Shredded Chipotle Beef Enchiladas

When I’m meal planning for the week, I tend to include dishes that give us a variety of flavors. Usually I’ll prepare Italian, Asian and Mexican inspired dishes along with a meatless dinner and breakfast for dinner (aka “brinner”.) I do like to cook from various cuisines so when I find a good recipe, I’ll opt for something outside of the Italian/Asian/Mexican tastes. But for our Mexican inspired meal recently, I made these Shredded Chipotle Beef Enchiladas. Filled with slow cooked, chipotle seasoned beef, cheese, cilantro and sour cream, these were full of flavor without overpowering spice…

Chipotle peppers are really smoked jalapenos. Interestingly, chipotles tend to have a more spicier flavor and heat compared to plain old jalapenos. So if you’re not a fan of spicy foods, scale down the amount of chipotle used. To me, a little goes a long way so 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce was more than enough. The beef for this dish is so tender and juicy after cooking for a few hours in a slow cooker. The added benefit of using the slow cooker to prepare the beef is that it really absorbs the flavor from the beef broth, red wine vinegar, chili powder and cumin it’s cooked in. I imagine this would be equally delicious if you used pork or chicken too!

Place roast in a large saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid. Pour in water, cover, and simmer on low for 30 minutes. Increase heat to medium/high, and brown the roast on all sides. Once the water has boiled away, pour in the beef broth, vinegar, chili powder and 1 tablespoon of cumin. Cover tightly and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the beef falls apart when you try to pick it up.

Shred the beef, using 2 forks or your fingers. Place shredded beef back into the saucepan with all the juices, and let cool to room temperature.

In a large skillet, saute the onion and garlic until just soft, not browned. Mix in flour and chipotles. Stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook the flour taste out. Add shredded beef and toss to coat. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream, cilantro and 2 cups of Monterey Jack cheese. Set aside and let cool.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Heat tortillas in the microwave or on the stovetop until pliable. Spread 4-6 tablespoons of beef mixture down the center of the tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in one or two 8×11 inch baking dish. Repeat for each tortilla. Continue until you are out of the filling. Sprinkle with remaining Monterey Jack cheese.

Bake in a pre-heated oven for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve with sour cream.