{Recipe} Ultimate Pulled Pork Nachos with Buttermilk Hot Sauce

Oh my gosh, you guys. These nachos are amazing. Ultimate. Which is why I'm calling them the ultimate pulled pork nachos. With buttermilk hot sauce. Which is also amazing. Utterly perfect for your Super Bowl party, or any casual get-together. And, surprise! The pulled pork is made with readily available pork tenderloin, not the usual pork shoulder. Read on...

We were ridiculous and actually ate these for dinner a few Sundays ago. Don't judge me.

Every now and again an accidental throw together from the fridge turns out to be a rockstar, make-again recipe, and this was one of those. I had some leftover pork, and all the other fixings, and thought I'd give a riff on nachos a try, and the outcome was so great.

I made them even better the second time around though by slow braising a pork tenderloin in carnitas-inspired juices, making the pork a pretty stellar component to these nachos. I love traditional pulled pork but it is fatty - that's what makes it so succulent - and you have to spend some time separating the cooked meat from the fat before you can use it in anything. At least that's how I do it.

Using pork tenderloin let me toss everything in the oven, take it out a couple hours later, and move right to the shredding part. No extra steps required. Making these nachos that much easier to toss together in about 15 minutes once the meat is cooked.

And the buttermilk hot sauce. Can we please talk about that for a minute. It's not hot, though you can make it as hot as you want. I wanted just enough of the hot sauce to get that vinegary flavor without the major heat, since my little girls were eating this too, and it was the absolute perfect topper to these already outrageously good nachos. Creamy, and vinegary, and just a smidge spicy. Yum.

Fifteen minutes. To ultimate nachos. Go.

Ultimate Pulled Pork Nachos with Buttermilk Hot Sauce - makes a full sheet pan of nachos
Ingredients
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. chipotle chili powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 c. fresh orange juice
juice of one lime
1 bottle beer (I used an IPA)
1/2 c. chicken broth
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 lb. pork tenderloin, cut into 2-inch chunks

1/2 c. mayo
1/4 c. buttermilk
20 dashes Franks hot sauce

tortilla chips
2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
2 c. jack cheese. shredded
15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 c. grape tomatoes, chopped
4 scallions, sliced thin, light green and white parts only
2 avocados, seeded and chopped

Preheat oven to 350º.

Whisk all ingredients (cumin - vegetable oil) in a small Dutch oven or lidded ovenproof dish and add pork tenderloin. Roast, covered, for 2 hours. Remove meat from remaining liquid and mash/shred with forks.

For buttermilk hot sauce, whisk mayo, buttermilk, and hot sauce (add more if you like more heat!) in a small bowl.

To assemble nachos, line a baking sheet with nonstick foil. Spread a layer of tortilla chips over the foil. Top with most of the cheeses (leave a handful of each for the topping), then the pork, then the black beans, and finally the tomatoes and scallions.

Scatter reserved cheese over the top.

Bake for 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Remove from the oven and serve immediately topped with avocado and drizzled generously with the buttermilk hot sauce.

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