Canned enchilada sauce is, to my mind, a serious food crime. Especially since it is so easy to make at home. I have been making the following Basic Mexican Red Chili Sauce in large batches as a module for years, and keeping it in the freezer for whenever I need a Mexican sauce for enchiladas, burritos, chimichangas, taco filling, tamales, chili rellenos, etc. Although I recently did find a brand of canned sauce that is actually edible (believe it or not the Winco store brand - definitely not one of the major brands), I prefer to keep plenty of the homemade version on hand at all times because it is so much better.


48 Servings

3/4 cup shortening
1 cups flour

12 cups cold water
1/4 cup Pasilla chili powder, or California (milder) or New Mexico (spicier)
1/4 cup chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons granular chicken bouillon, or beef bouillon

1. In large saucepan or soup pot, melt shortening.
2. Add flour, stirring until smooth.
3. Cook, whisking often, over medium heat until flour is the color of peanut butter. Watch carefully so it doesn't burn. Remove from the heat.
   
   
   
4. Meanwhile, mix the water with the remaining ingredients and whisk into the flour mixture (It will spurt and bubble up).
5. Whisk constantly over medium high heat until the mixture is thickened and smooth.
6. Divide the mixture up into freezer bags (I do some 1 cup and others 2 cups). Label and freeze.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 46 Calories from Fat 34
Percent Total Calories From:
Fat 73% Protein 4% Carb. 23%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 4 g
Saturated Fat 1 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 103 mg
Total Carbohydrate 3 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 0 g

Vitamin A 7% Vitamin C 1% Calcium 0% Iron 1%