Pork Tacos

August 6, 2012 · by

Earlier this month, I made my Sweet Chipotle Pork Roast and I ended up with a good bit of the roast left. Being the ever frugal minded mom that I am, I just couldn’t throw them away. Being able to eat twice from the same meal is something that I strive to do for budget’s sake, but I don’t really like to eat the exact same thing when I do that. There has to be some sort of twist on it so that the leftovers don’t taste like…. well, leftovers. Transforming them into something else is my favorite thing to do with them, hence the term leftovers reconstituted.

Tacos are a great way to incorporate leftovers into a new dish, and that’s what I went for with my leftover pork roast. Now, you don’t have to use just leftover roast.  I’ve also done this with leftover pork chops. You don’t even have to use pork. Just chop up whatever leftover meat you have.


I chopped up my leftover pork roast into small pieces, seasoned them up well & warmed them in a skillet along with some sauteed red onion. Just a couple of simple additions gives the meat a whole new flavor, and the finished product in no way resembles the original dish.

You can use store-bought taco shells if you wish, but I really recommend using corn tortillas, and lightly frying them on each side.  Once you have tacos this way, the authentic way, then trust me – you can never go back to the ones from the box.


I served it alongside some fresh pico de gallo, which really just packed on more flavor and aided in further transforming the meal into something new. Sprinkle on a little cheese, a little cilantro, & a squeeze of lime and you have a pork taco infront of you that is better than your local Mexican restaurant, at just a fraction of the price.  
Actually – even cheaper than a fraction of the price since this dish started off with leftovers.  


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Pork Tacos

Pork Tacos

Ingredients

  • 1-2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 medium red onion, diced
  • About 4 cups leftover diced pork (or use fresh if you have no leftovers, just increase the cooking time)
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • corn tortillas
  • vegetable oil for frying
  • cilantro, lime, & shredded cheese to garnish (optional)

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a skillet, and saute the onions until translucent. Add the diced pork and sprinkle with the seasonings; stir well to coat. Cook for 6-8 minutes on medium heat until thoroughly warmed.

In a separate pan, heat enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of the pan on medium-high heat. Fry the corn tortillas 1 minute on each side. Drain on paper towels.

Serve with pico de gallo.

MrsHappyHomemaker

 

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Filed Under: Burgers/Sandwiches, Cooking, Leftover Ideas, Main Dish, Mexican, Pork ·