Ballpark Enchiladas: Sausage, Pepper and Onion Enchiladas with Beer-Cheese Sauce

Ballpark Enchiladas: Sausage, Pepper and Onion Enchiladas with Beer-Cheese Sauce

I was at Fenway Park last week and, like always, I immediately fell victim to the sausage carts. The sizzling and spattering of those sausage links as they hit the griddle and the potent and glorious smell of them cooking alongside sweet onions and peppers is hard to refuse. When you combine boisterous fans and an ice cold beer, does it get any more summer than that?

My enchilada making station

That moment of taking that first bite of a sausage sub - the juicy meat, sweet onions and peppers, neatly encased in a soft hot dog style bun - was the inspiration for these enchiladas. I wanted to capture the flavors of the sub at Fenway, in addition to the beer, but put a fun new twist on it and roll it all up into enchiladas form. 

Tortillas and Homemade Ground Sausage 

To make these enchiladas, I used TortillaLand Tortillas, something I've written about before. Around this time last year, I received a very generous shipment of TortillaLand Tortillas and made Spanish Enchiladas with them. If your not familiar with TortillaLand Tortillas, they are tortillas in their raw, doughy state that you just toss into a heated, non-stick skillet for 30 seconds on each side and then they're good to go. I think they're an awesome and more flavorful alternative to the average tortilla. 

TortillaLand Tortillas 

The fresh tortillas in addition to making my own ground up sausage, spiked with toasted fennel, fresh herbs and crushed red pepper flakes, is what made these something special. And the fact that the onions are caramelized in a dark Porter, doesn't hurt the cause either. If all of this hasn't convinced you to give these a try, maybe the beer - cheese sauce that blanketed the top will. A duo of cheeses (provolone and mozzarella) combined with a sturdy Porter and a healthy dose of Dijon mustard created a creamy, cheesy and intensely flavored sauce - make these for your crowd! 

A peek inside..

Recipe after the jump!



Ballpark Enchiladas: Sausage, Pepper and Onion Enchiladas with Beer-Cheese Sauce


- 12 TortillaLand Tortillas (or other flour Tortilla)
- 2 cups Beer-Cheese Sauce (recipe follows)
- 1 lb homemade ground sausage (recipe follows)
- 1 cup Beer Caramelized Onions and Peppers (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 375. Heat the tortillas according to the package. Spread a thin layer of the Beer-Cheddar Sauce onto one half of the tortilla. Top with about 2-3 TBS of ground sausage. Add about 1-2 TBS of the beer caramelized onions and peppers and roll, cigar-style. Place tortilla into a large, greased casserole pan. Repeat this process for all 12 enchiladas. Cover with the rest of the beer-cheese sauce and bake until the cheese bubbles and the tortillas turn golden brown.

For the sausage:
Makes 1 lb.
- 1 TBS fennel seeds
- Olive oil for the pan
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 lb ground pork
- 4 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
- The leaves from 1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped
- A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and Pepper

In a large skillet, toast the fennel seeds on medium heat until they just start to smoke and become very fragrant. Add just enough olive oil to lightly coat the pan and then add chopped garlic and a pinch of salt. Heat until garlic becomes soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add the pork to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped sage and rosemary. Cook the pork through and crumble into bits. Season with salt and add red pepper flakes (to taste, if using). Remove from skillet and set aside.

For the Beer Caramelized Onions and Peppers:
Makes about 1 cup
- 2 onions, sliced into half-moons
- Olive Oil for the pan
- Salt to taste

- 1/2 bottle of dark beer (I used a Porter)
- 1 TBS brown sugar

- 1 large red pepper, roasted, skins removed and thinly sliced

Add just enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of a heated skillet. Add the onions and a generous pinch of salt. Let them cook down, about 5-7 minutes on medium heat, and add the beer and brown sugar. Reduce heat to medium low and let the onions cook until they are caramelized and very soft. Add the roasted pepper and stir to combine. Set aside.

For the Sauce:
- Makes about 2 Cups
- 1 1/2 bottles of dark beer (I used a Porter)
- 1 cup shredded provolone cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 TBS flour
- 4 TBS Dijon Mustard

Gently reduce the beer in a small sauce pan on medium heat until the alcohol has burned off (about 10 minutes) Combine the cheeses with the flour and toss gently to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low and gradually whisk the cheese and flour mixture with the beer. Add mustard and stir to combine until the cheese the cheese is all melted.