History

Tex-Mex cheese enchiladas with chili gravy trace back to the early twentieth century, when Mexican-American restaurateurs in Dallas and Fort Worth adapted interior Mexican cooking to the palates of Anglo ranch workers and cattlemen. The chili gravy format, distinct from mole or tomatillo sauce, became the dominant style across the DFW metroplex and defined the combination-plate era of Texas Mexican restaurants. Joe T. Garcia's, open since 1935 in Fort Worth's Near Northside, kept the tradition alive through the postwar decades, offering a simple fixed menu of enchiladas or fajitas served on the same sprawling garden patio where generations of Fort Worth families have marked milestones.

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Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 45 minTotal 1 hr 15 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 300 g sharp yellow cheddar, grated
  • 3 tablespoons beef tallow or lard
  • 3 tablespoons plain flour
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder blend
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 750 ml beef broth
  • Salt to taste
  • White onion, finely diced, for topping

Method

  1. Make the chili gravy: melt tallow in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 2 minutes until lightly golden.
  2. Add chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin. Stir 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Pour in beef broth gradually, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer 10 minutes, season with salt, and keep warm.
  4. Warm tortillas in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side or dip briefly in warm oil to make them pliable.
  5. Dip each tortilla in the chili gravy to coat lightly, then fill with a generous pinch of grated cheddar.
  6. Roll tightly and place seam-side down in a baking dish. Repeat for all 12 tortillas.
  7. Pour the remaining chili gravy over the enchiladas and top with the remaining cheddar.
  8. Bake at 180 C (350 F) for 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown at the edges.
  9. Serve immediately, topped with diced white onion.

Tip from the editors. Use freshly made corn tortillas if you can find them. The gravy must be well-salted to avoid a flat flavour; taste and adjust before assembling.

Where to eat fort worth tex-mex cheese enchiladas with chili gravy

Fort Worth Tex-Mex cheese enchiladas with chili gravy in Fort Worth

Joe T. Garcia's ★ 4.3

$$ Brunch

Joe T. Garcia's on N Commerce St in Fort Worth is a landmark Tex-Mex patio restaurant serving family-style brunch, flour tortillas, house margaritas.

OrderMigas with queso; house margarita on the garden patio.

TipThe patio holds hundreds but fills fast on Sunday brunch; reservations via email are strongly advised for groups of four or more.

Directions

Esperanza's ★ 4.3

$ MexicanStockyards

Esperanza's on N Main St in Fort Worth is a family-run Mexican bakery-cafe serving fresh house-baked pan dulce and breakfast tacos from 06:30 every day.

OrderHuevos rancheros, pan dulce from the in-house bakery, breakfast tacos with chorizo.

TipFresh pan dulce comes out from 06:30. Arrive early for the widest sweet-bread selection. Breakfast tacos sell fast on weekday mornings.

Directions

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