Montreal Needs a Chipotle (and other observations)

Congratulations Seattle. You have one thing Montreal doesn't: a Chipotle (in fact you have several). Here in Montreal, our Mexican options are limited at best, and besides, Chipotle is more SF than Mexico. To be honest, I was recently asked what made a mission-style burrito so different from a normal one, and I'm embarrassed to say I couldn't come up with a good answer. The more I think about it, I think the secret lies in better cuts of meat, more interesting flavors (tomatillas over tomatoes, limes over chili powder), and fresh toppings).

Anyways, it appears that the limiting factor for proper mission-style burritos in Montreal is not the pork (in fact Chipotle gets theirs from Quebec (!)) but the rare and exotic giant burrito tortilla. So when I happened upon them at Taco Del Rey in the Jean Talon market, I knew exactly what my next culinary project would be.

Pork Carnitas Burrito

The basic premise behind pork carnitas is to cook a pork shoulder long and slow in spices and liquid, until the meat is tender, shred the meat, and use a bit of the cooking liquid (boiled down) as a sauce. I used this recipe for salsa verde carnitas , however, I must admit that I cheated on the salsa verde and bought a large container from Taco Del Rey, instead of making it from scratch.

Pork Carnitas, originally uploaded by CaitKP.

(Serves 8+…I've eaten 3 burritos this week)

Ingredients:
1-2kg pounds pork shoulder (I used 2kg on the bone)
1 onion (chopped)
2 cups salsa verde (here's Kevin's recipe, if you feel like going all out)
2 cups chicken stock (a little more if needed to cover the pork)
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano

Directions:
1. Trim the excess fat from the pork.
2. Place the pork, onion, salsa verde, chicken stock, cumin and oregano in a pot.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the pork is nice and tender, about 3-6 hours (I did 3 hours, but a little more wouldn't have hurt)
4. Take the pork out of the liquid and shred the meat with a pair of forks.
5. Bake the shredded pork in a preheated 400F oven until just browned and slightly crispy.
6. Skim the fat from the liquid.
7. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer to reduce for about 10 minutes.
8. Mix some of the liquid back into the pork (I added a couple cups worth).
9. Use the pork mixture in your favorite tacos, burritos, enchiladas, etc.

Which brings us to part 2 (the other secret of the mission-style burrito): Toppings! Obviously, the meat is just the beginning. Here are some of my favorite additions:

1, Rice, is a must obviously, to make it a bit more exciting, I used a mixture of brown and wild rice, seasoned with onion, garlic, cilantro and lime (here's one recipe and here's another)

2. Beans, you can go refried, or used canned whole black beans (drained and rinsed, of course).

3. Guacamole or avocados

4. Cilantro, lettuce, tomatoes.

5. Cheese (I used pepper jack, but anything mild will work)

6. Salsa. I am partial to salsa verde myself, but others I know swear by salsa rosa, pico de gallo, or corn salsa. It's your choice.