How to Make Smoked Pulled Pork Enchiladas

There's nothing quite like a tasty batch of savory smoked pulled pork, especially when paired with a tangy barbecue sauce and a pile of homemade slaw to help offset the rich flavor. When the cookout is over, though, what's a talented home chef to do with all that leftover smoky goodness?

Fortunately, there are a number of mouthwatering answers to that question. One of our favorites, though, is to whip up a tray of smoked pulled pork enchiladas. If you've previously only considered chicken or leftover ground hamburger as a filling for your favorite Mexican dishes, now is the perfect time to expand your repertoire. This recipe is a surefire hit, destined to become a staple in your household—you might even find yourself making an additional batch of pulled pork, just so you can enjoy these enchiladas the following day.

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Smoked Pulled Pork Enchiladas with Tomatillo-Spinach Sauce

What You'll Need For This Pulled Pork Recipe

1. Make the Tomatillo-Spinach Sauce.

2. Prepare the filling.

3. Warm the tortillas.

4. Fill and roll the enchiladas.

5. Bake and serve.

Side Dish Recommendations for Pulled Pork Enchiladas

Yellow Rice and Black Beans

Mexican Slaw

Mezcal Negroni

In Conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions

Smoked Pulled Pork Enchiladas with Tomatillo-Spinach Sauce

We love the combination of smoky pork paired with the tart, herbaceous notes of the tomatillo. The spinach is there to add bulk and richness to the sauce without overpowering the flavor.

The steps of this recipe are easy to follow, even if you're new to Mexican cuisine. All you need to get started is what you already have: A good supply of leftover shredded pork, enough to fill at least 12 enchiladas. The recipe will easily serve four, but if you add in one or more of our suggested side dishes, you can stretch it out to accommodate a party of six.

What You'll Need For This Pulled Pork Recipe

For the Tomatillo-Spinach Sauce:

• Olive oil, for the pan
• 2 pounds tomatillos, husked and rinsed
• 2 medium poblano peppers, halved and seeded
• 1 large sweet onion, peeled and quartered
• 12 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1-1/2 cups chopped spinach
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

For the Enchiladas:

• Canola oil or cooking spray, for the pan
• 12 6-inch corn tortillas
• 2-1/2 cups Tomatillo-Spinach Sauce
• 2 cups leftover smoked pulled pork
• 1/2 cup sour cream or plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• Handful of chopped scallions
• Handful of chopped cilantro
• 1-1/2 cups shredded cheese (pepper jack, Monterey jack, cheddar, or a blend)
• Salt

1. Make the Tomatillo-Spinach Sauce.

• Coat your baking sheet with a good dose of olive oil. Roast the tomatillos, poblano peppers, onion, and garlic cloves in a 400 degree oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the vegetables have gone soft and limp.
• Place roasted vegetables and pan juices in a food processor or blender. Add the spinach, cilantro, chicken broth, salt and pepper.
• Pulse until smooth. Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper, if necessary.

Pro Tip: If you prefer a red enchilada sauce, you can substitute ripe tomatoes for the tomatillos. Add a dash of cayenne pepper for additional zing. In fact, this recipe serves as a good template for all sorts of roasted vegetables. Feel free to experiment the next time you're in the mood for enchiladas.

2. Prepare the filling.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix the pulled pork with the sour cream, scallions, cilantro, and salt to taste. Set aside.

3. Warm the tortillas.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Before assembling the enchiladas, you have to make sure that your corn tortillas are sufficiently pliable. You can wrap them in tin foil and pop them in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes—just be sure to remove them before they get too soft, or they might tear. Alternatively, you can heat a cast-iron skillet and warm the tortillas for 10-15 seconds per side.

Pro Tip:  For the best results, use the sauce itself to warm the tortillas. Heat the sauce in a shallow, 3-quart saucepan until hot to the touch, but not so hot that it will burn your fingers. One by one, dip the corn tortillas into the sauce and fill them, as detailed below.

4. Fill and roll the enchiladas.

Coat a 9x1-inch oven-safe roasting pan with canola oil or cooking spray. Fill the warmed tortillas with a few tablespoons each of the pork filling and the shredded cheese. Roll into cylinders and place side by side in the roasting pan. Top with the tomatillo-spinach sauce, followed by the remainder of the cheese.

5. Bake and serve.

Place the roasting pan in the oven and bake uncovered until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted and golden, about 15 minutes. Remove to individual plates using a flat spatula, taking care not to tear the tortillas. Serve with additional sour cream, if desired, or one of our suggested side dish pairings, below.

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Side Dish Recommendations for Pulled Pork Enchiladas

Go beyond the typical chips-and-salsa route with one of these tempting recipes. While cold beer is always a welcome accompaniment, our cocktail pairing will help to tie all the flavors together into an intoxicating package.

Yellow Rice and Black Beans

 The classic Mexican rice-and-beans pairing gets a spicy update with this recipe. As both can be prepared on the stovetop, they won't interfere with the enchiladas baking in the oven. Be aware that the black beans will have to be soaked overnight, so plan ahead.

Pro Tip: Don't be tempted to "cheat" by using canned beans for this recipe. The texture will be off, and since they won't need to simmer for as long, the flavors will be dulled.

What You'll Need

For the Black Beans:

• 1 pound dried black beans, picked over, rinsed, and soaked overnight
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup white onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (or substitute 1 tablespoon pickled jalapeno rings)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup diced fire-roasted tomatoes (optional)

For the Yellow Rice:

• 2 cups long-grain rice, such as basamati
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 bay leaf
• Cayenne pepper, to taste

1. Make the beans.

• Soak the beans overnight (or for at least 8 hours) in a large bowl or stock pot, with enough water to cover by at least 2 inches.
• Remove any beans that are still floating on the surface, and drain the rest.
• In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, jalapeno, garlic, and bay leaf, and cook until softened (about 3 minutes).
• Add the drained beans, along with enough water to cover by about 1 inch.
• Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 1-1/2 hours, or until beans are tender.
• Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the tomatoes, if using, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Make the rice.

• Place all ingredients in a heavy-duty saucepan (at least 5 quarts). Stir well.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, then reduce to a simmer.
• Continue to simmer the rice and seasonings until the water has been fully absorbed, about 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let sit (without removing the cover) for about 5 minutes.
• Remove garlic and bay leaf, fluff rice with a fork, and taste for seasoning. Add more salt, pepper, or cayenne if desired.
• Serve rice and beans alongside the enchiladas, sprinkled with chopped cilantro if desired.

Mexican Slaw

Since slaw is a natural accompaniment to pulled pork, why not whip up an enticing variation to serve alongside your enchiladas? The spicy flavors will intensify the longer this sits, so try to prepare it the same day you'll be eating it.

What You'll Need

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
• 1 small dried red dried chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups shredded peeled jicama (1 small jicama should be enough)
• 3 medium beets, peeled and shredded
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into matchsticks

1. Make the dressing.

Mix the soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, sugar, hoisin sauce, chile, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

2. Assemble the salad.

Toss together the jicama, beets, and cucumber in a large salad bowl. Add the dressing and toss to combine.

3. Refrigerate until well chilled.  Serve the salad cold.

Mezcal Negroni

To accentuate the flavor of your pulled pork enchilada recipe, serve it with this updated version of an Italian cocktail standard.

• Combine 1 ounce each of Campari, sweet vermouth, and mezcal in a pint glass.
• Fill glass with ice, then stir.
• Strain mixture into an ice-filled cocktail glass.
• Garnish with a strip of orange zest.

In Conclusion

Once you've seen how well your smoked pulled pork enhances the taste of your favorite Mexican recipes, you may never use any other type of filling again. At the very least, you won't have to worry about finding a home for all those leftovers—they'll already be up on deck for another enticing go-round.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make enchiladas with flour tortillas?

Traditionally, enchiladas are made with 6-inch corn tortillas. This makes our recipe a naturally gluten-free dish! If you really like flour tortillas or that is the type of tortilla you have on hand, feel free to make then with flour instead. Keep in mind that flour tortillas will get soggier than corn tortillas as they cook under all that tasty sauce.

How do you wrap enchiladas?

Wrapping enchiladas is easy! Start by warming your corn tortillas in the oven by wrapping them in an aluminum foil pouch. Then, place your toppings in the middle of each tortilla and roll them into a cylinder. Don’t worry about tucking the edges, as the filling shouldn’t spill out too much inside the casserole dish. If you’re feeling lazy, you can layer enchiladas to create a dish that would be reminiscent of a Mexican lasagna.

What should you put in enchiladas?

You can put anything you like inside enchiladas! We love using smoked pulled pork for ours because it’s rich, flavorful, and a great way to use up leftover pulled pork. You could also use shredded chicken, shrimp or fish, or a variety of vegetables. It’s traditional to mix the meat or vegetable filling with sour cream and herbs, but you could use Greek yogurt instead or skip the dairy and use salsa.

What kind of cheese do Mexican restaurants use to make enchiladas?

Most Mexican restaurants use a variety of cheese to top enchiladas. You can find Mexican blend cheese at the grocery store, or you can make your own by using a combination of cheddar, pepperjack, and queso asadero. If you can get your hands on queso fresco, which is similar to mozzarella, your enchiladas will be very authentic.

What is enchilada sauce made of?

Many enchilada sauces are made with tomatoes and hydrated, dried red chilies. Sauces made with chilies can be slightly spicy, although they are usually deep and earthy in flavor. We love making green enchilada sauce by combining tangy tomatillos with healthy spinach, but you can make these smoked pulled pork enchiladas with red sauce if you prefer!

The post How to Make Smoked Pulled Pork Enchiladas appeared first on Grill Master University.

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