Slow-Cooker Braised Beef and Enchiladas

A slow-cooker is a must-have for my busy family. In the summertime it is great for long-cooking braises without heating the house. During busy weeks, dinner can be cooking while we're out of the house. I like to cook a large cut of beef or pork in my Crock-Pot all day, to be used in multiple dinners throughout the week. Here is a delicious shredded beef recipe that has a bit of Mexican flair. It also would be yummy using pork shoulder or chicken instead of beef. I serve it on a bun or over rice, or use it as filling for enchiladas, tamales, or tacos.

Slow-Cooker Mexican Style Braised Beef
 

Ingredients:
2.5-3 pound beef chuck roast
2 dried guajillo chilies, stems and seeds removed
2-3 ancho chilies, stems and seeds removed
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
zest and juice of 1 orange
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 tsp. cornstarch

Directions: Soak the dried chilies in about 8 ounces of boiling water until they become soft. Season your beef on all sides with salt, pepper, cumin, and garlic powder. Roughly chop the onion and garlic and add to the bottom of your crock pot. Add the beef, then top with tomato sauce, the chilies and their soaking liquid, and the zest and juice of an orange. Cook for 5-6 hours on high or 8-9 on low, until the meat is starting to fall apart. Afterwards, pull out the roast from the crock-pot and blend the braising liquid into a sauce. I use my immersion blender for this. Thicken the sauce using cornstarch of necessary. Slice the beef against the grain, and pull apart slightly. Return the meat to the sauce and serve as is or use as enchilada filling.


Quick and Easy Enchiladas

These are one of my husband's favorite meals. I like them because they are simple to assemble and only take 30 minutes to bake, so dinner can be made quickly with little work. Since it is one of our favorites, I usually have all the ingredients on hand in my pantry and fridge. Roll pre-cooked meat of your choice in tortillas (flour or corn, depending on your preference), then place them in a baking dish with enchilada sauce, top with shredded cheese and bake at 375 for 30 minutes. You can add rice, beans, chilies, cheese or whatever else inside the enchiladas with the meat to make delicious combinations. 
 

Beef enchiladas using corn tortillas. A combination of cheddar and pepper jack cheese will be melted on top.

Some of our favorites include:

Shredded beef, cheese, and shredded potato with red enchilada sauce

Chicken, green chilies and cheese with salsa verde

Leftover turkey with rice, black olives, and cheese with salsa verde (an after-Thanksgiving tradition)

Pulled pork shoulder with rice and cotija cheese (red or green sauce)

Chicken and black beans (red or green sauce)