I am just gonna start this post by saying this, while I am posting this in the anticipation of Superbowl this coming Sunday...
You do not EVER need a special day or excuse to
make the best pulled pork nachos.
Now that I got that out of my system (and I really meant it), I can tell you about our favorite pulled pork nachos recipe. Nachos is something everyone loves. I don't even like cheese, but I will still eat the sh-t out of a big ole platter of nachos.
What makes the best pulled pork nachos recipe?
Several things, but what really puts them over the top for me is that these are bbq pulled pork nachos. Not just pulled pork, but pork covered in bbq sauce. And since it is bbq pulled pork, you can use leftover pulled pork (I have so much in my freezer). Alternatively, you can make it (slow cooker recipe here, oven recipe here). And finally, you can buy it from your fave bbq spot or the store (this is one I have bought in a pinch and loved).
Ok, bbq pork, what else makes these bbq pulled pork nachos the best?
I mean, everything really does, but the other element that I would say takes these to 'best" level is the glorious homemade cheese sauce. I am not a melty, stringy cheese person. That cheese pull on so many food pics is the epitome of grossness to me, but a velvety, smooth super sharp cheese sauce...HELL YES.
How to make pulled pork nachos.
They are not hard to make, I promise, just have everything out and ready to go when you are ready to assemble and eat. You begin by warming a single layer of chips in the oven on a baking sheet or cast iron skillet, then you layer some cheese on, more chips on top of that
My recommendation for topping these (aside from the obvs pork and cheese sauce)...
- hatch green chiles, the smoked ones in the can in the Latin aisle of your local grocery store
- sliced black olives
- lettuce (duh, now you can count this as a salad)
- serrano peppers
- pickled jalapenos - the kind right out of the jar (those are the best ones)
- red onion, finely diced
- green onion
The thing about 'wet ' toppings. So I am leaving off things like salsa, sour cream and guacamole in mr reco list above because while these are absolute necessities (IMO) for nachos, i think they should be left on the side. You and whoever else is lucky enough to enjoy your nachos can top their serving with all the salsa, sour cream and guace they want. Two big reasons I am advocating for this:
- You don't want to create a soggy mess with cold wet ingredients liquifying all over your nachos. Nachos are messy enough.
- Not everybody likes them. The base on the nachos, if you don't like that, then you don't like nachos, but you can like nachos and not like sour cream or guac (see where I am going with this - lol).
About that cheese sauce...
I'm just gonna say this right now, and maybe I should have said it first, making your own cheese sauce IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST. Really there is no other option, and you will agree once you make it. It is ridiculously simple to make and is so so so much better than any jar you could buy at the store. I super promise you this.
The best pulled pork nachos
Ingredients
- 1 bag of tortilla chips do yourself a favor and DO NOT use the restaurant style thin chips, by the thicker corn chips
- 2 cups bbq pulled pork
- can of hatch green chilis
For the white sauce
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups medium cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Pinch of salt
For toppings
- Shredded lettuce
- Sliced black olives
- sliced fresh serrano peppers (seeds removed
- sliced pickled jalapenos
- Finely chopped red onions
- Sliced green onions
- salsa
- sour cream
- guacamole
Instructions
To make the cheese sauces
- In a large saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until a thick paste forms. Whisk for about 4 minutes until the roux is a bit colored and smells a little nutty, you want to cook the raw flour taste out of it, but you don't want to burn it. Whisk in the 2 cups of milk and bring the mixture to a simmer. You want the mixture to just bubble up, this will take about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cheese, a cup at a time, until it all melts and is totally smooth. Whisk in chili powder and a pinch of salt. Keep warm.
To make the nachos
- Heat the oven to 400.
- Warm the pork in the oven, a saucepan or the microwave.
- Lay half the chips in a single layer on a cookie sheet or a cast iron pan. Only put enough chips on for a single layer. Throw them in the oven for about three minutes. Pull from the oven and spoon half the cheese sauce onto the chips. Layer the rest of the chips on top and put back in the oven for three more minutes. Pull out again and spoon the remaining cheese sauce on top. Put the pork on top and pop back in the oven just for like two more minutes and get the rest of the toppings ready. Pull out from the oven and top with everything EXCEPT the salsa, sour cream and guacamole.
