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This past weekend my husband and I hosted our annual pig roast. Though everyone made hogs of themselves we ended up with lots of leftover pulled pork. Into the freezer it went, packaged in quart freezer bags, where it will keep for up to 3 months to use in a variety of delicious recipes.
While not everyone will have the quantity of leftover pork that I have it's not unusual to have leftovers from the Sunday roast. Change it up by substituting chopped pork for the ground beef in tacos or grilling the pork briefly with peppers and onions for a flavorful fajita filling.
Another easy Tex-Mex dish is Pork Enchiladas using seasoned pork, cheese, beans and corn to stuff tortillas before baking till golden brown and bubbly. Or go Italian with bell peppers stuffed with shredded pork baked in a fire roasted tomato sauce, topped with melted mozzarella cheese -- great served with your favorite pasta.
And for casserole lovers like me there's Pulled Pork Shepherd's Pie, a mixture of shredded pork, frozen vegetables and seasonings, topped with mashed potatoes and cheddar cheese and baked to perfection.
Pork Enchiladas
2 cups shredded pork
1 tsp. salt
Pinch black pepper
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 T. olive oil
1 cup canned black beans, drained
1 (15-ounce) can corn kernels, drained
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
8 flour tortillas
3 cups red enchilada sauce, divided
Directions: In bowl, season pork with salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, onion and garlic powder. Mix well.
Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet on high. Add seasoned pork and cook just till bottom is nicely browned, about 1 1/2 minutes. Do not turn. Place pork back into bowl and add corn, black beans, 1/2 cup enchilada sauce and 1/2 cup cheese. Stir to combine.
To assemble, spread 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on bottom of baking dish. Fill each tortilla with 1/2 cup filling, roll up and place in baking dish. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the tortillas.
Bake in preheated 350-degree F. oven 10 minutes. Remove from oven, cover with the shredded cheese and bake another 10 to 15 minutes till cheese is bubbling and lightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serves 4 to 8.
Pulled Pork Shepherd's Pie
5 cups shredded pork
2 cups barbecue sauce
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
3 to 4 pounds potatoes
2 T. butter
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Directions: Peel potatoes and cut into cubes. Place in large pot and fill with water. Boil till tender. Drain well. Add butter and milk to potatoes and whip till creamy.
Toss pork with barbecue sauce till evenly coated. Spread on bottom of 13×9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle corn and peas over pork. Spread with mashed potatoes and top with grated cheese.
Bake in preheated 350-degree F. oven 45 to 60 minutes till cheese browns and sauce is bubbly. Serves 8 to 10.
Pulled Pork Stuffed Peppers
4 bell peppers, sliced in half, seeds removed
3 cups pulled pork
1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
2 T. diced red onion
1 (15-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 T. heavy cream
1 T. brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. dried basil
Pinch salt and pepper
1 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
Chopped parsley for garnish
Directions: Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Fill peppers with 1/3 to 1/2 cup pork and sprinkle on some chopped cherry tomatoes and onion.
Place canned tomatoes in blender and puree till smooth. Blend in cream, sugar, garlic, basil, salt and pepper till combined. Spoon mixture over the pork in each pepper half. Sprinkle cheese on top.
Bake peppers 20 to 25 minutes, or till cheese is golden and bubbly. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8. Tip: To ensure peppers are tender, place in microwaveable dish with lid with a little water and microwave in 2-minute intervals until desired softness.