# What's up with giant overstuffed burritos? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 11, 2012, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-giant-overstuffed-burritos/631211 "2012-08-11T19:03:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2012, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-giant-overstuffed-burritos/631211/21 "2012-08-12T09:16:11Z")
A good burrito is roughly hot dog size. You shouldn’t need two hands to eat one, and you should be able to put the entire thing in your mouth. Once the burrito starts getting much bigger than that, you get too much insides and not enough outsides. Imagine a club sandwich, except instead of three slices of toasted rye, there is three sheets of paper-thin phyllo dough. At that point it’s not even a sandwich any more. I guess what I’m trying to say us that I want the tortilla to be a substantial part of the burrito, not just a holder for a mountain of ingredients. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2012, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-giant-overstuffed-burritos/631211/22 "2012-08-12T12:59:49Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > What is your preferred balance? To me [this](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3440/3247784577_5069465aca.jpg) = gustatory heaven. Ugh. The tortilla isn’t just there as a structural element - you’re supposed to taste it! ---
**Author:** ![Jamicat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@Jamicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamicat)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2012, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-giant-overstuffed-burritos/631211/23 "2012-08-12T21:24:06Z")
I accidentally bought xtra large flourtillas, I like them much better than the smaller ones, for burrito wrapping. Now to fill them with something good. My pico de gallo and guacamole is fine and simple… But, I can’t get the meat(Chicken/Beef) to get a nice balanced mex flavor yet. It’s either bland or to much. I’d rather not use pre-packaged stuff. Latest I tried was this fajita mixture - [http://mexican.food.com/recipe/fajita-seasoning-mix-28011](http://mexican.food.com/recipe/fajita-seasoning-mix-28011) …This is good…for something…It’ coats the meat well and tastes ok, but it is defiantly Not Fajitas Nor’ Mexican. :rolleyes: Any Ideas? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-giant-overstuffed-burritos/631211/24 "2012-08-13T18:50:12Z")
[QUOTE=Patty O’Furniture] A good burrito is roughly hot dog size. You shouldn’t need two hands to eat one, and you should be able to put the entire thing in your mouth. [/QUOTE] Eww. Sounds more like a stingy taquito than a burrito. More mission burritos for me, I guess. 😛 And who wants to taste a bland tortilla instead of the contents? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-giant-overstuffed-burritos/631211/25 "2012-08-13T19:01:40Z")
Is it Chipotle week at the SDMB or something? Anyhoo, the Chipotle structural integrity issue seems to vary a lot by location. I went to one where I used to live twice and then gave up on it because it would fall apart mid-snack and I would be left with a mess\*. The place near me now though, seems to cram less stuff in it or just has staff that’s better at wrapping, as they now hold together well. I don’t even need to keep them wrapped in foil as I eat. \*(to be fair, this was within a few weeks of their opening, its possible it was just lack of a practice from the staff) ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-giant-overstuffed-burritos/631211/26 "2012-08-13T20:21:27Z")
> [@Jamicat](#): > > I accidentally bought xtra large flourtillas, I like them much better than the smaller ones, for burrito wrapping. > > Now to fill them with something good. > > My pico de gallo and guacamole is fine and simple… > > But, I can’t get the meat(Chicken/Beef) to get a nice balanced mex flavor yet. It’s either bland or to much. I’d rather not use pre-packaged stuff. > > Latest I tried was this fajita mixture - [http://mexican.food.com/recipe/fajita-seasoning-mix-28011](http://mexican.food.com/recipe/fajita-seasoning-mix-28011) …This is good…for something…It’ coats the meat well and tastes ok, but it is defiantly Not Fajitas Nor’ Mexican. :rolleyes: > > Any Ideas? I tend to use copious amounts of cumin, cayenne, oregano and coriander. I might add a touch of soy sauce/aroma/msg, vinegar, or lime juice depending on the meat. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-giant-overstuffed-burritos/631211/27 "2012-08-13T20:47:10Z")
> [@Jamicat](#): > > I accidentally bought xtra large flourtillas, I like them much better than the smaller ones, for burrito wrapping. > > Now to fill them with something good. > > My pico de gallo and guacamole is fine and simple… > > But, I can’t get the meat(Chicken/Beef) to get a nice balanced mex flavor yet. It’s either bland or to much. I’d rather not use pre-packaged stuff. > > Latest I tried was this fajita mixture - [http://mexican.food.com/recipe/fajita-seasoning-mix-28011](http://mexican.food.com/recipe/fajita-seasoning-mix-28011) …This is good…for something…It’ coats the meat well and tastes ok, but it is defiantly Not Fajitas Nor’ Mexican. :rolleyes: > > Any Ideas? Personally, the ideas expressed [here](http://www.apronstringsblog.com/the-most-flavorful-fajitas-ever-flanks-steak-or-chicken-breast/) are worthwhile. The main take-away is to use lime zest instead of juice. That said, I go simple: lime juice (or zest, after reading that tip), garlic, pepper, salt (or soy sauce.) Maybe a little cumin if I feel like it (although I don’t usually like cumin in my fajitas) and perhaps a little bit of Mexican (not the usual Greek/Mediterranean) oregano (they are two different plants and taste different.) But lime-garlic-salt/soy-pepper. That tastes perfect to me as is. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-giant-overstuffed-burritos/631211/28 "2012-08-13T21:30:44Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Depends on the restaurant. In my experience, in “normal” restaurants with table seating and service, burritos are served on a plate and usually covered by a sauce of some kind. Even though they are wrapped, they are clearly not intended to be picked up and eaten like a sandwich. On the other hand, fast food and carry-out restaurants will treat them like sandwiches intended to be eaten out of a hand. > [@Joey\_P](#): > > Wouldn’t that make it an enchilada? > [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > They’re burritos on the menus. > [@Hello\_Again](#): > > Technically, yes, but not in the Tex/Mex-based parlance of our times. Therein, an enchilada is a specific thing (normally contained only “primary filler” (meat or vegetable or cheese, never rice or beans or tomatoes or sour cream). Not just any ol’ anything, with sauce. Also, most places I’m familiar with either use a different sauce or no sauce on burritos (sometimes melted cheese w/no sauce), and I think flour tortillas for burritos corn tortillas for enchilada. But in any event, outside of Toxic Bell, none of them are intended for eating with your hands. You want to eat with your hands, you order a taco. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-giant-overstuffed-burritos/631211/29 "2012-08-14T14:35:31Z")
> [@Jamicat](#): > > Latest I tried was this fajita mixture - [http://mexican.food.com/recipe/fajita-seasoning-mix-28011](http://mexican.food.com/recipe/fajita-seasoning-mix-28011) …This is good…for something…It’ coats the meat well and tastes ok, but it is defiantly Not Fajitas Nor’ Mexican. :rolleyes: > > Any Ideas? Add some cocoa and a little bit of cinnamon. Not much, it needs to remain a background flavor, but the addition made a world of difference in my taco seasoning mix. I got the idea from the back of the packets in the supermarket. ---
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-giant-overstuffed-burritos/631211/30 "2012-08-14T14:54:00Z")
I love Chipotle. I usually avoid the burrito since I think the bol is easier to eat, since I get it heaping. However, I sometimes I get a burrito on the go, and even those they’ll comment how difficult they are to wrap, but I have no problem eating it with just one hand and driving with the other. It can get a bit drippy, so I’ll usually unwrap the foil and put it around the bottom with a napkin over it to absorb any of the drippings, and I can do it with no mess, as long as I’m careful about how I take the bites. You can’t just eat it randomly or it will spill out. Honestly, it seems to me that eating a burrito with a knife and fork would be more difficult and, if you’re going to do that, you might as well just get the bol. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-giant-overstuffed-burritos/631211/31 "2012-08-14T16:04:13Z")
Not a huge fan of them, and I have little patience with messy/oversized food in general. (Occasional exceptions made for ribs and hot wings.) I’d much rather eat three smallish tacos on corn tortillas than dislocate my jaw trying to attack a Mission-style burrito, which invariably ends in a collapsing wad of wet foil and soggy tortilla flaps dripping juice down to my elbows. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-giant-overstuffed-burritos/631211.md?page=1)