Have leftover pulled pork carnitas? Here’s 3 recipes for that!
Easy slow cooker pork carnitas tacos are amazing but there is always leftovers so, I want to share with you all my three favorite leftover carnitas recipes.
My 3 Favorite Leftover Pork Recipes:
- Spicy Pulled Pork Carnitas Empanadas
- Pulled Pork Carnitas Burrito Bowls
- Pulled Pork Carnitas Lettuce Wraps
1
Empanadas
Ingredients
- Leftover pulled pork carnitas
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Diced green chiles
- Chipotles in adobo sauce
- Cumin
- Oregano – dried
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Store bought empanada dough discs
- Canola Oil
- Cilantro (optional)
I love putting meat into a slow cooker on a weekend so that during the week, we can whip up an easy meal for one of our weeknight dinners.
We usually have Tuesday tacos which of course includes pulled pork tacos, my copycat Torchy’s Tacos Queso Dip with tortilla chips and a cold beer!
There are so many delicious recipes that can be made with leftover pork roast.
If you’re craving beef tacos, check out this tasty recipe: Shredded Beef Tacos With Lime from Allrecipes.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Place a large nonstick pan over medium heat and add the oil. When oil is hot add the onions and cook while stirring for 2 minutes.
- Add the garlic, drained green chiles, chopped chipotles, cumin, and oregano. Cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the shredded pork and mix throughly. Remove from heat and cool.
- In a separate cast iron skillet or heavy frying pan, heat canola oil over medium high. You want the oil to be at least 2 inches deep and to heat up to 350 degrees.
- While the oil is heating up, assemble your empanadas.
- Working with one dough disc at a time, place a couple of tablespoons of pork mixture in the middle of the disc. Sprinkle some cheese on the pork mixture.
- Fold over the dough disc until the edges meet. Press edges together with a fork. You will want to make up the empanadas before you start frying them.
- Fry in 2″ of canola oil until golden brown.
By adding a few Mexican spices to the juicy pork and using some fresh toppings, you can have a quick meal everyone will enjoy: Fresh lime juice, garlic cloves, yellow onion, cumin, oregano, fresh ground pepper and salt.
Tips & Tricks
- Don’t over stuff your empanadas. Too much filling will make the dough pop open.
- If your dough discs are having a hard time keeping closed when you pinch them together, try dipping the fork in a little water and then press the edges together.
- If you prefer to bake the empanadas, pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the stuffed empanadas on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush the dough with an egg wash (a beaten egg with 1 teaspoon of water). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Use an oven mitt and remove from the oven and serve with your favorite toppings and sides.
2
Burrito Bowls
Ingredients
- Cooked rice (brown or white)
- Leftover pork carnitas
- Black beans
- Avocado
- Chopped red onion
- Fresco cheese
- Jalapeno pepper (optional)
- Salsa
Spoon the rice into a bowl and add all the other ingredients to it. I love this burrito bowl for a quick dinner.
There are so many creative ways to make this your own delicious meal!
3
Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- Romaine hearts (washed and patted dry)
- Leftover pork carnitas
- Avocado
- Salsa
- Fresco cheese
Wash and pat dry Romaine hearts. Spoon on salsa, pork carnitas, add the avocado and cheese. This is such a yummy lunch!
Tasty Toppings
Add these to Bowls and Lettuce Wraps for a bit of deliciousness
- Sour cream
- Red onions or white onions
- Salsa Verde
- Pico de gallo
- Salsa
- Red pepper
- Guacamole
- Cilantro
Frequently Asked Questions
Carnitas, which means “little meats” in Spanish, is a traditional Mexican dish that is made by braising pork until it is tender and then shredding it and is often served with warm corn tortillas.
Pork tacos are made by marinating pork in a combination of Mexican spices and then pan-frying it or cooking it on a grill.
Reheating pulled pork can be tricky especially if it’s dry. The only way to add moisture back into pulled pork is to add liquid. If you saved any liquid (drippings) from the slow cooker, use that. You can also add vegetable broth, chicken broth, apple juice, or pineapple juice.
A Quick Recap Of How Pulled Pork Carnitas Are Made In A Slow Cooker
- Place pork in a crock pot. Add all the spices except salt and pepper to the meat and let it cook on high for 4-5 hours.
- Remove pork from the slow cooker, remove excess fat.
- Shred the meat before returning it to the pot of juices and add the salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and warm for 30 minutes longer.
- To Crisp: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat and in batches spread the shredded pork in the pan and drizzle a small amount of the juices over it.
- Cook until the juices evaporate and the pork begins to turn golden brown and is slightly crispy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
Tips & Tricks
- Crisp when ready to serve – The best way to store pork for leftover meals is to not crisp it until you plan on using it.
- Extra juice – Save some of the juice in a separate container and drizzle it over the pork when heating it up.
- If you have lots of leftovers – freeze it in portions and enjoy it at a later time. You can also freeze the drippings in a separate container and add it to the pork when you are reheating it.
Spicy Pulled Pork Carnitas Empanadas
Easy delicious empanadas made with leftover pulled pork carnitas and shredded cheese.
Ingredients
- 3 cups leftover pork carnitas
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion – chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic – minced (about 2 teaspoons)
- 1 – 4 ounce can diced green chiles – diced
- 2 to 3 canned chipotles in adobo sauce (NOT the whole can) – chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons oregano – dried
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (store bought Mexican flavored)
- Store bought empanada dough Discs (package of 10)
- 2 to 3 cups canola oil
Instructions
- Place a large nonstick pan over medium high heat and add the oil.
- When oil is hot add the onions and cook while stirring for 2 minutes.
- Add the garlic, drained green chiles, chopped chipotles, cumin, and oregano. Cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the shredded port and mix throughly. Remove from heat and cool.
- In a cast iron skillet or heavy frying pan, heat canola oil over medium high. You want the oil to be at least 2 inches deep and to heat up to 350 degrees.
- While the oil is heating up, assemble your empanadas. Working with one dough disc at a time, place a couple of tablespoons of pork mixture in the middle of the disc.
- Sprinkle some cheese on the pork mixture.
- Fold over the dough disc until the edges meet. Press edges together with a fork. You will want to make up all the empanadas before you start frying them.
- Use a large heat resistant food turner (pancake turner) and carefully slip them in one by one, bottom side down. Fry until golden brown then flip. Approximately 2-3 minutes on each side.
- You will end up making a few batches, so have a cooling rack set over a baking sheet ready.
- Once the empanadas are cooked, remove them from the oil using metal tongs and place on the cooling rack in a warm 200 degrees oven until you are ready to serve them.
- Use an oven mitt and remove from the oven and serve with your favorite toppings and sides.
Notes
Successful Tips
- Don't over stuff your empanadas. Too much filling will make the dough pop open.
- If your dough discs are having a hard time keeping closed when you pinch them together, try dipping the fork in a little water and then press the edges together.
- If you prefer to bake the empanadas, pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the stuffed empanadas on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush the dough with an egg wash (a beaten egg with 1 teaspoon of water). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Use an oven mitt and remove from the oven and serve with your favorite toppings and sides.
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