AUTHENTIC BEEF ENCHILADAS

These are literally the best enchiladas I have ever had!  I am not even joking!  The first time I tried these enchiladas was at my friend, Stephanie's house.  She had made it for Bunco and before I left I asked her for the recipe.  This is only my second time to ever make them, but that is about to change.  Oh and I did not name this recipe....it is just what it is called by America's Test Kitchen magazine.  I don't know if these are truly "authentic",  I just know they are delicioso : )

Honestly, I thought I remembered them taking longer than they really do.  I found a couple of time savers this time around and I will be making them way more often.  First of all, you can make some of this ahead of time and refrigerate.  Also, when it has to cook for 1-1/2 hours, instead of leaving them on top of the stove, place them in the oven or in a crock pot for the sauce to cook down and the meat to tenderize.


I love the flavor of the gravy so much.  It is soooo rich and flavorful.  That gravy holds nothing back. Oh and the smell in your kitchen....you will just die!  It smells AHHH-MAZING!!  This recipe makes 12 enchiladas using the smaller corn tortillas and going by the amounts in the recipe.  If you need more, this recipe is easy to just double, triple or quadruple.

This dish adds one layer of flavor after another.  It incorporates lot of fresh ingredients, as well as wonderful spices that make your taste buds wake up and take notice!  Don't skimp on any of the ingredients because each one is there for a reason.  They balance this dish and make you eat another enchilada when you are already full.  Yep, been there, done that!

Oh and one more thing, I found an amazing gadget last week at a little shop in Boerne, Texas called Kiss The Cook.  I use a lot of fresh herbs that require you to remove them from the stem.  It is so time consuming  that a lot of times I just chop up the stems too.  This gadget actually removes the leaves from the stem effortlessly.  Yesterday, I used it with the cilantro and it was so easy and quick to get just the leaves for this dish.  It has 8 holes of all different sizes.  There is a hole big enough for Kale and one small enough for Thyme.  I love it!!

One

Two

Three

                                             

End Product

Back to the dish!  These would be perfect for your Super Bowl party, dinner party, bunco, family dinners, etc.  I am sitting here thinking that all this talk about these enchiladas is making me hungry for one.  Hope you try them...you won't be disappointed!

AUTHENTIC BEEF ENCHILADAS 

3 Garlic Cloves, minced (I doubled this because I love garlic)
3 tablespoons Chili Powder
2 teaspoons Ground Coriander
2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Sugar
Salt for seasoning meat
1-1/4 pounds Top Sirloin Steak or Top Blade Steak
1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil (I used Canola)
2 onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
(1) 15 ounce can Tomato Sauce
1/2 cup Water
8 ounces Monterey Jack or Mild Cheddar Cheese, shredded (I used a Mexican Blend)
1/3 cup Fresh Cilantro
1/4 cup canned Pickled Jalapenos, chopped
(12) 6-inch Corn Tortillas

1.  Combine the garlic, chili powder, coriander cumin, sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a small bowl.

2.  Pat the meat dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt.

You only use 1 package

3.  Heat the oil in a Dutch Oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Cook the meat until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes.  Transfer the meat to a plate.

4.  Add the onions to the pot and cook over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes.

Don't worry about the browned bits on the bottom of your dutch oven.  The moisture from the onions will steam them right off and into your base for a yummy addition to your gravy!

5.  Stir in the garlic mixture and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

6.  Add the tomato sauce and water and bring to a boil.

7.  Return the meat and juices to the pot, cover, and reduce the heat to low, and gently simmer until the meat is tender and can be broken apart with a wooden spoon, about 1-1/2 hours.

Make sure your meat is completely submerged in the sauce.

NOTE:  I actually placed my dutch oven with the meat into the oven at 350 degrees for 1-1/2 hours and it was perfect.  You could also use a crock pot but since I have not done this personally, I cannot tell you a cooking time...my guess would be 4-5 hours.

8.  Remove the meat from sauce, place in a dish and shred.  Reserve the sauce.

9.  Add 1 cup of the cheese, the cilantro and the jalapenos to the meat and mix well.

10.  Spread  a good amount of the sauce onto the bottom of a 13 X 9 baking dish.
11.  Microwave the corn tortillas, 6 at a time, in a dampened paper towel for about 20 seconds.
12.  Spread 1/3 cup of the meat mixture down the center of each tortilla (I just eyed this), roll the tortillas tight, and place in the dish.  Repeat this with the remaining tortillas and beef mixture (you may have to fit 2 or more enchiladas down the sides of the baking dish).

I used my hands to put the meat in the tortillas...that way I can get it just right.

13.  Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and spread to coat evenly.
14  Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese evenly over the enchiladas, wrap with foil and bake at 350 degrees until heated through, 20-25 minutes.  Remove foil and continue baking until the cheese browns slightly, 5-10 minutes more.

TIP:  Although it is best to roll and bake the enchiladas right before serving, the beef filling and sauce can be prepared ahead through Step 9 and refrigerated : )  Prepare the enchiladas and increase the baking time when dish is covered by 5 minutes.

ENJOY!

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE