Searching for the perfect enchilada recipe

My hubby loves enchiladas, and I have tried without success to come up with a good homemade version of his favorite restaurant's ground beef enchiladas. Anybody have a not too spicy recipe they'd like to share? Homemade sauce or canned, doesn't matter. Thanks!

Welcome to roadfood Jean. Could you focus in a bit more as to you are asking for. Theres more variations of enchiladas than you can shake a stick at.

Have you tried La Victoria canned enchilada sauce? It comes in mild medium and hot.I usually buy the mild and it's pretty good.I may have to look at home for a recipe from an old Family Circle magazine my mom had.
Also check out the book,TexMex by Robb Walsh.It is about mexican food like candies,chili enchiladas,etc.recipes as well.

By "not too spicy" do you mean spicy as in flavorful spices or chile pepper hot? Or both?

Somewhere in the recent journey of our lexicon, "spicy" seems to have replaced "hot".

Hi - by spicy I mean hot, sorry. And I just want a basic enchilada recipe like what they serve in Mexican restaurants, with the basic red enchilada sauce. Hubby likes ground beef, but kids like chicken and I prefer shredded beef.

Thanks for any tips you might have.

I'll give the La Victoria thing a try - thanks!

Here is a recipe that my mom used and I now use. Enchilada's are a fav. around my house and every one seems to love these:

Beef/Cheese Enchiladas
12 corn tortillas (must be corn tortillas – found in the Mexican food aisle)
1 lb. ground chuck
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 med. onion, finely chopped
2 cups Velveeta cheese grated (roughly – depending on how much you like cheese)
Bag of Monterey jack cheese finely grated
Large can tomato sauce or 2 reg. size cans

Brown ground chuck and drain off excess grease. Add taco seasoning and tomato sauce and cook on high until bubbling, then lower heat to med/low.

In a large fry pan add approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch cooking oil and heat to high/med. One at a time add a tortilla to the hot oil and cook for 2-3 seconds on each side (tongs work great for this). You may have to adjust to med. Pile the cooked tortillas on a plate.

To assemble, lay one tortillas flat (one at a time) on a plate. Add a heaping tablespoon of the meat mixture, pinch of Velveeta cheese and a pinch of grated onion onto the tortilla. Roll up the tortilla and place in a casserole pan side-by-side. You should be able to get all 12 tortillas in the pan. Take the remaining meat mixture and spread over the assembled tortillas, sprinkle remaining Velveeta cheese and sprinkle the Monterey jack cheese over the tortillas, then sprinkle the reaming chopped onion. Cook in a 350 deg. oven for about 10- 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and tortillas are warmed through. Can add sour cream on top after removing from the oven.

Note: Recipe can be doubled. Approximately 1 lb. meat for every 12 tortillas. If doubling also add an extra large can of tomato sauce, extra pack of seasoning mix, and extra cheese.

Here'a all I do...so simple.
1/2 - 3/4 lb lean ground beef
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cans El RIO(this is the best IMO) enchilada sauce(comes in hot or mild, I us 1 of each)
1/2 lb sharp cheddar cheese
corn tortillas

Throw beef onions and garlic in a skillet, brown ground beef, drain. Add 1/3 cup of enchilada sauce, heat through. Pour another 1/3c of sauce on a plate. Coat each tortilla(both sides) in sauce, move to another plate and add filling, again about 1/3 cup. Roll and place seam side down in a rectangular casserole dish, repeat until all meat is gone. Cover with the remainder of the sauce and top with cheddar. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
Sometimes I alternate a beef, a bean, a beef a bean so you get both kinds. We love em'. Messy prep but simple.

chicken sour cream enchiladas are a snap-
I get my biggest help from Campbells soup- They have a Creamy Chicken Verde soup- I usually buy a rotissarie chicken- using only the dark meat- or you can use chicken thighs, brown lightly with some garlic and onion in saute pan-you can maybe use a jalapeno pepper- if not add a little smoked chipolte chile powder- a little cumin ( this is a smoky spice- not hot) - saute until onion has sweated down- add one can of the verde soup- add 1/2 a soup can of sour cream, and as much or as little of any cheese you may be partial to- I use colby jack or the Mexican 3 cheese shredded variety- whatever I happen to have on hand- let it all come up to simmer- cook briefly if you used a rotissarie chicken- longer if you started from scratch- fill tortillas- I use the low carb whole wheat variety for this recipe- but you certainly can use whatever flavor and brand you like- use a slotted spoon to get the chicken mixture out of the sauce- fill tortillas, roll so that seam is down in your prepared (spray with a cooking oil to prevent sticking) casserole dish- take the sauce remaining and pour over the encilladas- top with more grated cheese- bake @ 350 for about 25 minutes- until cheese is melted and then serve with extra sour cream, some cheese, and pico.

I make my own sauce. Reydrate dried ancho chilis for about 30 minutes. Puree them in a blender with a little water and cornstarch mixture. Viola!

quote:

Originally posted by susanll

I make my own sauce. Reydrate dried ancho chilis for about 30 minutes. Puree them in a blender with a little water and cornstarch mixture. Viola!

I do the same except toss in a few cloves of garlic, salt and pepper. Add the chili water until it is just past paste and not really watery. I pour the sauce into a skillet with some oil in it. Yeah I know, refried sauce get the jokes over with. Simmer for about 5 min and then dip.

Regular store bought Mole Sauce is also excellent for chicken enchiladas. Topped with crumbled queso fresco or Mexican Cream.


joe

HI,
HERE IS MY SIMPLE GRAVY. DON'T KNOW IF IT IS AUTHINTIC, BUT WE LIKE IT.
MEASAUREMENTS WILL VARY, AS I DON'T MEASURE WHEN COOKING.
ONE MEDIUM SIZE POT
GREASE, ABOUT QUARTER OF A CUP, BROWN ABOUT 6 TABLESPOONS OF FLOUR
TURN OFF HEAT, ADD CHILE SPICE ( HOW MUCH DEPENDS ON YOUR TASTE) START WITH A GOOD TEASPOON, TWO TABLESPOONS OF CUMIN, SALT AND PEEPER
SOME GARLIC MIX REAL GOOD, NOW ADD YOUR BROTH CHICKEN OR BEEF ABOUT 4 OR FIVE CUPS, TURN HEAT BACK ON STIR UNTILL THICK, IF YOU NEED LESS BROTH ADD LESS NEED MORE ADD MORE, NOT ENOUGH FLOUR MIX A LIL FLOUR AND WATER AND ADD TO IT, IF IT DIDN'T GET THICK ENOUGH
HOPE THAT HELPS

For "Texas Style Enchiladas" just make some taco meat using your fav taco mix, I like McCormic.Oh, I cook some onions and bell pepper w/ tha meat. Then do the tortillas in bacon grease. Roll the meat in the tortillas and cover w/ Wolf Brand chili and some cheddar cheese. Bake for a while and there done.
Joe

Don't forget that in New Mexico a popular enchilada is a blue corn enchilada. The Native Americans use a lot of blue corn, so blue corn pancakes and blue corn enchiladas are common. Also blue corn enchiadas with carne asada. mmmmm.

Season 3-4 pound chuck roast (most fat removed) with garlic salt and pepper. Sear/carmelize roast in hot skillet then place in roasting pan. Sprinkle 3tbs. New Mex. chili pwdr. on top. Open 7oz. can Ortega diced green chiles (not jalapenos) and spread over chili pwdr.. Around roast pour 14oz can of 'crushed' tomatos and 14oz. can of chicken stock. Cover with tight fitting lid (or tightly bunched tin-foil) and put in pre-heated 350deg. oven for two hours.

Take roast out of pan, Place in large bowl and shred. Pour juices from roast into a sauce-pan with a 28oz. can of Las Palmas mild enchilada sauce(mix 3tbs Wondra flour in cold enchilada sauce). Cook on med-low heat till thickened.

Pour some of the thickened sauce in flat pan over a burner (low heat) and dip corn tortillas for 30sec. then place on cookie sheet for assembly. Roll each tortilla around shredded beef, big strip of Ortega Anaheim chile, 3/8X3/8X4in. strip of pepper-jack cheese. Refried beans can be used in place of or addition to meat.

Place enchilada rolls side by side in 9X13in. Pyrex pan and cover with drizzled sauce and a mix of pepper-jack and sharp cheddar. Bake until cheese melts and sauce is bubbly (I like mine with cheese starting to brown).

There will be shredded beef and sauce left over. This is a good start for great tamales.....Go find your steamer.

Bud

Thanks everybody for all the wonderful ideas - you can be I'll be trying some of them out soon! I must say it is difficult finding Mexican recipes to try on a family that doesn't like spicy food!!

You've all be very helpful - thanks again!!

Teri Jean

quote:

Originally posted by jeanskid62

Thanks everybody for all the wonderful ideas - you can be I'll be trying some of them out soon! I must say it is difficult finding Mexican recipes to try on a family that doesn't like spicy food!!

You've all be very helpful - thanks again!!

Teri Jean

If your family does not like to much spice try entomatadas. Same basic reciepe as making enchiladas but substitute peeled seeded tomatoes for the dried chilis and dip you softened tortillas it that.

joe

I made some the other night that were pretty fantastic.

saute some onions and garlic
add ground beef (I used turkey)
season with chili powder, garlic powder, whatever mexican spices you like-- we make our own chili powder out of dried guajillo peppers

pour beef and onions and garlic into bowl

add couple handfuls of kraft shredded mexican cheese mix
couple large spoonfuls of sour cream
1/2 cup enchilada sauce
stir meat mixture and season to taste

microwave 16 small corn tortillas on high for 30 secs

pour some of the enchilada sauce into a small baking dish. coat each tortilla with encilada sauce and spoon on some of the meat and cheese ...fold tortilla into cylinder, place in larger baking dish seam side down

repeat until you use up all the tortillas and meat.

pour remaining enchilada sauce over tortillas and then pour the rest of the mex cheese mix over the top. it's cheesy!

bake 10-15 min at 375 iuntil the cheese is like you like it.

use the 28 oz can of red enchilada sauce, more if you want it more saucey.

I used at least 2 lbs of meat.

My hubby has said he doesn't like the canned enchilada sauce, at least not the one I used (Old El Paso, I think). Does anyone know what mexican restaurants do? From scratch, canned? I know that is a loaded question and there are probably as many ench. sauce recipes out there as there are cooks, but if anyone has any ideas that would make them more like the stuff you get in a typical mexican restaurant, that would be most helpful. Thanks again!!

Teri Jean

I'd love to know how to make a tomato-based enchilada sauce from scratch. The only bottled stuff available over here in the UK is El Paso, and worse yet only in the mild variety! Any tips?

you might be able to order a better canned enchilada sauce on-line somewhere. have it shipped to you... can't remember what I used but it wasn't old el paso. I have used Macayo's in the past and they ARE a chain of Mexican restaurants and sell their sauce online. Get some large (27-28 oz) cans. you could just go to the mexican restaurant your husband likes and ask them what they use... sometimes they will tell you!

https://secure.macayo.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=10&cat=Macayo's%20Product%20Gift%20Box

Here is a link to a mexican recipe website. Maybe it will help you

http://www.tasteoftx.com/recipes/Recipes.html

quote:

Originally posted by jeanskid62

My hubby has said he doesn't like the canned enchilada sauce, at least not the one I used (Old El Paso, I think). Does anyone know what mexican restaurants do? From scratch, canned? I know that is a loaded question and there are probably as many ench. sauce recipes out there as there are cooks, but if anyone has any ideas that would make them more like the stuff you get in a typical mexican restaurant, that would be most helpful. Thanks again!!

Teri Jean

If you can find it at the grocery, try the "Las Palmas" enchilada sauce ---- it's canned and they have it in varying degrees of spiciness. I prefer the green chile, but the do have the red enchilada sauce too. Is it more the meat or the sauce that doesn't taste "Mexican" enough for him?

Andrea

This is what we grew up with called "Enchiladas" in the late 50'-early 60's
No resembalence to today's versions, but everyone in the family loves these "childhood comfort food"
Imported to the Midwest from an AirForce base eithr in Texas or PCZ ... Someone taught Mom or Dad ...
Step ONE
HomeMade Chili ... Purchased Take out chili ... Never done this with canned Chili ...
Easiest path is a couple of Large carry outs from Wendys, Not to Discount HomeMade versions
Step TWO
"Royitos"
Very thin corn meal crape batter, before anyone knew Tortillas or tacos in the midwest
1.5 cup yellow corn meal
1 cup AP Flour
2 Cups Water
1 TBS melted butter
1 egg
salt
This is laddled (1/2 cup) on a hot griddle or Comal spread with an off set spatula, As Thin as possible, then flipped over
Just like Pancakes, the first were never the best, (and if you Deep Fried these once they cooled, you get "Frito's Corn Chips")
Step THREE Assembly Line Production
Hot Royitos off the grill
Rolled up with large chunk Raw onion and Velveta Cheese (It was the only option in ~1962)(And it melts) filling a cookie sheet
Into a hot oven to melt the Velveta (ten-fifteen minutes)
Step FOUR Plating
Two "Enchiladas" on a dinner plate, covered with a ladle of Hot Chili
then the chili was garnished with shreaded head lettuce (~1960, was there any different kinda lettuce ?)
These things sit like LEAD (Very filling) and were always served with roasted Hot Dogs (?)
Tomatoes and Sour Cream arrived sometime in the 1970, with the arrival of Homemade Taco Kits
I had to edit this today to add oil to the Royitos and increase the corn meal

quote:

Originally posted by cheesybellybutton

I'd love to know how to make a tomato-based enchilada sauce from scratch. The only bottled stuff available over here in the UK is El Paso, and worse yet only in the mild variety! Any tips?

http://www.globalgourmet.com/destinations/mexico/corntort.html

This recipe calls for epazote, you can leave it out if you can not find it. If you can read spanish let me know and I can post up some Mexican recipe sites for you.

joe

quote:

Originally posted by AndreaB

quote:

Originally posted by jeanskid62

My hubby has said he doesn't like the canned enchilada sauce, at least not the one I used (Old El Paso, I think). Does anyone know what mexican restaurants do? From scratch, canned? I know that is a loaded question and there are probably as many ench. sauce recipes out there as there are cooks, but if anyone has any ideas that would make them more like the stuff you get in a typical mexican restaurant, that would be most helpful. Thanks again!!

Teri Jean

If you can find it at the grocery, try the "Las Palmas" enchilada sauce ---- it's canned and they have it in varying degrees of spiciness. I prefer the green chile, but the do have the red enchilada sauce too. Is it more the meat or the sauce that doesn't taste "Mexican" enough for him?

Andrea

I've had good luck ordering from Mexgrocer.com. They carry a variety of Mexican foods, imported and domestic. Here's an address for their page of enchilada and other cooking sauces:

http://www.mexgrocer.com/catagories-salsas-cooking-sauces.html

Well, again, I'll talk about the beef enchiladas at Ojeda's in Dallas. What I like about them is that the sauce is very much a beefy, brown sauce, no real trace of tomato sauce. I think it might be basically a thickened (think flour) beef broth, helped along with chili powder, maybe a little cumin, maybe garlic and onion powder, I have not tried to duplicate it yet. But I will. I know this will sound pretty dumb to a lot of people, but this enchilada does not seem to be baked so much as just kept warm somehow, and it has just a really little sprinkle of Velveeta (shredded). I know it's the Velveeta part that some folks will joke about, but it really works! It's the fact that it's almost there just for color that matters. Don't use hardly any.
Here's what I don't like in enchiladas: Shredded beef. Chicken. Seafood. Yuck. Also, it seems like every Mexican place here in LA wants to boast about how their enchiladas come "smothered" in cheese. Please. I can melt jack cheese at home, for a lot less. It also drives me nuts that I can't order a meal here without rice and beans, which are there just to make the plate look huge. Sometimes they'll try throwing a "salad" on the plate too, again to make it look like you're getting a giant meal. Hah.
-Scott Lindgren
scottlindgren@netzero.com

3 sauce recipes:
~~~
Enchilada Sauce

makes 2 cups
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons oil
2tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules or equivelent
~~~
Sweat the garlic in the oil, then remove the clove.
Add the flour and chili powder to oil and brown lightly.
Add the tomato sauce, water and bouillon.
Stir until smooth
<>
Brown Enchilada Sauce
makes 4 cups
1/2 cup oil
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup chili powder
1/2 cup flour
1 ttablespoon ground cumin
3 1/2 cups water
~~~
In a saucepan, heat the oil slightly,
then add the salt, pepper, chili powder,
flour, and cumin.
Stir until mixture thickens, the add water.
Continue stirring constantly til smooth and thick.
<>
Red Chile Sauce
Makes 3 1/2 cups
6 oz. of dried ancho chiles (or your choice)
3 cups hot water
1/4 cup tomato sauce or tomato paste
1 clove garlic- minced
1/4 cup salad oil
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon crumbled oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
~~~
Place chilies on baking sheet, toast lightly in a 400 degree oven
(3-5 min)
Let them cool, them remove stems and seeds
Rinse in cold water, drain,
then cover in 3 cups hot water for 1 hour
Place chiles in a blender with enough water to blend.
Blend until smooth, then put in saucepan
with remaining water, tomato sauce or paste, garlic, oil,
salt, oregano, and cumin.
Simmer gently for 10 -15 minutes, stirring gently.

When I first started making Mexican restaurant style" enchiladas (which I loved), I got the flavor I was looking for from tomato sauce simmered with chili powder, garlic, some cumin and a dash of oregano. I and my family like spicy food though, so I won't try to guess proportions. If your batch is too spicy, you can make a quick flour roux (to thicken the sauce and help absorb and dilute the oils, where the heat really lives), add the too-hot sauce, and then dilute it with water or stock.

Over the years, my tastes have changed, so while I used to emulate canned sauces to produce that magical synthesis (to me a completely distinct flavor) of sauce-soaked corn tortilla, I now find them almost flavorless, and my own recipe is quite different than it was -- so I'd be little help now.

The tortilla is important though. Our local stores in Boston often keep bags of semi-fresh soft corn tortillas in the dairy case (they're not as good as the same-day ones sold in ethnic stores, but they are better than the brands in the Mexican food aisle). Check there. It's worth it.

quote:

Originally posted by AndreaB

quote:

Originally posted by jeanskid62

My hubby has said he doesn't like the canned enchilada sauce, at least not the one I used (Old El Paso, I think). Does anyone know what mexican restaurants do? From scratch, canned? I know that is a loaded question and there are probably as many ench. sauce recipes out there as there are cooks, but if anyone has any ideas that would make them more like the stuff you get in a typical mexican restaurant, that would be most helpful. Thanks again!!

Teri Jean

If you can find it at the grocery, try the "Las Palmas" enchilada sauce ---- it's canned and they have it in varying degrees of spiciness. I prefer the green chile, but the do have the red enchilada sauce too. Is it more the meat or the sauce that doesn't taste "Mexican" enough for him?

Andrea

It's possible that it is the meat, now that you mention it, although he insists it must be the sauce. Any ideas for meat prep/seasoning? His favorite meat is ground beef (for enchiladas, I mean)

Garlic salt, pepper, diced onion, a small can of diced green chiles, and a little ground cumin.

Here, too, I would point to the idea, for the filling, of adding really finely chopped potato to the ground beef, after draining ALL the grease out. Not a lot of potato. You could use any leftover big chunks of that in a nice Mexican meatball soup. With carrots and cilantro. Yum.
-Scott Lindgren
scottlindgren@netzero.com

Here is a pretty simple recipe for Tex-Mex enchiladas. Depending on how spicy and hot you can handle, you may need to use less of the Rotel or Hunts diced tomatoes with green chilies. Since I have spent most of my life in South Texas and nine years in Mexico City, this isn't hot for my taste but probably will be for some.

TEX-MEX ENCHILADAS

CHEESE SAUCE:
1 LB. VELVEETA CHEESE
1 CAN ROTEL OR HUNTS DICED TOMATOES AND GREEN CHILIES
CUBE CHEESE AND ADD ROTEL, MELT TOGETHER IN MICROWAVE - SET ASIDE

BROWN MEAT:
1 LB. GROUND MEAT
SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE
BROWN IN SKILLET, THEN DRAIN AND SET ASIDE

CHILI POWDER MIXTURE:
1/4 CUP CHILI POWDER
2 TBS. CORNSTARCH
MIX WITH WATER TO THICKEN AND SET ASIDE

MEAT SAUCE:
1 LB. GROUND MEAT
SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE
2 CLOVES OF MINCED GARLIC
1 TSP. CUMIN
1 TBS. CILANTRO (FRESH OR DRY)
1/4 CUP OF CHOPPED ONION

BRING MEAT AND THE ABOVE SPICES TO A BOIL IN SUFFICIENT WATER TO COVER. WHEN IT IS BOILING ADD THE CHILI POWDER MIXTURE TO MAKE A THICK GRAVY AND SET ASIDE.

TORTILLAS:
12 TO 18 CORN TORTILLAS
SOFTEN IN HOT OIL AND DRAIN ON A PAPER TOWEL

IN A 10X13 PYREX DISH TAKE A CORN TORTILLA AND FILL WITH THE BROWNED MEAT AND CHEESE MIXTURE (SMALL AMOUNT). REPEAT THIS UNTIL YOU HAVE FILLED THE DISH. ONE LAYER IS BEST. TAKE THE REMAINDER OF THE BROWNED MEAT AND THE CHEESE MIXTURE AND SPREAD OVER THE TOP OF THE ROLLED TORTILLAS. POUR THE MEAT SAUCE ON TOP AND COVER WITH CHEDDAR CHEESE TO TASTE. BAKE UNTIL YOU SEE BUBBLES OR THE MIXTURE IS HOT. SERVE WITH JALAPENOS AND DICED LETTUCE, TOMATOES, AND ONIONS