This week, we christen in the new BwB kitchen with the third part in an epic Parks and Rec trilogy: the Meat Tornado. After consulting with a doctor of nutrition to ensure that our creation could be potentially lethal, we set out to make a 2-pound burrito stuffed with carne asada, carnitas, tinga de pollo, and the inappropriately spicy Last Dab XXX.

Ingredients

Carne Asada Ingredients:

• 2 lbs flank steak

• ¼ cup lemon juice

• ¼ cup vegetable oil

• ¼ cup soy sauce

• ¼ cup chicken stock

• ½ tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 Tbsp ground cumin

• ¼ cup white sugar

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 bunch cilantro

• 1 Tbsp kosher salt

• 1 Tbsp fresh ground black pepper

Carnitas Ingredients:

• 1 whole bone-in pork shoulder

• 2 lbs lard

• 1 cup water

• 2 large navel oranges

• ½ large onion, roughly chopped

• 4 large cloves garlic, crushed

• 4 dried bay leaves

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 Tbsp Mexican oregano

• ½ cup light Mexican beer

• ½ cup evaporated milk

Tinga de Pollo Ingredients:

• 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts

• 1 large onion, roughly chopped

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 cup chicken stock

• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 14oz can crushed fire roasted tomatoes

• 1 can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp Mexican oregano

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground pepper

Tortilla Ingredients:

• 8 ½ oz all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 2 oz refrigerated lard

• ¾ cup water

Method

Carne Asada Method:

1. In a medium bowl, add ¼ cup each of lemon juice, vegetable oil, soy sauce, and chicken stock with ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon of ground cumin, ¼ cup of white sugar, 2 crushed cloves of garlic, a bunch of chopped cilantro, and a tablespoon each of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk together to combine. 

2. Into a large bowl or pan, place in the 2 lbs of flank steak, and cover with the marinade making sure every inch is evenly coated. Cover and fridge for 4 hours. Flip once or twice through the process. 

3. After 4 hours of marinating, remove some of the excess herbs and garlic from the steak to prevent burning. 

4. On a well oiled and preheated cast iron (once wisps of smoke appear), place the flank steak onto the cast iron leaving undisturbed for about 5 minutes until the first side has developed a dark brown char. Flip and repeat. 

5. If not ready to serve, place into a low heated oven to keep warm until ready to prepare.

Carnitas Method:

1. Start by deboning, deskinning, and defatting the pork shoulder. Remove as much meat off the bone as possible. Cut the meat into 2-inch pieces.  

2. In a large, wide dutch oven, add in 2 lbs of lard along with 1 cup of water over medium-high heat until the lard is completely melted. 

3. Slowly and carefully add in the pork along with the juice and flesh of 2 large navel oranges cut in half. Bring to a bare simmer. 

4. Once simmering, lower the heat to medium-low and maintain a bare simmer for 2 hours. 

5. After the first hour, remove the pieces of orange and replace it with ½ a large onion roughly chopped, 4 large cloves of crushed garlic, 4 dried bay leaves, 2 sticks of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, and 1 tablespoon of Mexican oregano. Mix together before adding in ½ cup each of light Mexican beer and evaporated milk. Mix together.

6. Cook for an additional hour while stirring occasionally. 

7. After 2 hours, remove the carnitas from the pot and place it in the fridge until ready to use. When ready to use, simply reheat the carnitas and serve. 

Tinga de Pollo Method:

1. Start by searing two bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts in a large saucepot. 

2. Once the chicken is seared on both sides, remove and add in 1 roughly chopped large onion and 2 cloves of garlic then sauteing those for about 2 minutes. 

3. Deglaze with 1 cup of chicken stock, 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, a 14oz can of crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, and 1 can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, and 1 teaspoon each of ground cumin and Mexican oregano. Mix to combine. 

4. Bring everything to a rolling simmer and drop the chicken breasts back into the pot. Cover and braise for 45 minutes. 

5. After 45 minutes, pull the chicken out and use an immersion blender to blend the vegetables and chiles into a smooth but a little chunky sauce.

6. Remove the chicken breast bone and skin then place back to the pot seasoning with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper then simmer for 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning. 

Tortilla Method:

1. Into the bowl of a food processor, add 8 ½ ounces of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 2 ounces of refrigerated cold lard. 

2. Process together until it resembles coarse crumbs then slowly add in ¾ cup of cold water while the machine runs until dough ball forms. 

3. Remove and knead on a well-floured surface until smooth and elastic. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. 

4. Preheat the paella pan and lower to low heat once evenly heated. 

5. On a well-floured surface, thinly roll out half of the dough slightly smaller than the paella pan.

6. Gently place the tortilla onto the paella pan and try to evenly distribute the heat so the tortilla cooks evenly. Using a pizza peel, flip the tortilla over and cook evenly. 

Assembly:

1. Thinly slice the flank steak across the grain into pieces while shredding or chopping the reheated carnitas. 

2. First place the flank steak strips onto the burrito followed by the carnitas, shredded cheddar cheese, tinga de pollo, and topped with refried beans and an optional topping of hot sauce before rolling into a burrito.