Slow-cooked pork and enchiladas, all in one dish! Tender pork simmers in a flavorful sauce that becomes the perfect enchilada base. Bake, enjoy, and freeze any leftovers for quick tacos, nachos, or quesadillas later. A comforting, versatile recipe you'll come back to again and again.
3.5 - 4.5lbPork: Picnic Shoulder RoastShoulder Blade Roast, or Country Style Ribs ( if bone, pull out at end)
28 - 30ozGreen Enchilada SauceSalsa Verde
4cupsChicken Broth
2tspChicken Better Than Boullionadjust amount to your preference
2tspLime Juice
1/2 - 1Jalapeno
1/2Serrano Pepper
1/2tspGarlic Powder
1/2tspOnion Powder
Salt & Pepper
Enchiladas:
Verde Sauce from Pork; & an additional Can of Green Enchilada Sauce if needed
Avocado
Sour Cream
Tortillas - For Keto / Low Carb: Zero Carb Street Taco Size; For Gluten Free: Corn Tortillas; or Regular Flour Tortillas
Queso Fresco or Cotija Cheesecrumbled
Shredded Mexican Style Quesadilla CheeseChihuahua
Instructions
Lightly brown the Pork on all sides in Dutch Oven style pot on stove in a little oil for a couple minutes.
Add Enchilada Sauce, Chicken Broth, Better than Bouillon, chopped peppers, garlic & onion powder, salt & pepper to pot and stir all ingredients around the pork to mix just a bit.
Cover the Dutch oven with lid and bake at: 225°F for 8–10 hours, or 275°F for 5–7 hours, or 300° for 3 - 5 hours. Not necessary but you can take it out of oven and flip the meat over and stir the pot of liquid and cover and put back in the oven... do this once during cooking, preferably at least halfway through.
Internal temperature of the roast should reach 180 - 190°. The meat should be very tender and easily pull away from the bone.
Remove the pork from the sauce, keeping a light coating on the meat to preserve its flavor. Shred the pork with a fork, discarding any bones. Store the shredded pork in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer until you're ready to make the enchiladas. The verde sauce from the pork can also be refrigerated separately for up to a few days. You can use the pork right away to assemble the enchiladas, or enjoy it in tacos, quesadillas, burritos, or bowls. Of course, you can also go straight from oven to enchiladas if you're ready to cook them the same day!
Assembling and Baking the Enchiladas
Choose a baking dish that fits the number of enchiladas you're making. Lightly coat the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of verde sauce from the shredded pork. If you don’t have quite enough, supplement with green enchilada sauce from a can. Ideally, use all of the sauce from the pork—it has the most flavor. If you already know you won’t have enough pork sauce, pour a layer of canned enchilada sauce into the bottom of the pan first. Then, after arranging the enchiladas, cover them with the reserved pork sauce, adding more canned sauce on top as needed to ensure all the enchiladas are generously coated.
Fill the Tortillas:
Add shredded pork and crumbled Queso Fresco or Cotija cheese to each tortilla. Roll them up and place seam-side down in the pan. *If using Zero Carb Street Taco-size tortillas: Instead of rolling, fill them taco-style and stand them upright in the pan. Line them up snugly from both sides to help them stay standing.
Add Sauce and Cheese:
Pour the remaining verde sauce from the pork over the enchiladas. Add extra canned green enchilada sauce if needed to fully cover them.
Sprinkle a generous layer of shredded Mexican-style quesadilla cheese (or your preferred cheese) over the top.
Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
To Serve:
Serve hot with mashed avocado or your favorite guacamole, sour cream, and any hot sauce you desire.
Freezer Instructions:
To Freeze (Before Baking):
Assemble enchiladas in a freezer-safe dish.
Cover tightly with foil and label with the date.
Freeze for up to 3 months.
To Bake from Frozen:
Bake at 375°F for 45–60 minutes, covered.
Uncover during the last 10–15 minutes to brown the cheese.
Make-Ahead Tips
You can make the pork 1–2 days ahead and store it with some sauce in the fridge. Reheat gently before assembling or use cold if baking right away.
Make Ahead: Assemble the enchiladas up to 2 days in advance, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Bake as directed, adding 5–10 extra minutes if going straight from fridge to oven. Or freeze by your method of choice above.
Cheese Tip: Add the shredded cheese just before baking to keep it from absorbing moisture if refrigerated overnight.
Batch Cooking: Make a double batch—bake one now, freeze the other for later.
You can also use the shredded pork in other meals like tacos, quesadillas, burritos, or rice bowls. Leftover pork freezes well—just store it in an airtight container or freezer bag for an easy meal another day.