DMc's Layered Enchiladas

We have this at least monthly at the McCasa. It makes delicious leftovers - top with a couple eggs over easy for a fantastic brunch!

Course Main Course

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 1

Total Time 2 10

Servings

2 lbs ground beef (we like 90% lean for this recipe)
1 can red enchilada sauce (15 oz)
2 tsp red chile powder seasoning blend
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried Mexican oregano (you can use regular Greek oregano if that is all you have on hand)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
12-14 each taco-sized soft corn tortillas (white or yellow, whichever you prefer)
1 each medium sweet onion, chopped small (not quite minced but not too big either)
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar (we shred our own)

Brown the ground beef, adding the Worcestershire sauce, chile powder seasoning blend, cumin, and oregano once the meat is about halfway cooked through - drain grease if needed
Mix the enchilada sauce into the meat and simmer for about 10 minutes
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
Grease your iron skillet for baking well
If your baking skillet/pan/dish might possibly overflow at all, place it on a rimmed cookie sheet prior to building the enchiladas therein
Layer 6-8 tortillas in the bottom of the skillet
Spread half the meat mixture over the tortillas
Sprinkle half the onions over the meat mixture
Sprinkle half the cheese over the onions
Layer 4-6 tortillas into the skillet
Repeat the meat / onion / cheese layers
Bake at 375 F for 1 hour - the cheese should be browning nicely and the edges should be bubbling like mad when it's ready to pull
Take enchiladas out of oven, and let set on the stovetop or a cooling rack for 10 minutes before you try to cut them - much like you do for a lasagna

If you cannot get your hands on a leaner percentage ground beef, just be sure to drain the beef before you return it to the pan to add the enchilada sauce for simmering.
Regarding the enchilada sauce, pick your preferred heat level, just ensure it's red sauce. We like Hatch Tex-Mex Medium sauce for this recipe as it comes out mild after cooking and is fit for spice-sensitive guests.
Cheese quality really matters! We love Tillamook cheese, and we shred tons of the red-label Sharp Cheddar for this recipe.
You can absolutely use more tortillas across a larger-diameter pan that we used - just make your meat/onion/cheese layers more dispersed across the pan.
This approach works well with chopped cooked chicken and green enchilada sauce too!