Pulled Pork King Ranch Casserole

5/20/2018 – This turned out good and with some tweaking to make it spicer will be a favorite. This was a good way to use leftover smoked pork butt.

Inspired by https://houseofyumm.com/pulled-pork-king-ranch-casserole/

The recipe below with strikeouts and adds from the original is what we did for this first cook. We made a half recipe so below is 50% of the original.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1/2 cup Chopped Red Onion
1/2 Red Bell Pepper, diced
1/2 Green Bell Pepper, diced
1 large baby portabello mushroom
5 cloves Garlic, minced – much more than original
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/2 tablespoon Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1/8 cup All-Purpose Flour
3/4 cup Beef Broth (Original recipe suggested as alternatives: mushroom, veggie, or chicken broth
1/2 of a 10 ounce can Chunky Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles, drained – [the final dish with half of a fresh jalapeno (seeds and pulk removed) was bland for both of us.
3/4 cup Sour Cream, plus more for topping
1 pound Pulled Pork
2 cups Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
9 Corn Tortillas with 3 per layer in the 9″ round casserole
1/4 cup Canola Oil
Fresh Cilantro on the top before baking

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. In a large skillet over medium heat melt the butter. Once melted add the red onion and bell peppers. Allow to cook for several minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
  3. Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir to coat the veggies in the seasonings.
    Sprinkle the flour into the skillet. Stir to coat the veggies in the flour; you will end up with a thick paste.
  4. Pour in the beef broth and stir. Bring mixture to a boil while stirring and let simmer while stirring for about 2-3 minutes until thick. Remove from heat, allow to cool for about 2 minutes and stir in the canned diced tomatoes with green chiles and the sour cream. Stir to combine. Add the shredded pork and stir until mixed. Set aside.
  5. Heat a large griddle or skillet over medium heat. Brush the tortillas with the canola oil on both side and heat on the griddle until crisp and browned on each side.
  6. Once all tortillas are browned, layer 3 tortillas on the bottom of the baking dish. Top with half of the pork mixture then one-third of the cheese. Repeat by layering 3 more tortillas, the remaining half of the pork mixture, and .one third of the cheese. Top with the remaining 3 tortillas and the rest of the cheese plus fresh cilantro. [should have added fresh cilantro is each layer]
  7. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes.
  8. Remove from the oven allow to cool for several minutes then serve warm. Served with additional sour cream and fresh cilantro.

Next Time:

  • Use the whole can of Rotel tomatoes and chilies and the whole large fresh jalapeno.
  • Add fresh cilantro is each layer
  • Add 2-3 large baby portabello mushrooms. The one gave it a nice additional flavor that could have been more.