Beef Enchiladas with Red Chile Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp neutral oil
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp mild pure chile powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium beef or chicken broth
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 12 corn tortillas
• 2 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Mexican-blend cheese, divided
• white onion, finely diced, optional garnish
• cilantro, chopped, optional garnish
• sour cream, optional garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
2. Start red chile sauce: Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Cook approximately 1 minute while whisking.
3. Bloom spices: Add chile powder, cumin, garlic powder, and oregano. Whisk continuously for approximately 20-30 seconds. Do not allow the spices to burn.
4. Add liquid: Slowly whisk in broth. Add tomato paste and salt. Whisk until smooth.
5. Simmer: Bring sauce to a gentle simmer. Cook approximately 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. The sauce should remain pourable. Remove from heat.
6. Make beef filling: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion. Cook approximately 4 minutes until softened. Add ground beef. Cook while breaking it into small pieces until browned and fully cooked. Drain excessive rendered fat if necessary.
7. Season: Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook approximately 1 additional minute. Remove from heat.
8. Add cheese: Allow beef to cool for a couple of minutes. Stir approximately 3/4 cup shredded cheese into the beef filling.
9. Prepare tortillas: Warm the corn tortillas until soft and pliable. This can be done briefly in a dry skillet or wrapped in a damp towel in the microwave. Do not attempt to roll cold, brittle corn tortillas.
10. Sauce the dish: Spread approximately 3/4 cup red chile sauce across the bottom of the baking dish.
11. Fill: Place approximately 2-3 tablespoons beef filling down the center of each tortilla. Roll snugly. Do not overfill.
12. Arrange: Place enchiladas seam-side down in the baking dish. Arrange them closely together.
13. Sauce: Pour remaining red chile sauce evenly over the enchiladas. Make sure exposed tortilla edges receive some sauce so they do not dry out excessively.
14. Cheese: Sprinkle remaining shredded cheese evenly over the top.
15. Bake: Bake uncovered approximately 20-25 minutes until sauce is bubbling, cheese is completely melted, and edges are lightly browned.
16. Rest: Allow enchiladas to rest approximately 5 minutes before serving.
17. Serve: Serve hot. Add optional diced onion, cilantro, and sour cream only at serving time.

Nutrition

Chef's Notes

TORTILLAS: Warm corn tortillas before rolling or they may crack. DON'T OVERFILL: A moderate amount of filling produces enchiladas that stay closed and bake evenly. SAUCE: The sauce should be slightly thinner than finished gravy before baking because it thickens further in the oven. CHILE POWDER: Use pure mild chile powder when available rather than an aggressively salted taco-seasoning blend.

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