Tex-Mex Recipe Kitchen

Queso Fundido — literally "melted cheese" — is the crown jewel of Tex-Mex appetizers. Unlike the processed queso dips you find in jars, authentic Queso Fundido uses real melting cheeses (Oaxacan string cheese and Chihuahua) that become silky smooth when heated. The key is roasting the poblano peppers to add a subtle smoky, earthy depth. At Big Red Enchilada, we've been serving this recipe since 1988, and guests order it at almost every table. The chorizo renders its spiced fat into the cheese, creating an irresistible flavor you simply can't stop eating.

Ingredients

• 8 oz (225g) Oaxacan quesillo (string cheese), shredded or pulled into strings
• 8 oz (225g) Chihuahua cheese (or Monterey Jack), grated
• 6 oz (170g) Mexican chorizo, casings removed
• 2 fresh poblano peppers
• 1 small white onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh cilantro, for garnish
• Warm corn or flour tortillas, for serving

Instructions

1. Roast the poblanos: Place poblano peppers directly over a gas burner flame (or under the broiler) and char all sides until blackened, about 8–10 minutes. Transfer to a zip-lock bag, seal, and let steam for 10 minutes. Peel off charred skin, remove seeds, and dice the flesh into small pieces. The charring gives the peppers their distinctive smoky flavor.
2. Cook the chorizo: In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat, cook the chorizo, breaking it up with a spoon, until it renders its fat and becomes crispy at the edges, about 6–8 minutes. Remove chorizo with a slotted spoon, leaving the spiced oil in the pan.
3. Sauté aromatics: In the same skillet with the chorizo oil, add the diced onion and sauté over medium heat until softened and translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 60 seconds until fragrant.
4. Add roasted peppers: Stir in the diced roasted poblanos and dried oregano. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring to combine all flavors.
5. Melt the cheeses: Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the shredded Oaxacan cheese and grated Chihuahua cheese in two batches, stirring gently in a figure-eight pattern with a wooden spoon. The key is low heat — too high and the proteins will seize and become stringy. Once both cheeses are melted and smooth, scatter the cooked chorizo over the top.
6. Serve immediately: Bring the skillet directly to the table (use oven mitts!). Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve with warm tortillas on the side — corn tortillas for authenticity, flour for dipping ease.

The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity. You're not making a complex sauce — you're letting the quality cheeses speak for themselves, amplified by the smoky pepper and savory chorizo. Queso Fundido is best enjoyed the moment it's made, scooped generously onto a warm tortilla.

The red enchilada sauce is the soul of Tex-Mex cooking. Most commercial sauces cut corners, using tomato paste and chili powder powder as a base. But real enchilada sauce starts with whole dried chiles — toasted, rehydrated, blended — which creates a sauce of incomparable depth, earthy warmth, and natural complexity. This recipe is how our abuela made them, and it's the same sauce we use today at Big Red Enchilada. The filling is simple: slow-braised beef seasoned with cumin and garlic. The enchiladas are pan-fried briefly before rolling to prevent them from cracking — a crucial technique most home cooks skip.

Ingredients — Ancho Chile Sauce

• 4 dried ancho chiles (mild, earthy)
• 2 dried guajillo chiles (bright, fruity)
• 1 dried pasilla chile (raisin-like depth)
• 4 Roma tomatoes, halved
• 1 medium white onion, quartered
• 5 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 teaspoon cumin, toasted and ground
• 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Salt to taste

Ingredients — Filling & Assembly

• 1.5 lbs (680g) beef chuck, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 12 corn tortillas (6-inch)
• 2 cups Oaxacan or mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup white onion, finely diced
• Mexican crema (or sour cream), for serving
• Fresh cilantro, for garnish
• Oil for pan-frying tortillas

Instructions

1. Braise the beef: Season beef chunks generously with salt, cumin, and garlic powder. Brown in a Dutch oven over high heat, then add 3 cups water or broth. Simmer covered on low heat for 2 hours until fork-tender. Let cool slightly, then shred with two forks. Reserve the braising liquid.
2. Toast the dried chiles: Remove stems and seeds from all dried chiles. Toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant (they will puff up slightly and darken a shade). Don't let them burn — burnt chiles turn bitter. Transfer to a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for 20 minutes until fully rehydrated.
3. Char the vegetables: On a dry comal or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, char the tomatoes, onion quarters, and garlic (unpeeled) until lightly blackened on all sides, about 8–10 minutes. Squeeze garlic from skins.
4. Blend the sauce: Drain the soaked chiles (reserve soaking water). Add chiles, charred vegetables, beef broth, cumin, and oregano to a blender. Blend on high for 2 minutes until completely smooth. Pass through a medium-mesh strainer to remove any skin pieces.
5. Fry the sauce: Heat oil in a wide saucepan over medium-high heat. Carefully pour in the blended sauce (it will splatter). Cook, stirring constantly, for 5–7 minutes until the sauce darkens and thickens slightly. Taste and adjust salt. Thin with reserved soaking water if needed.
6. Pan-fry tortillas: Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Pass each tortilla through the hot oil for 3–4 seconds per side — you want them supple and pliable, not crispy. Immediately dip each tortilla in the warm enchilada sauce.
7. Roll the enchiladas: Place a sauce-dipped tortilla on a plate. Add 2–3 tablespoons of shredded beef down the center and a pinch of onion and cheese. Roll tightly and place seam-side down in a greased baking dish. Repeat with all 12 tortillas.
8. Bake: Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the rolled enchiladas, covering them completely. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over the top. Bake uncovered at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
9. Garnish and serve: Drizzle with Mexican crema, sprinkle with fresh cilantro, and serve immediately with Spanish rice and refried beans.

Note: This recipe is intended for adults of legal drinking age only. Please enjoy responsibly.

The margarita is the most ordered cocktail in America, yet most bars make it wrong. The original 1940s margarita used only three ingredients: tequila, fresh citrus, and orange liqueur. No sour mix, no artificial sweeteners, no pre-made bottles from the fridge. Our bartenders at Big Red Enchilada shake every margarita to order using fresh-squeezed lime and lemon juice. Here are our three signature styles.

Version 1: Classic Lime Margarita

• 2 oz (60ml) good silver tequila (we use Espolon or Olmeca Altos)
• 1 oz (30ml) triple sec or Cointreau
• 1 oz (30ml) freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 small limes)
• 1/2 oz (15ml) fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 oz (15ml) simple syrup (adjust to taste)
• Coarse sea salt for the rim
• Ice
• Lime wheel for garnish

Method

1. Salt the rim: Run a lime wedge around the rim of a rocks glass. Dip the rim in coarse sea salt on a flat plate. Tap off excess. Add ice to the glass and set aside to chill while you mix.
2. Shake: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add tequila, triple sec, lime juice, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Seal and shake vigorously for 15–20 seconds — the shaker should become frosty cold on the outside. Proper shaking chills and slightly dilutes the cocktail to the perfect strength.
3. Strain and serve: Strain into the prepared rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wheel. The flavor should be bright, tart, and refreshing — the tequila present but not harsh.

Version 2: Spicy Jalapeño-Mezcal Margarita

• 1.5 oz (45ml) smoky mezcal
• 0.5 oz (15ml) silver tequila blanco
• 1 oz (30ml) fresh lime juice
• 0.5 oz (15ml) agave nectar
• 4 thin slices fresh jalapeño
• 3 thin slices cucumber
• Chili-salt rim (mix sea salt + chili powder + a pinch of sugar)

1. Muddle: In the shaker, muddle the jalapeño slices gently (5–6 light presses — enough to release oils, not to pulverize). Add cucumber slices and muddle 2–3 more times.
2. Build and shake: Add mezcal, tequila, lime juice, agave nectar, and ice. Shake hard for 20 seconds.
3. Double strain: Pour through a fine-mesh strainer to catch jalapeño seeds and cucumber pulp. Serve over fresh ice with a chili-salt rim.

Version 3: Cadillac Margarita (Top Shelf)

• 2 oz (60ml) Patron Silver tequila
• 0.75 oz (22ml) Grand Marnier (instead of cheap triple sec)
• 1 oz (30ml) fresh lime juice
• 0.5 oz (15ml) agave nectar
• Float: 0.5 oz (15ml) Patron Añejo, drizzled over the back of a spoon

1. Shake the Patron Silver, Grand Marnier, lime juice, and agave vigorously with ice. Strain over fresh ice into a salt-rimmed glass.
2. Gently pour the Patron Añejo over the back of a bar spoon so it floats on top. The aged amber tequila creates a beautiful visual layer and a complex, caramel-like first sip.