by Tracy Lauth
Makes 1 Quart
Like most people, I used to keep canned red enchilada sauce in my pantry. It was quick, easy, and full of flavor. It is also full of high fructose corn syrup, chemicals, dyes, preservatives and “natural flavoring.” I won’t start on the evils of high fructose corn syrup here – do your own research. It’s poison.
I set out to find a recipe for red enchilada sauce that I could make at home, fast, using all fresh ingredients, that was better than store bought. Here is my version. IT IS BETTER THAN CANNED. And, it takes only minutes to make a batch that freezes great.
This recipe is a mild sauce. You may want to add additional chili spices to achieve the level of heat you want.
So, stop buying canned enchilada sauce full of chemicals and unknown ingredients. Make your own fresh enchilada sauce today.
Lets start with some tips for success
The key to this sauce is to start with a roux. Then add tomato paste and cook another minute.
Tip One: Always cook your tomato paste as raw tomato paste has a distinctly acidic taste. Cooking it caramelizes the sugars and makes a more interesting flavor.
Tip Two: By adding the spices to the dry, you open up the spices releasing the oils and developing a more robust flavor.
Tip Three: Always heat your stock before adding to your roux. Adding cold stock to a hot roux stops the cooking process and promotes lumps. Slowly incorporating a warm liquid makes a smoother sauce.
Tip Four: Bring the sauce back up to a very low simmer and cook for two minutes. This will get the raw flour taste out of your sauce.
Tip Five: This sauce is full of flavor but not heat. Add cayenne or any other chili spice until to reach your desired heat level.
This sauce is very fast so measure out all your ingredients before you start. From start to finish is less than ten minutes.
Ingredients
- 6 T Olive Oil
- 6 T Flour
- 2 T Double Concentrate Tomato Paste or 4 T Regular Tomato Paste
- 1 ½ T Ancho Chili Powder
- 1 ½ T Guajillo Chili Powder
- 2 t Cumin
- 2 t Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 t Granulated Garlic or Garlic Powder
- ½ t Salt
- ½ t Cinnamon
- 4 c Chicken Stock
- 1 T Apple Cider Vinegar
- ½ t Fresh Cracked Pepper
Instructions
- Heat chicken stock in small saucepan and set aside
- Make a roux using olive oil and flour. Heat oil over medium heat in 2 Qt saucepan until a sprinkle of flour sizzles. Add flour and cook two minutes stirring constantly
- Add tomato paste and cook for one minute stirring constantly
- Remove from heat and add chili powders, cumin, cocoa, garlic, and salt. Stir until combined
- Return to heat and cook one minute stirring constantly
- Gradually add heated chicken stock stirring constantly to remove lumps. Bring to a simmer.
- Remove from heat and add vinegar and pepper to taste.
Sauce may be refrigerated in airtight container up to one week or frozen up to three months.