Beef Enchiladas - Test Kitchen Style

Everyone loves enchiladas.  And for good reason as they taste incredible, use relatively inexpensive ingredients and make great leftovers.  However there are many receipes out there that use canned sauce, or worse the canned "cheese" goop.  In all fairness we are guilty of making them using those shortcut/processed ingredients, but we were young and didn't know better or think anything of it.

A few years ago we were given "The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2008" which included a recipe for Authentic Beef Enchiladas, that's right authentic...no processed cheese-like ingredients.  They take time, about 2 hours total for all of the steps, so they are ideally suited for a weekend dinner.  They are definitely worth the time.

Beef Enchiladas

From The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2008

Serves 4 to 6

• 3 garlic cloves, minced - saute unpeeled 10min
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sugar
• kosher salt to taste
• 1.5 lbs top blade steak
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 onions chopped - saute 5min
• 1 (15oz) can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 8 oz Monterey Jack cheese shredded (about 2 cups)
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapeno peppers
• 8 (6-in) corn tortillas

Combine the garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, sugar, and 1 tsp salt in small bowl.  Pat the meat dry with paper towels and sprinkle with kosher salt.  Heat the oil in the dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Sear the meat on all sides for about 6 min total.  Transfer the meat to a plate.  Add the onions to the pot and cook over medium heat for about 5 min.  Stir in the garlic mixture and cook until fragrant, about 1 min.  Add the tomato sauce and water, bring to a boil.  Return the meat and juices to the pot, cover, reduce the heat to low, and gently simmer until the meat is tender and can be broken apart with a wooden spoon, about 1.5 hours. 

Heat oven to 350 degrees, place rack in middle position.  Strain the beef mixture over a medium bowl, breaking the meat into small pieces, reserve the sauce.  Transfer the meat to a bowl and mix with 1 cup of the cheese, cilantro and jalapeno.

Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce on the bottom of a 13x9in baking dish.  Microwave 6 tortillas on a plate on high until soft, about 45 seconds.  Spread 1/3 cup of the beef mixture down the center of each tortilla, roll the tortilla tightly, and set in the baking dish, seam side down.  Repeat with the remaining tortillas or however much of the mixture you have.  Pour the remaining sauce over the tortillas and spread as evenly as you can.  Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup cheese evenly over the enchiladas and maybe sprinkle on a few jalapeno slices if you like. 

Cover the dish with foil and bake for about 20 min.  Remove the foil and continue baking for another 5-10 min or until the cheese has browned. 

Let it stand for about 10 min and serve.

Enjoy!
-Dan