Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Enchiladas with Poblano Cream Sauce
With these pulled pork enchiladas, you can enjoy the rich flavors of a Tex-Mex restaurant right at home. I use a pork shoulder which I slow cook in the crockpot. By the time I come home, the pork is cooked all the way through and tender enough to shred with a fork. The pork is then rolled into tortillas and toppped with a creamy poblano sauce, cheese, and baked until bubbly.
The Set-It-and-Forget-It Dinner
For two years my husband and I were in college working at a busy Tex-Mex chain restaurant; that really spoiled my home cooking. For years, I have been trying to make authentic versions of the menu items I ate back then for $4.50 — and the poblano cream enchiladas were always the holy grail. This version is only close, but not exact. What makes this different from other jar-sauce enchilada recipes is the poblano sauce. It only takes 15 minutes to make and is the key to the recipe. It is also a regular on our menu because of the two-meals-from-one-pork-shoulder math.
What makes this recipe stand out is the poblano cream sauce. It is a roux sauce made with butter, flour, chicken broth, and sour cream, with fresh chopped poblano pepper. It is smooth, slightly tangy, and mildly spicy. This sauce is much better than canned enchilada sauce. The poblano pepper just enough spice to feel like real Mexican enchiladas, and is not too spicy for the kids.
Plus, with the pork shoulder, you get double the food! You can cook the entire 3-pound shoulder on Sunday, and that gives you meat for these enchiladas tonight, plus pulled pork sandwiches another night. That’s how I do this recipe — it’s a two-meal investment for one slow cooker session.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
You can keep leftover enchiladas in the fridge for four days. To reheat, microwave for 90 seconds or heat in the oven at 325°F for 15 minutes with foil covering the dish. To prep ahead of time: slow cook the pork the day before, store the shredded meat in the fridge, and make the sauce on the day you want to do the baking. You can also assemble the whole dish and keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking it. Just remember to increase the bake time by 10 to 15 minutes. You can freeze unbaked enchiladas for up to 2 months in a foil pan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Does My Poblano Cream Sauce Break? Adding sour cream when the sauce is still hot is one reason that this can happen. At full-hot-boiling temperature, cream will separate when it comes in contact with hot sauce. Instead of a smooth sauce you will get a broken and grainy mess. The Solution: Pull the sauce off the heat and allow it to cool for a few minutes. Carryover heat should be enough to warm the sauce and incorporate the sour cream without breaking the sauce.
Can I use another cut of pork? Only pork shoulder or butt. Pork loin is too lean and dries out over 10 hours. Pork tenderloin cooks in 3 to 4 hours on low and will turn to mush if left for 10. The fat marbling in pork shoulder is what keeps it moist during the long braise.
Can I use a whole poblano instead of 1/3? I wouldn’t on first make. One full poblano in this amount of sauce makes it noticeably spicy and turns the sauce greenish. One third gives you the poblano flavor and mild heat. Make it once at 1/3, taste it, and add more next time if you want more kick.
What should I do if I can’t get fresh poblano peppers? You can use Anaheim peppers as a substitute, which will be slightly milder than poblanos. Or, you can use a 4-ounce can of diced green chiles (drained) which will keep it mild. If you have to use a green bell pepper, use that as a last resort and then add 1/4 teaspoon of cumin and a dash of cayenne to make up for the missing chili flavor.
Should I pick flour or corn tortillas? Rolling flour tortillas is easier as they don’t crack as much. If you want something more genuine, pick corn tortillas but they must be warmed up or else splitting will occur. You can warm them in the microwave if they’re wrapped in a damp paper towel for 30 seconds.
Can I substitute chicken for pork? Sure! Simply use 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs and the same amount of braising liquid. The only adjustment would be to reduce the cook time to 6 hours on low. You can shred the chicken and use it in the enchiladas just like you would with the pork.
How spicy is this? The sauce contains a third of a seeded poblano pepper which contributes to a mild to medium heat level. Most children can handle it. If you want it spicier use more poblano or add a tiny pinch of cayenne to the sauce.
More Recipes You’ll Love
Slow Cooker Pork Roast – pulled pork in a soy, balsamic, and Coca Cola braise. Same fall-apart tenderness, but different flavor profile.
Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos – Four Ingredients Slow Cooker Chicken for a Week of Mexican Dinners.
Canned Tomato Salsa is a restaurant-style salsa made in a blender using canned whole peeled tomatoes. Enjoy it with tortilla chips and our delicious enchiladas.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Enchiladas with Poblano Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 pounds pork shoulder or pork butt
- 1 12- ounce can Coca-Cola
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon minced onion
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/3 fresh poblano pepper seeded and diced
- 8 to 10 medium tortillas
- 2 cups Monterey Jack or Colby Jack cheese
- 5 tablespoons green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Lightly spray a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker and add pork shoulder.
- Whisk Coca-Cola, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, liquid smoke, garlic powder, minced onion, salt, pepper, paprika, and ginger together. Pour over pork.
- Cover and cook on Low for 10 hours, until pork shreds easily.
- Remove pork to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Reserve about 2 cups plain shredded pork for enchiladas.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in chicken broth and cook 3 to 5 minutes, until thickened and smooth.
- Remove sauce from heat and cool 5 minutes, then stir in sour cream and diced poblano until smooth.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13 baking dish.
- Fill tortillas with reserved pork, roll tightly, and place seam-side-down in the baking dish.
- Pour poblano cream sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake uncovered at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until cheese is melted and sauce bubbles at the edges.
- Optional: broil 2 to 3 minutes for a lightly browned top, watching closely. Rest 5 minutes and garnish with green onions.