Say hello to this new Chipotle menu item!
Chipotle is known for its minimalist (also read: DELICIOUS) menu. No frills, no distractions, just pure Mexican Grill inspired goodness. The restaurant chain rarely adds new items to the menu (last year they added sofritas to give vegetarians more options), but they’re working on introducing a brand new meat into the mix: chorizo. That’s right. Spicy, flavorful ground (usually) pork. YUUUUMMM.
Right now, Kansas City is the test market, so you probably won’t be able to order a chorizo taco anytime too soon. But from the sound of it, Chipotle is really serious about this new menu item, and have been perfecting the recipe for a while now (chorizo as a breakfast option was available in New York airports for awhile). And Nate Appleman, Chipotle’s corporate chef, is pretty confident we’re all going to love it (I mean, duh). Appleman told Kansas City Star, “I’ve been beating the drum for five years. It was one of the first things I worked on.”
Since Chipotle’s mission is to serve its customers food made with integrity, adding chorizo will actually be more in tune with Chipotle’s philosophy about meat. According to Kansas City Star, Appleman believes in “nose-to-tail cooking,” which means using ALL of the animal to avoid waste. And their recent struggle with pork meat reflect this — Chipotle was finding it hard to supply its restaurants with pork raised to its ethical standards.
As for the preparation — while most chorizo is made with pork, Appleman’s recipe is actually a blend of pork and chicken “for a lighter, less greasy sausage.” Kansas City Star reports, “The patties are seared on the in-store grill and crumbled before serving. Is it spicy? That depends on your definition of hot, but one thing is for sure: ‘This is a full-flavored chorizo.’” Um, sounds delicious and we want it right here, right now. (Image via.)
