Chipotle Is Testing A New Meat Option For Garlic Lovers

If you've ever needed a burrito in a hurry, you may have headed to the fast-casual restaurant Chipotle, known for its burritos and burrito bowls. For a long time, Chipotle's menu options seemed set in stone. The chain offered the same adobo chicken on its menu for 29 years before introducing the world to its pollo asado, and it wasn't until 2019 that they introduced a new beef option (after almost 20 years), carne asada, though it was removed from the menu permanently in 2020 (via Today). But the restaurant has been more adventurous of late, offering limited-time menu items like smoked brisket, and beef lovers might be heartened to learn that Chipotle is finally testing out another beef option, one that could potentially join the menu along with their classic steak and barbacoa.

According to a press release, Chipotle's new Garlic Guajillo Steak is going to be tested out at 102 locations in three states: Colorado, Indiana, and California (via PR Newswire). Chipotle will start serving up the new meat option on May 3, 2022 for a limited time. The company says that the release was inspired by its "recent success with menu innovations including Smoked Brisket and Pollo Asado," and from early reports it sounds like one of the chain's most flavor-packed offerings yet.

Chipotle's new Garlic Guajillo Steak is described as "bold" and "a whole new dimension of steak" in the press release. The steak itself is "hand-cut into succulent bites" and grilled on the plancha. Before grilling, the beef is seasoned with a well-seasoned combination of ingredients including garlic, guajillo chile peppers, lime, and cilantro. The chain says that it's made in small batches, perhaps to help ensure that the meat stays juicy, rather than drying out in a warming tray on the line.

One Chipotle employee on Reddit allegedly got to try the Garlic Guajillo steak a couple of months ago. According to the poster, it's "very very very yummy...like the carne asada meat with pollo asado seasoning." On another post, Chipotle employees seemed a little stressed out at the prospect of another new limited-time offering, especially one that needs to be made on the grill. But some people on the Chipotle subreddit were excited. "Imagine some of that Garlic Steak topped with a nice portion of Queso? Hopefully my stores get it," said one hungry commentor (via Reddit).