5 Best Beef For Enchiladas: What Cut Of Beef Is Best For Enchiladas?

There is nothing more comforting than a delicious plate of enchiladas, especially when you know you’re putting the best beef into your recipe.

With so many different cuts to choose from, it can be difficult to find the perfect one that will leave everyone at the dinner table satisfied.

That’s why we have put together this list of our top five favorite cuts of beef for making enchiladas.

Read on to grab some useful knowledge about the best beef for enchiladas.

How to choose beef for enchiladas?

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When it comes to Mexican cuisine, enchiladas are one of the iconic dishes.

Authentic Mexican enchiladas are often made from beef, but beef is considered a healthier option for the filling that also offers a new flavor profile.

So how to choose a good cut of beef for enchiladas?

Let’s take a look at the following criteria when shopping for beef to make enchiladas:

1.     Don’t use a cut of beef with a lot of fat

The reason why you shouldn’t use a cut with a lot of fat in an enchilada recipe is that this dish calls for a lot of cheese, so a fatty cut of beef will even make it too greasy to eat.

It will be fine to purchase a cut that is well-marbled or relatively lean instead.

2.     Ground beef is the best choice as it cooks quickly and evenly in the oven

The beef filling for enchiladas can be shredded beef or ground beef.

To have shredded beef, you will need a tough cut of beef that is already slow-cooked for hours until it is tender and easily pulled apart.

Meanwhile, ground beef only needs to be quickly stir-fried before putting in the oven.

You can even buy fresh pre-ground beef in most grocery stores or supermarkets to save more time.

3.     Buy fresh organic beef in bulk to save money

Another tip to have the best beef for enchiladas is to buy a fresh cut of organic beef.

Organic beef is the meat produced from the cow that is raised with an organic diet and without antibiotics and hormones.

It is healthier for us as well as provides a better taste and texture.

However, fresh organic beef is quite expensive.

Therefore, you can invite some friends to buy fresh organic beef in bulk to save money.

Otherwise, you can also use it yourself because shredded beef or ground beef freezes well in the freezer.

5 best beef for enchiladas

Here are the five cuts of beef we find the most suitable for making enchiladas:

1.     Chuck roast

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Chuck roast is an economical cut of beef that can be cooked in different ways.

It comes from the upper section of the shoulder with a tough texture.

Therefore, a chuck roast is often used in slow-cooking recipes like roasting, stewing, or braising.

To make enchiladas from beef chuck roast, you can slow-cook it first and then pull the meat apart to use it as the enchiladas filling.

Otherwise, grind chuck roast with or without additional fat, stir-fry, and get it ready for your enchilada recipe.

2.     Flank steak

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The second cut you can try for enchiladas is flank steak.

This affordable cut is relatively lean but can be tender when thinly sliced and properly cooked.

Flank steak should be quickly sauteed before being wrapped in corn tortillas for enchiladas.

3.     Skirt steak

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Skirt steak is commonly used to replace flank steak in most recipes.

It can be used to make a perfect enchilada dish to serve your family on a cold night.

Skirt steak is quite chewy and tough, so it should be cooked for a while before baking with other ingredients in your enchilada recipe.

4.     Brisket

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Brisket isn’t a bad idea for enchiladas.

This popular cut is typically used to make corned beef or pastrami, but it can be ground or slow-cooked for enchiladas too.

Brisket is well-marbled, therefore, it has a relatively tough texture and a flavorful taste.

5.     Top sirloin steak

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Our last suggestion for the best beef cut for enchiladas is top sirloin steak.

This cut has a moderate marbling fat content that is enough to make it more flavorful and juicy without being greasy or too tough in texture.

Top sirloin steak is not as expensive as a tenderloin or ribeye steak, but not as cheap as a chuck roast or flank steak.

The bottom line

Beef for enchiladas can be shredded beef or ground beef.

Therefore, choosing beef for this Mexican classic is just like how you choose a cut of beef to make ground beef or pulled beef.

We have compiled some affordable and delicious cuts from a chuck roast to a top sirloin steak or skirt steak so that you can have different options to choose from when it comes to choosing beef for enchiladas.

Hopefully, our article is helpful in your search!