Cheesy Beef Enchilada Casserole

The original video

Ingredients

• 2 lb ground beef (caption: 97/3)
• ½ onion, diced
• 1 small green bell pepper (caption also allows 2 jalapeños)
• A little oil, for the pan
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp oregano
• Black pepper: speech says 2 tsp; caption says 2 tsp ground black pepper
• Salt to taste (caption says 4 tsp)
• 2 small carrots
• 2 small potatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 Roma tomatoes
• 8 New Mexico chile pods (caption also lists guajillo as an alternative)
• 5 chile de árbol (caption says optional)
• 2 chile anchos
• 3 garlic cloves
• A small piece of onion (caption specifies ¼ onion)
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp oregano
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• Salt to taste (caption says 1½ tsp)
• 4 cups beef broth or water
• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• Tortillas: amount depends on the baking dish and number of layers; caption says 18 tortillas for a 9×13-inch dish
• Oaxaca and medium cheddar cheese blend, amount not stated
• Pico de gallo and sour cream, for topping
• Rice and beans, optional sides

Instructions

1. Heat a pan over medium-high heat and drizzle in a little oil. Allow the oil to heat.
2. Add half an onion and one small green pepper. Sauté for 3 minutes.
3. Add the ground beef. Season with the minced garlic, cumin, oregano, black pepper, and salt to taste. Break down the meat and allow it to brown.
4. After 4 minutes, add the carrots and potatoes and mix. Add the bay leaf, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
5. Remove the lid and mix. Add the Roma tomatoes and mix again. Continue cooking for 3–5 minutes. Check the salt, potatoes, and carrots; the vegetables should be soft. Set the picadillo aside.
6. Put the chile pods in a small pot and cover with water. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. As soon as the chiles come to a boil, turn off the heat and transfer them to a blender.
7. Add the garlic, onion, black pepper, oregano, cumin, and salt to the blender. Add 4 cups of beef broth or water and blend until smooth.
8. Return to the pot used to boil the chiles; remove the water and dry the pot. Set it over medium heat and melt the butter. Mix in the flour and allow it to cook for about 30 seconds.
9. Add the blended enchilada sauce, whisking. Bring it to a simmer. When the sauce has thickened, taste and adjust the salt if desired. Set aside.
10. Lightly fry the tortillas for about 5 seconds each. The number needed depends on the number of casserole layers and the size of the baking dish.
11. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
12. Spread a little sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Add tortillas and more sauce, then spread a layer of picadillo evenly over them. Top with the Oaxaca and medium cheddar cheese blend.
13. For the next two layers, dip each tortilla into the sauce and place it on top. Repeat the layering process, adding another layer of meat and more cheese. Place a tortilla on the final layer and top it with cheese.
14. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese has completely melted. The speaker says the casserole was done after 15 minutes.
15. Let it sit for 10–15 minutes before cutting and serving. Top with pico de gallo and sour cream; serve with rice and beans if desired.