The best Homemade Shredded Beef Enchiladas start by skipping the canned enchilada sauce. We're using the flavorful cooking liquid from the beef to build a rich red sauce that's packed with incredible depth, then rolling it all into corn tortillas with plenty of melted cheese for the ultimate comfort meal!
For years, my cheesy beef enchiladas were the #1 enchilada request in our house, but that changed the moment I made these. By using the seasoned cooking liquid from the beef to make the red sauce, you get a rich, savory depth of flavor that is just fantastic. It is a way to utilize the mixture that we built all the flavor into while cooking the meat and adds so much flavor to the sauce.
Table of contents
The combination of that rich sauce and tender shredded meat reminds me so much of my Birria Tacos, which, in my opinion, makes the best enchiladas ever. They are fantastic paired with a side of Spanish Rice!
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Beef Chuck Roast - This is the perfect cut for tender, shredded beef.
- Dried Peppers - Guajillo and Ancho Peppers work so well in the enchilada sauce. They add a rich, savory depth to the sauce that cannot be substituted.
- Tomato Sauce & Paste - The paste adds a nice richness to the sauce but can be substituted with additional tomato sauce if needed.
- Cheese - I love a blend of Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses. You can easily substitute with your favorite shredded taco blend, or pepper jack for a little kick. Queso Fresco or Oaxaca cheese are both fantastic options!
- Soft Corn Tortillas - These are preferred for their flavor and texture. But if you want to use flour tortillas, just note that if you use a larger size you may end up with fewer enchiladas than the recipe specifies.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and measurements.
How To Make Shredded Beef Enchiladas
Most of the cook time is the meat slow cooking until tender. If you need to break this up into two days for time's sake, the meat will be even easier to handle the next day.
- Start by searing the chuck roast to lock in the flavor.
- While that sears, whisk together your beef stock and spices.
- Once the meat is browned, pour the liquid over the top and add your aromatics. Cover and let it simmer until it's perfectly tender.
- Shred the beef and add to a bowl with some of the enchilada sauce. Mix well.
- After warming the tortillas, fill each one with the beef and sprinkle over some of the shredded cheese.
- Line them up in a pan over a layer of the sauce, top with the remaining sauce and cheese, and bake until bubbly!
See the recipe card below for the full recipe.
👉 Sky's Tips
How to Prevent Tortillas from Breaking
It is important to heat the tortillas before rolling them to prevent breaking them. There are two ways to do this easily:
- The Microwave Method: Wrap the tortillas in a damp kitchen towel and microwave in 30 second intervals until all the tortillas are hot and pliable.
- The Skillet Method: Individually warm each tortilla in a hot skillet and place in a damp towel to keep hot while your work.
The Perfect Toppings
Once Baked, I love to top these with fresh cilantro and diced onions. A squeeze of fresh lime juice is also great. A dollop of sour cream or a slice of fresh avocado are also fantastic toppings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Beef Chuck Roast is the best choice because it has enough marbling to stay juicy and tender during the long simmering process.
The key is to make sure they are hot before rolling! Heating them in a damp towel or a skillet makes them pliable so they don't crack.
I hope you give these delicious Shredded Beef Enchiladas a try soon! The homemade enchilada sauce is so good! You'll want to put it on everything!
-Sky🩷
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📖 Recipe
Shredded Beef Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef chuck roast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups beef stock
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- 1 bay leaf
- 2-3 tablespoons fire roasted green chiles diced
- 1 medium onion large diced
- 3 cloves garlic smashed
Enchilada Sauce
- 2 dried guajillo peppers
- 2 dried ancho peppers
- 1 ½ cups boiling water to soak the peppers
- 2 ½ cups beef stock reserved from cooking the meat
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 ounces tomato sauce
Cheese & Tortillas
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup monterey jack cheese shredded
- 12-14 soft corn tortillas
Instructions
- Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels, season all over with the salt and pepper. Heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Add in the olive oil. Once hot sear the meat on all sides.
- While the meat is searing mix together the beef stock and all of the seasonings. Once the meat is finished searing pour the beef stock mixture over the meat. Stir in the diced chiles, diced onion, smashed garlic cloves and bay leaf. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook until tender and shreds apart easily, about 4 ½ hours.
- Remove the meat from the dutch oven and place in a bowl.
- Allow the beef stock mixture that the meat cooked in to cool while you prep the peppers for the sauce.
- For the sauce: In a large skillet over medium heat toast the dried peppers for 3 minutes on each side. Be careful to not scorch them. Remove the stems and seeds. Place the peppers in a large bowl, pour in the boiling water, cover and leave to soak for 30 minutes.
- Carefully measure out 2 ½ cups of the beef stock mixture, along with as many of the diced onions and garlic as possible. To a blender add the beef stock mixture, peppers and tomato paste and blend until smooth. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Shred the beef then stir in ¼ cup of the sauce. Stir well to combine. In a separate bowl mix together both of the shredded cheeses and set aside.
- Now warm the corn tortillas by adding them to a damp kitchen towel and microwaving them for 30 second intervals until they are warm and pliable.
- Preheat an oven to 350° F. Pour enough of the enchilada sauce in a 9x13 pan to just cover the bottom. Fill and roll each of the tortillas with the beef 1-2 tablespoons of the cheese. Place in the pan and pour over the remaining enchilada sauce. Top with the remaining shredded cheese.
- Place in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly. Enjoy!
Notes
- The Microwave Method: Wrap the tortillas in a damp kitchen towel and microwave in 30 second intervals until all the tortillas are hot and pliable.
- The Skillet Method: Individually warm each tortilla in a hot skillet and place in a damp towel to keep hot while your work.
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