Green Chile Casserole
I like to grate Monterey Jack cheese on top and add jalapeno slices before baking. Yummy!
I like to grate Monterey Jack cheese on top and add jalapeno slices before baking. Yummy!
- Carbohydrate 103.30846 g
- Cholesterol 147.522319375 mg
- Fat 55.923234375 g
- Fiber 14.4412504309416 g
- Protein 45.760551878 g
- Saturated Fat 24.359507774925 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (474g)
- Sodium 921.381846975 mg
- Sugar 88.8672095690584 g
- Trans Fat 9.29827349225 g
- Calories 1084 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat the soup and milk in a sauce pan, stirring to mix well.
- Brown the meat with the onion and drain fat.
- Tear tortillas in bite sized pieces and cover the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with half of them.
- Spread the green chile peppers over the tortillas.
- Slice the Velveeta cheese in thin slices and layer over the chile peppers.
- Top the Velveeta with the meat and onion mixture.
- Add the remaining tortilla pieces on top of the meat.
- Pour the soup mixture over the tortillas, add the cheddar cheese (and Jack cheese and jalapeno slices, if desired) and bake for 40 minutes at 325 degrees.
What happens to a layered bake after it spends twenty-four hours in the refrigerator? Casseroles containing processed cheese products like Velveeta undergo a firm textural consolidation overnight as fats cool and starches fully hydrate. Reheating sliceable portions allows the moisture levels to equalize across the corn tortillas and ground beef layers. Stored tightly wrapped in aluminum foil, this dish maintains quality for up to three days at four degrees Celsius.
Combining cheddar with processed cheese creates distinct melting dynamics. Natural aged cheeses contain moisture and proteins that separate into oil and solids when overheated. Emulsifying salts present in block processed cheese bind moisture tightly, preventing grease separation during the forty-minute bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. This chemical stability ensures a uniform sauce consistency rather than a broken, oily surface.
Layering torn tortillas instead of laying whole ones flat alters how the dish absorbs liquids. Jagged edges create micro-channels that distribute the soup and milk mixture throughout the interior of the pan. Pressing the layers down gently before pouring the dairy mixture ensures the corn masa absorbs adequate hydration without becoming completely mushy.
Baking this in a standard 13-by-9-inch metal or glass dish produces even heat transfer across the edges and center. Glass retains thermal energy longer than metal, which means the edges will continue cooking for several minutes after removal from the oven. Let the pan rest for ten minutes prior to slicing to allow the melted fats and starches to set sufficiently for clean portioning.
