Supreme Nachos
It’s time to ring in a New Year, and we’re going to do it with Cowboy Nachos. Now, when we add “cowboy” to any recipe, what does that mean? It means we’re adding a kick to what we’re cooking, so hold on tight while we kick up our nacho recipe.
Gotta Have The Meat And Beans
One thing I’m gonna insist on is to use plenty of meat in your nachos. Don’t make people ask where the beef is when enjoying this dish. I used 1.5 pounds of 80/20 Certified Angus Beef. You can use whatever meat you like, even mix sausage with the beef, whatever meets your needs.
Add chopped onion to the beef and start to brown, before adding any seasoning. Please no packaged seasoning for these nachos; we’re making our own. I like to start with Red River Ranch Mesquite Seasoning, because it includes ancho chili powder, a great flavor for nachos.
Then, it’s time for the beans, both black and pinto, which have been drained and rinsed well (twice for the black beans). After the meat has browned, add minced garlic. Leave the meat over low heat, so the flavors can blend and any excess fat will cook off.
Tip: Don’t add the seasonings and garlic until the meat has started to brown. If you add too soon, the flavor will cook out of the spices and the garlic will burn.
Let It Pour
Instead of adding a glob of sour cream as a topping, we incorporate it into our nachos. We’re spicing it up with some chopped jalapeños and red pepper flakes, then add a little of the jalapeño liquid to make the sour cream easier to pour.
The other pourable ingredient of these nachos is, of course, cheese sauce. Melted Velveeta cheese with a little whipping or heavy cream will give you a gooey, cheesy sauce to pour over the chips.
Tip: To include a smoky flavor to the cheese sauce, add a touch of liquid smoke. Be sure it’s just a tiny amount, as liquid smoke is a powerful flavor.
Serve It Up
To serve the nachos, it’s all about layering. Start with a layer of warm tortilla chips (the thicker the better for dipping). Alternate layers of shredded cheese, meat/bean mixture, sour cream and melted cheese. Repeat until you have as many layers as you want, then top with chopped onions and sliced jalapeños.
Happy New Year! May God bless each and everyone of us in 2021. We hope to see you down the super duper supreme Cowboy Nacho trail.
Tip:Warming the chips help the cheese melt.
Supreme Nachos- Cowboy Kent Rollins
Ingredients
- 1 large bag of tortilla chips
- 1 ½ lb. ground beef 80/20
- 1 large white onion chopped (divided)
- Red river ranch mesquite seasoning or seasoning of your suiting
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 15 ounce can pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup sliced pickled jalapeños with juice plus more for topping
- 3 teaspoons red pepper flakes divided
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 cups shredded cheddar
- 2 cups Shredded Monterey jack
- 8 ounces Velveeta cheese
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Spread the chips on a large flat pan or Dutch oven and place in the oven for about 15 minutes while prepping ingredients.
- Crumble the beef in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Cook for about 3 minutes or it begins to brown, stirring occasionally. Stir in half of the chopped onion. Cook until browned, stirring occasionally.
- Mix in the Mesquite seasoning (or seasoning of your choice), oregano, cumin, chili powder and smoked paprika. Cook over low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, to allow flavors to combine.
- Stir the black beans and pinto beans into the meat mixture. Stir in the garlic cloves and let simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes.
- In a medium bowl combine the sour cream, pickled jalapenos, 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes and honey. Add a little of the jalapeno juice until it reaches a pourable sauce consistency. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine the cheddar and Monterey jack cheese and set aside.
- Add the Velveeta cheese to a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in the butter and heavy cream until blended. Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes stirring occasionally until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the liquid smoke and 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cook on low heat for about 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the chips from the oven and place on a serving dish. Sprinkle about ⅓ of the shredded cheese on the top, followed by ⅓ of the meat mixture, ⅓ of the cheese sauce and a generous drizzle of the sour cream mixture. Repeat until the ingredients have all been used.
- Top with the remaining half onion and jalapenos. Serve immediately.
