Shredded Beef Enchiladas: Crock Pot Dinner

By five o’clock on a weeknight, I want to be just about finished with dinner, and that is the beauty of these shredded beef enchiladas. You just throw everything in the crock pot on the way out the door in the morning, and when you get home, the beef is perfect and is ready to be shredded with all the seasoning that will make the house smell amazing. You roll the beef with some cheese and refried beans, pour red sauce all over the top, and now you have a dinner that my family asks to have over and over.

Why the Timing Works

• The slow cooker does all the work. You’re not standing over a stove or babysitting anything. Put the beef in before you leave in the morning and it’s ready when you get home.
• Chuck roast becomes something else entirely after eight hours. The connective tissue breaks down slowly, leaving you with beef that’s genuinely pull-apart tender — not chewy, not dry. You can’t rush that with a higher heat.
• The enchilada sauce does double duty. It braises the beef all day AND gets poured over the rolled enchiladas before they go under the broiler. Every bite has that saucy depth.
• Refried beans make the filling substantial. They bind the shredded beef so the filling doesn’t fall out when you roll the tortillas, and they add a creamy richness that plays well against the tangy red sauce.
• It’s a make-ahead dinner that actually holds up. The assembled enchiladas can sit in the fridge until you’re ready to broil — which makes this a great dinner-prep-ahead situation for busy weeks.

What to Know Before You Start

The cut of beef is important. Stew beef is fine, but chuck roast is better if you can get one. The added fat helps the beef stay more moist and the beef shreds better either way, you want a cut of beef that has fat marbling. If you get a cut like sirloin which is very leans, it will dry out at eight hours and you will get stringy tough beef instead of the pull apart tender beef that you want If you are using stew beef, leave the pieces whole. Don’t cut them smaller. They will break apart on their own once they’re done

I choose Old El Paso red enchilada sauce for my enchilada sauce because it’s consistently good, mild, and my kids will eat it. A large can (19 oz) is enough to braise the beef AND have sauce to put over the enchiladas before broiling. \n\nIf your family likes heat, add a small can of diced green chiles to the filling when you add the refried beans. It adds a mild earthy warmth, but will not turn it into a five-alarm situation.

Here’s a little tip regarding the rolling process: Always warm your tortillas first. If you use a cold/raw tortilla, you’ll have to deal with cracks and splits. Nobody wants cracks and splits when they are rolling tortillas. That’s a busted filling waiting to be lost, and it’s just annoying. To get your tortillas warm and soft, pop a few in the microwave for 30 seconds with a damp paper towel over them. Don’t forget to fill your tortilla with the right amount of filling. You should stick to right around half a cup. Yes, it’s tempting to really stuff the tortilla, but enough is enough. If you go overboard on the filling, forget it. The tortilla will never stay rolled.

Ingredients

To make a batch of six enchiladas, you will need a standard large can of enchilada sauce for the right ratio of sauce to braising liquid.

• 1 pound stew beef (or a 2–3 lb chuck roast for a larger batch)
• 1 large can (19 oz) Old El Paso red enchilada sauce, divided
• 2 beef bouillon cubes
• ½ can refried beans
• 3 cups shredded Mexican blend or cheddar cheese, divided
• 6 burrito-size flour tortillas
• Optional: 1 small can diced green chiles, for added heat
• Sour cream and rice, for serving

A 6-quart slow cooker allows you to braise a chuck roast weighing 2–3 lbs without crowding. Because the meat braises better when it is not crowded. If you are only doing a pound of stew beef, then a smaller slow cooker is fine. However, a 6-quart is the correct size if you are looking to scale this up. I also use a glass 9×13 baking dish for the final assembly and you can see the sauce bubbling around the edges, showing that it is heated through before broiling it.

How to Make It

Step 1: Prepare your slow cooker. Take your stew beef or chuck roast pieces and put them at the bottom of the slow cooker. Now pour around three-quarters of the enchilada sauce on top of the beef. Save the rest for topping the assembled enchiladas later. Add the two beef bouillon cubes. These will dissolve as it cooks and enrich the braising liquid with beefy flavor which plain sauce just doesn’t achieve. Now put the lid on and set it to low.

Step 2: Cook for 8 hours on low – not a recipe you can speed up by cranking to high. On low for eight hours is what actually creates pretty incredible tenderness from what is usually a pretty tough cut of beef. The collagen in the meat is what brings the tenderness, but it takes a long time for it to break down, and this can only happen with the right amount of heat and time. Beef is done when it is easily shredded with 2 forks – if it is too hard, make sure to cook it longer. If you feel a lot of resistance, you will want to cook it an extra 30-45 minutes.

Step 3: Shred the beef and incorporate the beans into the mixture. Drain the braising liquid, retaining some in case the filling seems too dry. Using two forks, shred the beef right in the slow cooker. Then stir in the refried beans. The beans will soak up some of the remaining juices and help bind the filling together. If you’re using diced green chiles, fold them in now. The filling should be a nice texture and not soupy. If it seems too wet, drain a bit more liquid. Too dry? Add a splashed of the reserved braising liquid.

Step 4: Heat the tortillas. Place all six tortillas on a plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Heat in the microwave for 30-45 seconds. It is best for the tortillas to be pliable so they do not crack when you roll them. For a smoother rolling experience, do not skip this step. This will also help to prevent your enchiladas from splitting in the pan.

Step 5: Fill and roll the enchiladas. Lightly grease your 9×13 baking dish and set it near your workspace. Grab one warm tortilla and pour about half a cup of the beef and bean mixture into the center of the tortilla. Add a small handful of cheese on top of the filling. Roll the tortilla tightly. If you want a more burrito-style closure, fold the sides in (I do this almost every time because it holds the filling in better). Then, place the tortilla seam-side down into the baking dish. Do this for all six tortillas. It will help to have the enchiladas snug in the baking dish so that they do not unroll while baking.

Step 6: Smother and broil. Pour the reserved enchilada sauce evenly over all six rolled enchiladas. With the sauce at the end and on the top, you want to make sure there are no dry spots, as these may look unattractive after broiling. Spread the rest of the shredded cheese on top. Set the oven to broil on low, slide the pan in, and broil for about five minutes. Ovens vary in time, and you want the cheese to be golden, not brown and tough. When the sauce is bubbling and the cheese melted, you can pull the pan. Serve immediately with sour cream and rice on the side.

Helpful Tips

• Cook the beef overnight if it’s easier. Load the slow cooker before you go to bed, set it to low, and wake up to finished beef. Refrigerate it in the morning and roll the enchiladas that evening — the whole thing takes less active time than ordering pizza.
• Don’t drain all the braising liquid. Leave a few tablespoons in the slow cooker when you shred — it keeps the filling moist. Save the rest in a small bowl in case you need it.
• Shred while it’s hot. Cold beef is harder to shred. Do it right when the slow cooker turns off, while everything is still at full temperature.
• Scale up easily. A 2–3 lb chuck roast feeds a crowd and the rest of the recipe scales proportionally. Use a larger baking dish or make two pans of six enchiladas each.
• Use the filling for more than enchiladas. This shredded beef is excellent in tacos, over rice, in burrito bowls, or on nachos. If you make a larger batch of beef, you’ll find uses for the leftovers all week.

Storage and Make-Ahead

You can store leftover enchiladas in the fridge for up to 4 days. To keep them fresh, either wrap the dish with foil or place the enchiladas in an airtight container. To reheat enchiladas, place them in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Alternatively, you can recover them with foil and heat them in the oven for 15 minutes at 350°F. The enchiladas will remain moist due to the sauce so don’t worry! Reheated leftovers are actually pretty good.

To save time on the day of broiling, the beef filling can be done up to 3 days in advance. Just store it in the fridge. Enchiladas can be rolled and assembled on the day of broiling. You can also prepare the entire baking dish (and then sauce and cheese) and cover it tightly, refrigerating it for 24 hours before it goes in the broiler. Just add a few minutes to the broiling time if the dish is cold from the fridge.

The shredded beef filling can also be frozen on its own for three months. Just thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in a skillet or in the microwave before using. I would not recommend freezing the enchiladas after assembling with sauce because the tortillas tend to get mushy after freezing and thawing. However, the filling itself freezes well and is handy for quick weeknight meals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use chicken instead of beef?

Yes, and it works great. Use boneless skinless chicken thighs in place of the breast meat. Thighs hold up better in the slow cooker and will shred just as easily as beef. Do the same thing. Cook on low for 6-8 hours in enchilada sauce with the bouillon cubes, then shred and combine with the refried beans. Thighs cook faster than a chuck roast, so begin checking at the 6-hour mark.

Do I have to use refried beans?

It’s not required but they do an actual job in the filling — they actually bind the shredded beef and give the filling a creamier texture so it doesn’t spill when you roll the tortillas. If you don’t have refried beans, you could use black beans (drained and slightly mashed), or just skip the beans and add a little more beef. They will be a little less sturdy to roll the enchiladas, but they’ll still be delicious.

Can I cook the beef on high instead of low?

If you need to speed things up, you can cook it on high for about 4-5 hours, but it won’t be as tender. With beef, low and slow is generally the best approach, as it allows for the collagen to breakdown more completely over time, which is what gives it that pull-apart texture. If you’re short on time, high heat can work in a pinch, but if you can, plan your morning and cook it on low.

What’s the best cheese for these enchiladas?

Store-bought Mexican blend shredded cheese has decent flavor and melts well. Cheddar and/or Monterey Jack cheese (the latter being the better melter) are fine to use on their own. I wouldn’t recommend the pre-shredded mozzarella. Although it melts, it is flavorless. If you are feeling ambitious, shredding your own Oaxacan cheese or a blend of Monterey Jack and cheddar may be of benefit. Really, though, the Mexican blend bags at the grocery store are fantastic, and they are one less thing to worry about.

Can I make these without broiling — just bake them instead?

Absolutely! If you prefer to bake instead of broiling, cover your pan with foil and bake it at 375°F for 20 minutes. You can then remove the foil and bake it for another 5 to 10 minutes. This will allow the cheese to melt and the sauce to start bubbling. When compared to broiling, baking is slightly more forgiving. While broiling tends to get the cheese more golden and gives you that perfect brown bubbly cheese look, baking will get the job done just the same, and it is more forgiving if you end up with a lot of things going on at the same time on the stove!

What should I serve with these?

Sour cream is always a classic accompaniment, as is Spanish rice. However, if you would like something more refreshing, you may consider cilantro-lime rice. It is good, but perhaps not as good as the classic. If you have a simple green salad, that rounds the dish off into a complete meal. For toppings at the table, I typically take out sliced jalapeños, sour cream, chopped cilantro, and some lime — then people can do a customize plate.

Related Recipes

• Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Enchiladas — same slow cooker method, pulled pork instead of beef, with a poblano cream sauce that’s genuinely worth making
• Beef Burrito Casserole — if you like this filling, you’ll love it layered into a casserole — less rolling, same great flavor
• Crockpot Enchilada Soup