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Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Easy Enchilada Sauce


Super Easy Enchilada Sauce
Chile Colorado Burrito with homemade Easy Enchilada Sauce

So, the Chile Colorado Burrito recipe remains my top post, with over 2,000,000 page views. One of the main themes in the many comments I've received is about the fact that I use canned enchilada sauce. That's what I use, so that's what I posted--detractors have always been welcome to make their own sauce. I only write recipes as I do them. I have considered making a homemade enchilada sauce before, but I honestly just never felt like it.
Well, my hand has been forced, as I am starting to think about and prep recipes for this year's food competition at the Iowa State Fair. The Tone's spice company has a huge competition, and one of them is titled "Favorite Tones Everyday Family Recipe," and first prize is $2,000. So, obviously, now is the time to make a homemade sauce using Tone's spices. I had to use my favorite (non-Tone's) chile powder, though, because, well, it's my favorite, and nothing can compare.
So far the sauce is really delicious, and I have some stew meat cooking in my practice batch right now. (Pics to follow.) It really was extrememly easy to make, sooo...good news all you critics! I plan to make my own enchilada sauce from now on for my Chile Colorado Burritos. I'm still going to leave the recipe as-is in my blog post, though, since most people who like the recipe enjoy it for the ease. They throw it in the crock pot, go to work, and they have a fabulous hot meal at the end of the day. I'm not going to mess with that. 

Easy Enchilada Sauce
     --Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
  • ·       1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • ·       1/4 cup all purpose flour (I used Better Batter Gluten Free AP Flour)
  • ·       1/2 cup New Mexico red chile powder (I like Bueno Special Reserve)
  • ·       1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ·       1 teaspoon  garlic powder
  • ·       1 teaspoon onion salt
  • ·       1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
  • ·       3 cups water
  • ·       3 teaspoons beef base (or 3 beef bullion cubes)
Instructions:
In a large heavy bottomed pot or in a Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the flour and chile powder. Stir, and cook for 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Stir in the cumin, garlic powder, and onion salt. Then stir in the tomato sauce and water. Add the beef base and stir to incorporate. Allow the sauce to simmer for about 5-10 minutes.

Now the sauce is ready for you to use in any recipe calling for enchilada sauce.
Makes about 5 cups of sauce.
Recipe can be halved.


11 comments:

  1. Could this be frozen? If not, how long will it keep in the fridge? We love your burrito recipe! Good luck at the fair!

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    Replies
    1. I have not tried freezing this sauce yet, but I really think it would be fine. I've kept it in the fridge for a couple of days. I do have some chile colorado made with this sauce in the freezer right now, but it's the first time I've done it. Not sure when I'll be serving it. I say go ahead and freeze it. You can yell at me later if it doesn't work. ;)

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  2. Do you really mean a half CUP of chili powder? I looked on Amazon and it's over $20 for 6 oz. Wow.

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    Replies
    1. I really do mean a half cup of chile powder. $20 for 6 oz. is a ridiculous asking price. I am afraid I luck out having a brother who lives in New Mexico and they bring me a year's supply each time they come for Thanksgiving. I only name this chile powder because I love it so much. You can certainly use a more locally available (and less expensive for sure) red chile powder. But if you really want to try the Bueno special reserve, here are a couple of other options for you:
      Four 12 oz. bags for $19.99, but $10 shipping: https://www.weshipchile.com/index.php?productID=9
      Four 12 oz. bags for $16.99, with $9 shipping http://www.21food.com/showroom/620076/product/special-reserve--chile-powder.html

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  3. Replies
    1. you can order online " Los Chileros " in New mexico , they sell chile powder by the pound.

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  4. The sauce is delicious! I will be using this sauce recipe EVERY TIME a recipe asks for enchilada sauce. Fabulous! And yes, extremely easy. LOVE LOVE LOVE!

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    Replies
    1. I'm glad you found a keeper recipe, Stacey. Thanks for letting me know. :)

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  5. Can I add a link here...?? I get ALL my chile powders from Spice Jungle, they have FREE shipping on every order!!! Plus, I LOVE the quality of their spices - I just received my second order, and I'll never buy specialty powders anywhere else! They beat Amazon hands-down!! I actually found them on ebay and went right to their site - here's the link for New Mexico chile powder (which I just ordered from them! LOL).... https://www.spicejungle.com/new-mexico-chile-powder ....we LOVE the flavor, along with their other chile powders!!!

    Hope I helped!!! ;-)

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