Burritos de Chilorio (Sinaloa Chilli Pork Burritos)
Pork shoulder stewed in a guajillo chilli paste until it falls apart, then shredded into flour tortillas with beans.
Made with Guajillo adobo paste and Flour tortillas. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time2 hr 30
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £3.25 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Put the pork and water in a heavy pot with a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer on a low heat for 1 hour 15 minutes until very tender.
75 min - 2
Lift out the pork and reserve about 100 ml of the cooking liquid. Shred the meat with two forks.
- 3
Heat the lard or oil in a wide pan over a medium heat. Add your ready made guajillo adobo paste (see the base recipe) and the oregano and fry for 2 minutes until it smells rich and darkens.
2 min - 4
Add the shredded pork and the reserved liquid. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring, until the pork is coated and the sauce clings.
15 min - 5
Warm the refried beans in a small pan if using. Warm your homemade flour tortillas (see the base recipe) in a dry pan for 15 seconds a side.
- 6
Spread beans on each tortilla, add a generous spoonful of chilorio, squeeze over lime and roll up.
Tips
- Fry the adobo paste in fat until it darkens. Raw chilli paste tastes harsh and flat.
- The pork should be soft enough to shred without a knife. If it resists, cook it for another 20 minutes.
- Chilorio is good cold or hot in tortillas, tortas or on tostadas, so make a double batch.
- Skim off excess fat from the cooking liquid before adding it.
Storing and freezing
Cool the chilorio quickly and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze in portions for up to 3 months and reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
What is chilorio?
Chilorio is a northern Mexican dish from Sinaloa of pork cooked until tender, shredded and finished in a red chilli paste, usually made with guajillo chillies.
Can I use a pressure cooker?
Yes. Cook the pork with the water at pressure for 35 minutes, let the pressure release naturally, then shred and finish in the paste as written.
How spicy is it?
Mild to medium. Guajillo chillies are fruity rather than fiery. Add a dried chile de arbol to the paste for more heat.
More made with guajillo adobo paste
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.