Wet Burrito (Burrito Enchilada Style)

A “wet burrito” is the same as a “burrito enchilada style.” A burrito is prepared, and then it is smothered with red (or green) chili sauce and often melted cheese. The origin of the “wet burrito” is unknown, but it appears to have been popularized in California in the 1970s.
 
A similar specialty is Yuma, Arizona is called a green chili burrito “saddle style.”
 
     
Wikipedia: Burrito
A burrito or taco de harina is a type of food found in the cuisine of Mexico and the American-style Tex-Mex cuisine. It consists of a flour tortilla wrapped or folded around a filling. The flour tortilla is usually lightly grilled or steamed, to soften it and make it more pliable. In Mexico, refried beans, spanish rice, or meat are usually the only fillings and the tortilla is smaller in size. In the United States, however, fillings generally include a combination of ingredients such as spanish rice, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, meat, guacamole, cheese, and sour cream, and the result is considerably larger.
 
The word burrito literally means “little jack-ass” in Spanish. The name burrito possibly derives from the appearance of a rolled up wheat tortilla, which vaguely resembles the ear of its namesake animal, or from bedrolls and packs that donkeys carried.
(...)
Varieties
The most commonly served style of the burrito in the United States is not as common in Mexico. Typically, American-style burritos are larger, and stuffed with multiple ingredients in addition to the principal meat or vegetable stuffing, such as pinto or black beans, rice (frequently flavored with cilantro and lime or prepared Spanish-style), guacamole, salsas, cheese, and sour cream.

One very common enhancement is the Wet Burrito, which is a burrito smothered in a red chile sauce similar to an enchilada sauce, with shredded cheese added on top so that the cheese melts. When served in a Mexican restaurant in the U.S., a melted cheese covered burrito is typically called a burrito suizo (Suizo meaning Swiss, an adjective used in Spanish to indicate dishes topped with cheese or cream).
   
Cooks.com
WET BURRITOS  
2 lb. hamburger meat
2 pkg. taco seasoning
1 can refried beans
Lettuce, cut up small
Tomatoes, cut up small
Shredded cheese
2 cans taco sauce
1 can nacho cheese sauce
Soft shells
Sour cream
 
Fry hamburger meat; drain. Add taco seasoning; simmer for 15 minutes. Add refried beans. Brown shells over burner. Roll hamburger meat, lettuce, tomatoes into shells. Pour sauces over shells. Lots of shredded and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with taco sauce and sour cream.
 
All Recipes
Enchilada-Style Burritos
SUBMITTED BY: Terry Ann Christensen
 
“‘Our family loves Mexican food, but I couldn’t find a recipe for homemade burritos that we liked as much as the frozen varieties,’ comments Terry Ann Christensen of Roy, Utah. ‘So I came up with a not-too-spicy homemade sauce that dresses them up.’”
       
INGREDIENTS
6 frozen prepared bean and cheese burritos
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups water
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese or Cheddar cheese
1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced ripe olives, drained
1/3 cup chopped green onions
 
DIRECTIONS
Place frozen burritos in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish; set aside. In a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until a smooth; gradually stir in water. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add the tomato sauce, chili powder, bouillon, cumin and salt. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until thickened.
Pour over the burritos. Sprinkle with cheese, olives if desired and onions. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until heated through.
 
6 May 1967, Albuquerque (NM) Tribune, pg. A7, col. 3 ad:
Burrito, Enchilada Style .69
(Pepe’s Mexican Food—ed.) 
 
26 April 1976, Holland (MI) Evening Sentinel, pg. 2, col. 5 ad:
WET BURRITO
One Flour Tortilla wrapped up with Taco Meat, Refried Beans, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Cheese and Enchilada Sauce and Melted Cheese on top.
Reg. 1.75
1.40
(Fiesta Restaurant—ed.)
 
15 July 1976, Long Beach (CA) Press-Telegram, pg. A23, col. 1 ad:
BURRITO, Enchilada Style
(Casa Grande—ed.) 
 
30 December 1976, La Verne (CA) Leader, pg. 2?, col. 4 ad:
The restaurant will be open New Year’s Day so you can enjoy Menudo, Tamales and my own delicious Burritos Enchilada style.
MINGO’S RESTAURANT
 
22 April 1977, Arizona Daily Sun (Flagstaff, AZ), pg. B12, col. 1 ad:
Tacos
Burritos
Tostada
Deep fried or enchilada style, .25 extra
 
29 December 1982, Mountain Democrat-Times (Placerville, CA), pg. C4, col. 2:
Wet burritos
Shred leftover roast and/or chicken, 1 medium can stewed tomatoes, 1 chopped onion, salt and pepper to taste, 1 can chile salsa, red pepper sauce to taste (few drops), flour tortillas, 1 medium can refried beans, 1 lb. grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, 1 avocado (optional).
 
Combine meat, tomatoes, onion, chile salsa and red pepper sauce in a pan. Cover and simmer 1 hour.
 
Heat tortillas. Spoon heated beans on tortilla and top with grated cheese and meat sauce. Roll up burrito and top with additional sauce, cheese, slices of avocado and sour cream.
 
7 August 1987, Syracuse (NY) Post-Standard, pg. D4, col. 2 ad:
Quesadillas, Wet Burritos, Taco Salad and more!
(Zebb’s Deluxe Grill & Bar—ed.)
 
29 November 1991, Chicago (IL) Sun-Times, “Burritos Bonitos,” pg. 55:
One is a wet burrito, which is made with your choice of chicken or beef and topped with Cheddar cheese.
         
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From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (David E Levinson)
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 15:40:46 GMT
Local: Tues, Jul 21 1992 11:40 am
Subject: Re: Burritos vs Flautas: what’s the difference?
   
BTW, Do any of the Tex-Mex areas outside of Tucson serve chimichangas enchilada-style?  That is, covered in enchilada sauce and cheese, heated. I heard that the chimi originated in Southern Az.  so I wouldn’t be surprised if other areas were not as ‘advanced’ in serving this chimichanga variation.
   
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From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (FranklinKL)
Date: 12 Aug 92 16:38:18 GMT
Local: Wed, Aug 12 1992 12:38 pm
Subject: Re: Mexican recipes wanted!
   
Yes the types of tortillas make a difference.  Enchiladas are made with corn tortillas and are usually cooked in, and served topped with, a sauce. Substituting flour tortillas results in a burro or burrito.  Burritos are usually not cooked in a sauce.  They are served in a variety of ways, including plain, topped with either red or green chili, smothered with a variety of chopped/shredded vegetables, or topped and smothered. Burritos can be made “enchilada style” where they are cooked and served like an enchilada.  If you cook a burrito by frying, you have a chimichanga.
 
29 August 1993, New York (NY) Times, “New Mexico’s Mecca for Peppers” by Regina Schrambling, pg. XX23:
I think we New Yorkers were the only customers eating without cowboy hats on, but we ordered like regulars: a “wet” burrito, awash in a rich green chili sauce, and a combination plate, loaded with tamale, crunchy beef taco and enchiladas covered with hot red chili sauce.
 
17 October 1997, Virginian-Pilot, Portsmouth Currents section, pg. 8:
He and his wife, Lydia, own Casa Rio, home of the wet burrito.
   
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From: RINGHOFF!!
Date: 1998/03/26
Subject: i’m gonna have a good day today
   
woke up on todds floor without a hangover
ate a fantastic wet burrito.
   
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From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Tmcgli)
Date: 1998/09/12
Subject: Re: Coronado Springs? 
 
Maya Grill served a great buffet breakfast with no wait.  To me, the food at Pepper Market was not that great (my wet burrito was cold inside—could have used a hit in the microwave!!),       
 
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From: Eric
Date: 1998/12/21
Subject: EATS AND GRINDS
 
When we used to surf Panama City, we *had* to eat at Cafe Don Jose. My favorite was their wet burrito.
   
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From: “Dimitri G Criona”
Date: 1999/05/20
Subject: Re: Wet Burrito
   
JL wrote in message ...
>I’m orig from Michigan.
>We have a ton of places that serve Wet Burritos.
>Here in Boston, a Wet Burrito is non-existent.
>Does anyone have recipe’s for Wet Burritos?
 
No recipe needed.  A wet burrito (in California) is simply any burrito that you like *smothered* in sauce on the outside.  Obviously this is a knife and fork dish.
 
Traditionally a salsa verde (tomatillo or green chile based) is used for chicken and most pork burritos and a red (enchilada)  sauce is used for beef or cheese based burritos.
   
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From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Frank J. Perricone)
Date: 1999/05/20
Subject: Re: Wet Burrito
 
On Wed, 19 May 1999 23:09:52 -0400, “JL”

wrote:
> I’m orig from Michigan.
> We have a ton of places that serve Wet Burritos.
> Here in Boston, a Wet Burrito is non-existent.
> Does anyone have recipe’s for Wet Burritos?
 
The one place I’ve been that served a wet burrito, it was just a burrito covered in an enchilada sauce and then cheese.  So the recipe is, make any kind of yummy filling you like—beans, cheese, meat, veggies, peppers, etc.  Wrap a large flour tortilla around it and put it seam-side-down on a dish.  Pour enchilada sauce (start with canned—later make your own) over it, then sprinkle a tiny bit of cheese, and serve.
 
30 June 2004, Ironwood (MI) Daily Globe, Menus, pg. 21
Wet Burrito
Large flour tortilla filled with refried beans and taco meat, topped with taco sauce, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, olives and salsa…$7.95
(AmericInn—ed.)