrambled
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat up a large skillet to medium heat. Warm each tortilla on both sides, and set aside covered with a cloth to keep them warm.
- Add the fat/oil into the skillet and let it warm up to shimmering. Cook the onions and jalapenos first for about 2 minutes until slightly translucent. Add in the tomatoes and garlic, cooking until the liquid starts to come out, about 2-3 minutes.
- Toss in the machaca, stirring well to incorporate it and have it soak up the liquids. Quickly pour in the eggs, continuing to stir. Cook the eggs to your preference and season with ground black pepper. Taste and adjust.
- Add the mix into your warm tortilla, folding in the sides over the filling, then rolling so it’s completely sealed. You may stop here, or…
- Wipe the pan clean of excess eggs. Add in some more fat/oil. Place the burrito back in the pan gently, seam side down, and crisp up each side as desired.
Notes
Customize with other veggies and flavors. Don’t limit yourself. You can use egg whites if you’re trying to keep it healthier, but let’s be honest: you’re eating a jerky burrito. Just go for it!
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Beef
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Breakfast
Keywords: Mexican food, burrito, beef jerky, machaca, eggs
