Aug 28, 2021

Barbecued Carnitas Nachos

Delicious barbecued carnitas nachos recipe perfect for sharing with family and friends.

Sloppy and delicious double decker pulled pork nachos with homemade barbecue sauce, served up sizzling. It is the perfect dish for my pork carnitas recipe, and will be an instant hit with even the pickiest crowd. The homemade pork carnitas will take several hours to prepare though, so best made the day before.

These nachos are served in a hot pan, so if there are little fingers dipping in I recommend carefully sliding this dish whole onto a serving plate to prevent accidental burns. Otherwise, the pan will keep these nachos warm and melty until the last one is gobbled up.

Use your favourite gluten-free nacho chips if required.

This recipe will result in more barbecue sauce than is needed for these nachos. Store unused portion in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or use it on a half batch of my barbecued pork ribs recipe.

Ingredients

(Makes 8 servings)

~2 cups nacho chips (gluten-free if required) (about 84 triangular chips)
2 cups pork carnitas
1/2 small red onion, diced
1/2 cup low fat cheddar cheese, shredded (non-dairy cheese if needed)
2 jalapeño peppers, sliced
fresh cilantro, chopped (optional garnish)

barbecue sauce:

1 cup (250ml) ketchup
1/2 cup (125ml) apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup (125ml) water
1/2 cup (125ml) tomato paste
1/2 cup (85g) packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon (15ml) honey
2 teaspoons (10ml) Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons (4.25g) mustard powder
2 teaspoons (6.25g) garlic powder
1 teaspoon (2g) onion powder
1 teaspoon (2.5g) ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon (3g) kosher salt

Directions

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add all the barbecue sauce ingredients. Stir well to combine. Once the sauce begins to simmer, reduce the heat to medium and allow it to continue simmering, stirring every 10 minutes or so, for 45 to 60 minutes. Taste and adjust to your personal preference by adding more honey if you want it sweeter, or more vinegar if it isn't tangy enough.

Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C.

In a 12-inch cast iron pan (or other wide oven-proof dish), spread half the nacho chips in an even layer. Next, spread half the pork carnitas evenly, followed by a generous drizzle of barbecue sauce, half of the shredded cheese, half of the diced onion, and half of the jalapeño slices. Layer the remaining nacho chips, carnitas, and drizzle of barbecue sauce.

Transfer the pan into the oven uncovered and heat for 15 minutes, or until heated through. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese and return to the oven for few minutes to let the cheese melt. Remove from the oven and top with a light drizzle of barbecue sauce, remaining onion, jalapeño, and garnish with fresh cilantro (optional).

Serve sizzling in the pan (warning: the pan will still be hot), or carefully slide the nachos onto a serving dish and enjoy immediately.