Pork Tenderloin and Caramelized Onion Enchiladas in a Homemade Enchilada Sauce

by Pam on November 12, 2013

My husband was in the mood for Mexican food so I made these enchiladas for dinner. I made a homemade sauce that turned out to be spicy, flavorful, and really delicious. The pork was tender and the caramelized onions made these enchiladas extra tasty.  I used extra sharp white cheddar so it was cheesy and flavorful without using a ton of cheese. The sauce was a bit too spicy for my kids so they opted for a pork, bean, and cheese quesadilla. My husband and I both really loved these enchiladas. They had a nice kick and they were hearty without being heavy. I loved mine with fresh avocado and sour cream while my husband opted for avocado and extra hot sauce.

Heat the canola oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5-6 minutes. Add the minced garlic, chile powder, cumin, coriander, and oregano then stir constantly for 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes and juice along with the chicken broth. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste and add the honey then cover with a lid and simmer for 30 minutes.

After the sauce has simmered for 30 minutes, blend the sauce with an immersion blender (or regular blender) until smooth. Pour through a sieve to remove excess pulp, if desired. Taste and re-season if needed. Set aside

While the sauce is simmering, caramelize the onions. Heat a tablespoon of oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring often, for 20-30 minutes, or until tender and caramelized. Side Note: If the onion gets too dry while cooking, add a few tablespoons of water to keep them moist. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a large 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.

Heat the remaining olive oil in the same skillet you cooked the onions in. Remove the silverskin from the pork tenderloin (click this link for instructions). Cut the pork into medallions then dice into bite sized chunks. Spread the diced pork out evenly on the cutting board. Sprinkle the pork evenly with a bit of sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, and coriander. Cook the pork in 2 batches, seasoned side down, in the hot pan. Season the other side of the pork then leave it alone for 2-3 minutes, until it’s caramelized then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove to a plate and cover with a tin foil tent; cook the second batch of pork. Side Note: Pork will NOT be cooked through – it will finish cooking in the oven.^[1]

Wrap the flour tortillas in a dishcloth then place into the microwave for 20-30 seconds or until the tortillas are pliable. Pour enough enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Place some of the pork, a spoonful of beans with sauce, and a spoonful of caramelized onions down the center of the tortilla. Roll and place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and ingredients. Pour more sauce over each rolled enchilada then top with the cheese.

Cover with tinfoil then place into the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil then continue to bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve with chopped green onions on top along with diced avocado, sour cream, and hot sauce on the side. Enjoy.

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Pork Tenderloin and Caramelized Onion Enchiladas in a Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Yield: 8 enchiladas

Ingredients:

Enchilada Sauce:

1 tbsp canola oil
1 small sweet yellow onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 tbsp chile powder
1/2 tbsp adobo chile powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp oregano
2 14 oz cans of fire roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles and garlic
1/2 cup of chicken broth
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1 tsp honey

Enchiladas:

1 1/2 tbsp canola oil (divided)
1 large onion, sliced
1 Pork tenderloin, cut into bite sized chunks
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
Cumin, to taste
Oregano, to taste
Coriander, to taste
8 small flour tortillas
1 14 oz can of chili beans with sauce
Extra sharp white cheddar, shredded
Green onions, diced
Cilantro, chopped
Avocado, diced
Sour cream
Hot sauce

Directions:

Heat the canola oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5-6 minutes. Add the minced garlic, chile powder, cumin, coriander, and oregano then stir constantly for 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes and juice along with the chicken broth. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste and add the honey then cover with a lid and simmer for 30 minutes.

After the sauce has simmered for 30 minutes, blend the sauce with an immersion blender (or regular blender) until smooth. Pour through a sieve to remove excess pulp, if desired. Taste and re-season if needed. Set aside

While the sauce is simmering, caramelize the onions. Heat a tablespoon of oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring often, for 20-30 minutes, or until tender and caramelized. Side Note: If the onion gets too dry while cooking, add a few tablespoons of water to keep them moist. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a large 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.

Heat the remaining olive oil in the same skillet you cooked the onions in. Remove the silverskin from the pork tenderloin (click this link for instructions). Cut the pork into medallions then dice into bite sized chunks. Spread the diced pork out evenly on the cutting board. Sprinkle the pork evenly with a bit of sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, and coriander. Cook the pork in 2 batches, seasoned side down, in the hot pan. Season the other side of the pork then leave it alone for 2-3 minutes, until it’s caramelized then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove to a plate and cover with a tin foil tent; cook the second batch of pork. Side Note: Pork will NOT be cooked through – it will finish cooking in the oven.

Wrap the flour tortillas in a dishcloth then place into the microwave for 20-30 seconds or until the tortillas are pliable. Pour enough enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Place some of the pork, a spoonful of beans with sauce, and a spoonful of caramelized onions down the center of the tortilla. Roll and place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and ingredients. Pour more sauce over each rolled enchilada then top with the cheese.

Cover with tinfoil then place into the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil then continue to bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve with chopped green onions on top along with diced avocado, sour cream, and hot sauce on the side. Enjoy.

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking

References

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