Enchiladas always hit the spot, but sometimes you're not up for going out and don't have the energy to make a labor-intensive, 12-ingredient made-from-scratch enchilada sauce.Sometimes, it's all about getting dinner on the table, and that's where canned enchilada sauce comes in. Simply prep your filling, assemble your tortillas, smother in sauce (and cheese), and bake it all in the oven —a good, basic dinner done in half an hour.
The potential downside of that easy prep is that enchiladas are all about the sauce, and canned enchilada sauce can sometimes taste a little bitter ... or a lot bitter. Shop around to get a brand you favor, but if the can you just purchased isn't quite to your liking, there's an easy fix.Before you assemble your enchiladas, heat the sauce up and whisk in a little flour and sugar to taste. The flour will neutralize some of the bitterness and thicken the sauce a bit in the process. This can be a good thing, too, as canned enchilada sauce is usually a little thin in consistency. The sugar will balance the flavor profile. Simmer on the stovetop for 15 minutes, and then prepare the dish as usual.
The amount of flour and sugar you add depends in part on the size of the can of sauce and on your personal taste preferences, so go easy at first. You can taste as you go and add more until you reach the flavor you're looking for. You don't want the sauce too sweet; you just want to counteract the bitterness.
A little dairy can also help improve the flavor of canned enchilada sauce. If you're concerned about whisking raw flour into your sauce, try melting a little butter in a separate skillet first, whisking in an equal amount of flour, and cooking that mixture for a few minutes before adding it to your enchilada sauce.And while Mexican crema traditionally goes on top of the enchiladas before serving, you can also try stirring a spoonful of that into the sauce before baking as well.
The flour will neutralize some of the bitterness and thicken the sauce a bit in the process. This can be a good thing, too, as canned enchilada sauce is usually a little thin in consistency. The sugar will balance the flavor profile. Simmer on the stovetop for 15 minutes, and then prepare the dish as usual.
If you taste your enchilada sauce and find it has a bitter or sour aftertaste, this could be simply due to the acidity of the peppers or tomato, if added. Not to worry. Mix in agave syrup or brown sugar, starting with 1/2 teaspoon and adding more until the taste is evened out to your liking.
To make your canned enchilada sauce taste homemade, grab some butter, a little flour, and some chicken stock. This trifecta of ingredients infuses a canned enchilada sauce with a satisfyingly thick texture and a rich, savory flavor.
Mix in the flour to thicken it, then pour in that canned enchilada sauce, and bring the mixture to a boil. After your sauce is finished simmering, it's time to build your enchiladas.
Before you assemble your enchiladas, heat the sauce up and whisk in a little flour and sugar to taste. The flour will neutralize some of the bitterness and thicken the sauce a bit in the process. This can be a good thing, too, as canned enchilada sauce is usually a little thin in consistency.
Browning and adding some sausage, turkey, chicken or ground beef will increase your sauce's flavor, incorporate extra texture, infuse a heartier taste and up the protein content. Italian sausage is one of the best meats to add to your canned pasta sauce to achieve that classic Italian taste.
While some recipes use flour tortillas, corn tortillas are traditional — and for good reason — are the better option for enchiladas. Corn tortillas have a distinct flavor that plays a key part of the enchilada experience, compared to flour tortillas, which are more like a blank slate.
Even a small amount of baking soda significantly raises the pH of the sauce. While this reduces acidic taste, it also tamps down on the brightness that gives the tomato complexity.
If your tomato sauce is too acidic and verging on bitter, turn to baking soda, not sugar. Yes, sugar might make the sauce taste better, but good old baking soda is an alkaline that will help balance the excess acid. A little pinch should do the trick.
A can of enchilada sauce has a long shelf life and can typically last for up to 2 years without spoiling, providing that the can is unopened with no damage. Once opened, the sauce will last for 2 to 3 days at room temperature.
The most important tip for avoiding soggy enchiladas is to briefly fry your tortillas in hot oil before you fill and roll. This creates a little bit of a barrier so that the tortillas don't soak up too much of the sauce and therefore start to break down.
To make your canned enchilada sauce taste homemade, grab some butter, a little flour, and some chicken stock. This trifecta of ingredients infuses a canned enchilada sauce with a satisfyingly thick texture and a rich, savory flavor.
Flour: Make a slurry of 2 parts water to 1 part all-purpose flour and whisk until very smooth. Slowly whisk in no more than 1 tablespoon of the mixture per 2 cups of simmering sauce. Stir and simmer for about 2 minutes, check the thickness, and repeat with more as needed.
This is known as “reducing,” in the culinary world, because you are reducing the sauce's volume by boiling some of the water off, leaving behind the fat and other tasty ingredients (with higher boiling points). If your sauce looks runny before it even hits your food, boil it for a bit to thicken it up.
The Fix: Balance bitter flavors by introducing something salty, sweet, or sour. For naturally bitter foods such as kale, you can soften the flavor by add a lemony vinaigrette, Parmesan cheese, and pomegranate seeds.
The most important tip for avoiding soggy enchiladas is to briefly fry your tortillas in hot oil before you fill and roll. This creates a little bit of a barrier so that the tortillas don't soak up too much of the sauce and therefore start to break down.
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