Memphis-Style Pulled Pork Nachos
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
- Total: 4 hr 25 min (includes cooling time)
- Active: 55 min
Ingredients
Barbecue Pork:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons salted butter
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons hot sauce
2 tablespoons dry mustard
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 pound Trisha's Pulled Pork, recipe follows
Cheese Sauce:
1/2 cup heavy cream, plus more if needed
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
12 slices white American cheese (about 6 ounces)
Nachos:
1 romaine heart, shredded
Half a 13-ounce bag tortilla chips
Half an 8-ounce bag kettle-cooked potato chips
One 8-ounce bag shredded Cheddar (2 cups)
Chopped red onions, for garnish
Sliced scallions, for garnish
Trisha's Pulled Pork:
3 pounds boneless country-style pork spareribs
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 cloves garlic, crushed
3 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 large yellow onion, quartered
One 6-ounce can tomato paste
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- For the barbecue pork: In a medium saucepan, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the butter and garlic and continue to cook until the garlic is softened. Add the ketchup, molasses, vinegar, hot sauce, mustard and brown sugar and simmer until the sugar is melted and the ingredients have combined, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender and carefully blend until smooth. Return to the pan, add Trisha's Pulled Pork and keep over low heat to warm through.
- For the cheese sauce: Heat the cream and pepper in a small saucepan over low heat until it just begins to steam, about 3 minutes. Gradually add the cheese, stirring until the cheese is completely melted. Keep warm, adding a bit more cream if the sauce becomes too thick.
- For the nachos: In a shallow casserole dish, spread the shredded romaine and then top with the tortilla and potato chips mixed together. Spread the pork over the chips and cover with the shredded Cheddar. Bake until the cheese has melted, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour the cheese sauce over top and garnish with the red onions and scallions.
Trisha's Pulled Pork:
- Season the ribs well on all sides with salt and pepper.
- In a large Dutch oven over high heat, heat the oil to a shimmer. Add the ribs and sear until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove the ribs and transfer to a plate. Add the garlic, carrots and onion and cook until golden and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of water and, using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add 2 more cups of water and stir to combine.
- Return the ribs to the Dutch oven, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until fork-tender, about 3 hours.
- Remove the ribs from the liquid and transfer to a baking sheet to cool. Strain the cooking liquid and reserve. When cool enough to handle, use 2 forks to shred the pork.