Chimichangas
Updated: Jan 11, 2021
Servings: 4 Chimichangas
Storage Life of Ingredients: 1 Year
We had a favorite spot in San Diego that made the best chimichangas. We used to purchase to go, and take them to the beach to enjoy while we watched the waves roll in. They were a must for our food storage menu.
Pictured Process
Ever since COVID I haven't been able to purchase canning lids or wide mouth pint bottles, so I have been doing my roast beef a different way. (Note to self: I have plenty of bottles and a few lids that I stored from last year. The bottles can be used over and over again, but make sure you store lids as part of your food storage). Salt the bottom of a skillet, then place the roast in the pan. Sprinkle garlic salt, salt, and pepper over the top of the roast. Brown it on all sides and place it in a crock pot. Cook for 8 hours. When beef is done, shred with two forks. Place 2 cups of meat in a vacuum sealer bag and seal. Label and freeze. I had a little over a cup of meat left after sealing all the vacuum bags, so I added a little extra salsa and made five chimichangas. Make flour tortillas. Place meat in a sauce pan.
Add 1/2 cup of salsa, oregano, and cumin to the meat and heat through.
Pour 1/4 cup of meat mixture in the middle of each tortilla.
Roll up burrito style. Fold in the two sides.
Then roll up from the bottom.
Place the chimichanga seam side down on a pan.
Fry in hot oil, seam side down, until it is golden brown.
Turn and fry on the other side until it is golden brown.
Drain on a paper towel, then place on a baking sheet. Top with remaining salsa and grated cheese. Warm in the oven until cheese is melted.
These are so light, crispy, and delicious you will want to have them at least twice a month. Enjoy!
Storage Tips
Canned Chicken or Beef: I can my own chicken and beef or use the Costco cans. If you can your own meat, make sure you check the seal before storing in your pantry. Always check to see that it smells and looks as it should when you open a bottle. The USDA states that home-canned products should be used within 1 year, but it is so convenient to use my canned beef and chicken that they never last a year. The Costco beef has a storage shelf life of 1 year. Check the "best by" date on the back of the can since you do not know how long it has been sitting on the store shelves.
Chunky Salsa: Chunky salsa has a storage life of about 1 year. Always check the "best by" date on the bottle.
Dried Oregano: Dried oregano has a shelf life of 2-3 years. After that they begin to lose flavor.
Dried Cumin: Cumin has a shelf life of 3-4 years.
Grated Cheddar Cheese: Freeze-dried cheese tastes like regular grated cheese. It melts in casseroles and is my cheese of choice for storage. Like crystallized eggs, freeze-dried cheese costs twice as much as the grated cheese you buy in the grocery store. Store half of the cheese needed for a year’s supply using freeze-dried, and the other half using packages of grated cheese, stored in the freezer. Freeze-dried cheese is good for five to ten years, so it only has to be replaced every five years. This is an estimated storage shelf life. You should always check the expiration date on the container or check with the manufacturer. Once the cheese is opened, place it in a freezer storage bag and keep it in the freezer. Label the bag with directions for reconstituting along with the date purchased and the date it will expire. One cup of cheddar cheese is equal to four ounces of frozen, shredded, cheddar cheese. There are ten cups in a #10 can of freeze-dried, shredded cheddar cheese.
Flour Tortillas: The ingredients for homemade flour tortillas have a shelf life of 1 year.
