BEEF ENCHILADAS WITH HOMEMADE ENCHILADA SAUCE

Irresistible ground beef enchiladas made with a super simple homemade enchilada sauce. Trying cooking these up on the smoker for extra flavor!

INGREDIENTS:

Enchilada Sauce
3 cups chicken stock
3 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp flour
2 tbsp chili powder (adjust to taste)
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp oregano
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Beef Mixture
1 lb ground beef (I used 90/10)
1 white onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Enchilada Assembly
(8) 8" flour tortillas, warmed in microwave
1 can refried beans
1 ½ cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese

Optional Toppings
Sour cream
Diced avocado
Fresh diced tomatoes
Thinly sliced green onions
Fresh cilantro
Lime wedges

Tools
Saucepan
Large skillet 
Baking dish 
Cutting board 
Knife

DIRECTIONS:

1. To make the sauce, heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, stir in the flour and mix well. Add the tomato paste and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring often.
2. When the mixture begins to turn into a thick paste, slowly begin whisking in the chicken stock. Once all of the stock has been added, add the seasonings and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion, red bell pepper, and garlic and sauté for a few minutes, until they begin to soften.
4. Add the ground beef and cook while breaking apart with a wooden spoon. When the beef begins to brown, add the seasonings and mix well. If you'd like the filling to be saucy, you can add some of the enchilada sauce at this point. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Preheat smoker or oven to 350°F. Spread about 1/3 of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of an 11x14" baking dish.
6. Lay out your warmed tortillas and evenly divide the refried beans over the bottom halves of the tortillas. Place a spoonful of the beef mixture and a sprinkle of the Mexican blend cheese on top, carefully roll up, and place in the prepared baking dish.
7. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top, making sure there is sauce in between each enchilada and around the sides of the pan.
8. Sprinkle the Monterey jack cheese over the top and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling.
9. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Serve with desired toppings and enjoy!