Best Fresh Enchilada Sauce Recipes

TEN MINUTE ENCHILADA SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in flour and chili powder, reduce heat to medium, and cook until lightly brown, stirring constantly to prevent burning flour.
• Gradually stir in tomato sauce, water, cumin, garlic powder, and onion salt into the flour and chili powder until smooth, and continue cooking over medium heat approximately 10 minutes, or until thickened slightly. Season to taste with salt.

AUTHENTIC ENCHILADA SAUCE

Steps:

• Start with that all important step: Roasting! Heat a heavy non-stick skillet (I like to use cast iron) over medium-high heat. Don't add any oil. Lay the dried peppers on the skillet and toast them for a minute or two on each, just until they become very fragrant. It's better to under-toast than to over-toast them as they will become very bitter if scorched. Remove and set aside. Next place the onion, garlic and tomatoes on the skillet and toast until lightly browned.
• Remove the stems from the peppers (using gloves if you're using hot peppers), slice the peppers open and remove and discard all of the seeds and the membranes (contrary to popular belief, it's the membranes not the seeds that are hot, the seeds are bitter). Place the peppers in a bowl.Pour the boiling water over the peppers, cover the bowl and let them sit for 20-30 minutes until soft.
• Place the peppers and their liquid along with the onion, tomato, garlic and all remaining ingredients (except for the chocolate if using) in a blender and blend until completely smooth.Note: At this point determine for yourself whether your sauce needs to be strained. I use a Vitamix blender which does an excellent job of blending the sauce to a very smooth puree, so I don't bother straining it.
• Time to cook the sauce: Heat a tablespoon or so of oil to a pot then add red sauce. Simmer it uncovered for about 30 minutes. Add a little more water if you prefer it thinner. The sauce should be the thickness of heavy cream.Optional: For an added flavor touch, add a small piece of semi-sweet chocolate at the end and stir until melted.If the sauce is very bitter, add a touch of brown sugar. SEE NOTE.
• Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freeze it for several months. I like to freeze about a cup of it per freezer bag so I can conveniently grab a bag as needed.Makes approx. 5-6 cups.

ENCHILADA SAUCE

Steps:

• Fill a large saucepan two-thirds with water; bring to a boil. Cut a shallow "X" on the bottom of each tomato. Using tongs, place tomatoes, a few at a time, in boiling water for 30-60 seconds or just until skin at the "X" begins to loosen. Remove tomatoes and immediately drop into ice water. Pull off skins with tip of a knife; discard skins., In a Dutch oven, combine remaining ingredients. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 1-2 hours or until mixture reaches desired consistency., Cool slightly. Process in batches in a blender until smooth. If desired, return all to pan and heat through. Transfer to an airtight container; refrigerate up to 3 days.

AUTHENTIC ENCHILADA SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place chile peppers on a cookie sheet and roast in the oven until slightly toasted. (Note: When you can smell them, they're done.)
• Remove from the oven and slit them open. Remove the seeds and veins, then put them in a bowl with boiling water to cover. Allow them to sit for 30 minutes, then remove them from the water, reserving the water. Scrape the pulp from the insides of the chile peppers and discard the skins. (Note: The skins will give the mixture a bitter flavor.) Return the pulp to the water and set aside for later.
• In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute the garlic and onion in the butter or margarine for 5 minutes, or until onion is tender. Add the flour and mix well. Add the stock, stirring until thickened, and then add the reserved chile pulp mixture. Finally, add the oregano and the cumin.
• In a blender or food processor, puree the mixture until smooth. Season with salt to taste.

FRESH ENCHILADA SAUCE

Steps:

• Roast whole peppers in 350 degree oven until the scent permeates the room (about 15 minutes).
• De-seed, de-vein, and slice peppers and place them in a large pot with just enough water to boil.
• Boil peppers covered for 30 minutes (don't cheat you will regret it later).
• Remove peppers from boiling water and wait until they are cool enough to handle.
• Holding on to one end of the slice of pepper, gently rub the pulp side with a fork until only the skin remains (skins will make the sauce bitter).
• Return pepper pulp to water and remove from heat.
• Saute onion and garlic in butter.
• Add flour and chicken stock.
• Stir until mixture begins to thicken.
• Add spices and water/pulp mixture.
• Puree and serve.
• Note: Jalapeno peppers work nicely if you are wanting a warmer sauce.