Authentic Beef Enchiladas

These are the best enchiladas I have ever had, and all the credit goes to America's Test Kitchen - this is their recipe. This recipe isn't simple, but the work is worth the reward.

Special equipment needed: Dutch oven, mesh strainer.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
For the filling
Vegetable oil for browning
1 1/4 lb top blade steak, dried, cubed, and salted (can substitute chuck steak)
2 medium white onions, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1 15oz can of tomato sauce

For assembling
12 6-inch, white, corn tortillas
2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded (can substitute a mild cheddar)
1/4 cup cilantro
1/4 cup pickled jalapenos, minced (can substitute a 4 oz can of green chilies)

For serving
1 lb sour cream
1 teaspoon ground chipotle
1/4 cup cilantro, plus 2 tablespoons
4-5 limes
3-4 avocados

Brown the steak in vegetable oil on medium-high heat in a Dutch oven (~6 min), remove the steak from the Dutch oven and set aside. Add the onions to the Dutch oven and saute on medium heat (~5 min). Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and sugar, stir well, "toast" spices (~2 min). Add the water, tomato sauce, and salt, bring to a simmer, return meat to the Dutch oven and cook for 1 1/2 hours covered on the stove top (maintaining a simmer).

When the time is up transfer the meat, onions, and the all sauce to a strainer  Push out as much sauce as possible. Reserve sauce. At this point turn on oven to 350. Shred the meat and combine with cooked onions, 1 cup cheese, 1/4 cup cilantro, and pickled jalapenos, mix well.

Heat tortillas in microwave. Do in 2 batches, 1 minute each batch, with tortillas wrapped in paper towels. Coat the bottom of a 9 by 13 baking dish with ~1/2 cup of sauce. Assemble enchiladas by filling each tortilla with a 1/3 cup of the meat mixture, roll and arrange 8 vertically down one side and 4 horizontally stacked by two on the other side (see picture).

Cover enchiladas with remaining sauce, using a spoon to spread it over all of the tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese and bake covered for 20 minutes, uncovered for 5 minutes.

Combine sour cream, 1/4 cup cilantro, chipotle, juice of 1/2 lime,  and salt. Chop avocados, combine with 2 tablespoons of cilantro, juice of 1/2 lime, and salt.

Serve with sour cream and avocado toppings, wedges of lime and more fresh cilantro. 

Bon appetit!