Crispy Carnitas Oven Nachos with Homemade Tortilla Chips.
WITH QUESO.
And mango. And avocado. And queso. And a quick little pico.
And did I mention a creamy, cheesy melty queso?
Soooo much rooms for toppings. So much room for activities.
Ugh. I fried homemade tortilla chips. They are the best thing of life.
The good news? You totally don’t need to deep fry them! I used Elise’s method and put a bit of oil in my cast iron skillet once it was screaming hot. I also used a combo of flour and corn tortillas because 1. that’s what I had on hand and 2. we are the most indecisive tortilla family ever.
It’s suuuper simple. Once that oil is hot, you just throw the tortillas in and flip and twist until crispy. Like maybe three minutes tops, if even. I tore my tortillas into rustic-y pieces because this one time, I ate Mexican food with Bev and the tortillas were torn and fried and so light and crispy that it’s been two years and I’m STILL thinking about them. I wanted to recreate that whole rustic thing, so I tore mine. Fun.
Can we talk about the crispy-ish pork?
I know, I’m doing a lot of hyphens today. Hyphenating all the things like the annoying millennial that I am. All you English majors would like me to take a long walk off a short pier, no?
Anyhoo – the pork. I seared it quickly and threw it in the crock pot. Let it get pull-apart tender and THEN – I shredded it and threw it in the baking dish and roasted it for a bit. You have those crispy edges of pulled pork and pieces that straight up melt in your mouth. The roasting thing isn’t necessary but if you have some extra time (…HA!) and want that authentic-y taco truck feel, I say go for it.
If not, roast it from the get go.
Oh. Oh oh oh oh oh.
And the queso. EEEEEEP. It’s just a quick queso that I’ve made before on the blog for other recipes, but it’s creamy wonderfulness MAKES the nachos. Well, wait – here’s what makes the nachos: two cheeses. The creamy queso AND the extra grated cheese. I firmly believe that for ideal nachos, you need both. You get it?
Look at this! We’re eating the rainbow!
This is so healthy I can’t even stand myself.
See? Doesn’t that white cheese look like the picture of health? I know.
So it’s almost Cinco de Mayo! I need you to do me a solid. (Someone was watching too much Crazy, Stupid Love this weekend.)
I need you to tell me your exact Cinco de Mayo menu down there in the comments. I pinned approximately four million recipes last night. Like what kind of margarita are you making? Please tell me either strawberry or peach or ginger beer or kiwi? Or maybe even kiwi strawberry?! Margarita mashup!
It’s pretty much mandatory that you make this pineapple goat cheese guacamole.
I’m debating on these old school crispy shrimp tacos or these ginger garlic steak tacos with pineapple pico. Orrrr these beer battered fish tacos. Or wait! Enchiladas! What the heck. Why must I forget about them? These spicy beer braised lime chicken enchiladas are winners. So are the lightened up beef enchis with 10-minute enchilada sauce! If you really want to trash things up, you can make BBQ chicken enchis or buffalo chicken enchis, two ridiculously old and popular recipes from the site.
I promise to never say enchis again.
This just-like chipotle’s corn salsa is soooo copycat-ish. Make it and put it on everything.
I do think you should start with breakfast tacos, because that’s the way life should be.
Oh and if you have absolutely zero time for dinner (translation: like only 30 minutes) you should make these 20 minute turkey taco nachos!
Otherwise… eat all the queso.
Homemade Pulled Pork Nachos
Ingredients
pulled pork
- 4 pound pork shoulder
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1/2 cup your favorite beer
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
nachos
- 12 (4-inch) corn or flour tortillas, torn into pieces
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 4 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 8 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 jalapeno peppers, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, cubed
- 1 mango, peeled and cubed
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- 1/2 cup freshly torn cilantro
quick queso
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
- 1/3 cup milk
- 8 ounces monterey jack cheese, freshly grated
- a pinch of salt + pepper
Instructions
pulled pork
- You can easily make the pork ahead of time!
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the canola oil. Add the pork and sear on all sides until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Place the pork in the crockpot with the beer and add the salt, pepper and spices. Cook on low for 12 hours or high for 6 to 8 hours. Once finished, the pork should shred easily with a fork.
- Before serving the pork, I like to crisp it up in the oven. To do this, I spread the shredded pork in a large baking dish. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the baking dish in the oven and roast for 30 minutes, tossing the pork with a fork every 10 minutes. You don’t HAVE to do this step, but it really makes it taste like authentic carnitas.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the canola oil. Add the tortilla pieces in batches (however many your skillet can hold in a single layer) and fry until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and place on a paper towel to drain excess grease. Sprinkle the chips with salt and repeat until your tortillas are gone.
- To assemble the nachos, lay the chips in a layer on a large baking sheet (I like to cover mine with foil first). Sprinkle on the grated cheese then add on the pork. Drizzle on half of the queso. Place the nachos in the oven and cook until heated through and the cheese is melted. Remove the nachos and cover with the scallions, peppers, avocado, cilantro, mango, tomatoes and red onion. Drizzle more queso on to before serving!
quick queso
- Heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add butter. Add in the garlic, then stir in the flour to create a roux. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the roux is golden, stirring often. Slowly add in the milk while stirring. Stir for a few minutes until it thickens slightly. Add in the grated cheese, one a handful at a time, stirring after each addition until melted.
Did you make this recipe?
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I appreciate you so much!
swan diving into that pile.
96 Comments on “Crispy Carnitas Oven Nachos with Homemade Tortilla Chips.”
That skillet trickery just blew my mind. These totally look deep fried!
and all the toppings. The color! The FLAVAH! I need to eat the whole tray for dinner. Pinned!
Ok, this looks like one of the tastiest things I’ve never seen on the net. And now that Chipotle can’t get pork and there’s signs for “NO CARNITAS” I mean, what’s a pork man like myself to do? Make it himself I guess.
So you want to know how lame we are? No Cinco de Mayo menu planned because 1) we just moved into our house and getting our kitchen reno’d and we could go out, but that is so cliche and 2) Preggos don’t really enjoy holidays were you can’t fully enjoy it without having the said cocktail! But these nachos? Making my little heart pitter patter!
OK, so we are SO on the same wavelength. I just made and photographed pulled pork nachos for my blog last week! I won’t be sharing them in time for Cinco de Mayo, but it’s funny that we had the same (genius) idea. :) As for my CDM menu, I’m definitely trying your kiwi margs. I’m also making guac with roasted tomatoes, pistachios, and goat cheese (my fav – recipe on my blog) and some pulled pork enchiladas (I still have a ton leftover from the nachos). Plus tons of chips and salsa. I can’t wait!
I don’t even know where to start with this post – GORGEOUS pictures, and the ultimate Cinco de Mayo menu with All The Good Things! Including the mango which I never would have thought of. YUM!!
UM. hello GORGEOUS (to you AND the nachos). UGH. I wish I could just take you with me for my cinco plans. Frankie and I had a date night at this AMAZING Mexican place two blocks from our new apartment (I posted about it if you’re interested for next time you’re hereeee – nyc)… it was…so. good. Frankie almost cried. naturally we made plans to go back for cinco de mayo with friends. I can. not. wait. for a RAINBOW marg (you would die) that they LITERALLY set on fire when they serve it to you. I can’t. I just can’t. (oh and they totally make guacamole fresh AT YOUR TABLE. ugh. dead.
These look so good! Rainbow nachos :).
I made your spicy beer queso with black beans over the weekend (I leave out the chorizo because I have so many vegetarian friends) and dipped PLANTAIN chips in it–so amazing. Every time I make that queso people ask for the recipe!
Today I’m making some slow-cooker short ribs with honey chipotle sauce to put into tacos or maybe arepas tomorrow. Still haven’t decided on drinks…
Oh I think the only “activity” I’m going to have room for is sitting on the couch and shoving these nachos in my face. Holy smokes are they loaded and AH-MAZING!
AGHHHHHH!!!!!!!
I would gladly taste the rainbow with this one:)
I love me some ‘chos! These look phenomenal, great recipe!
Oh my nachos are my favorite and these look fabulous. I totally think they are healthy too with all of the colorful toppings. And the queso is a must. I am going ot eat these tonight AND tomorrow.
Does 3 margaritas and a vat of guacamole count as a menu?
I have been completely hypnotized by this recipe. This is how I do my tortilla chips all the time! But all the toppings? And the pork? And the queso? I hope this is acceptable breakfast food because I need alla this like… 5 minutes ago.
Soooo goood – like so so soooo good!
I’ve been living on these Trader Joe’s hack-happy pulled chicken + mango pineapple salsa tacos with lime cilantro crema (http://bit.ly/pineappletacos) for, oh, at least a week now. But tonight I’m switching it up with Greek fish tacos, the mahi mahi is hanging out in the fridge soaking in buttermilk as we speak :)
I’m in awe. Yum.
This. Is. Glorious. I want it all.
I have to have nachos now!!!!!!! Will be a good change from all of the Derby food from the weekend. And lighter, believe it or not.
Wow..simply wow. The colour, the ingredients, the process everything is simply wow. The first thing am gonna do now is try tomorrow for dinner. This is the best.
Will tag you dear
Anukampa
Love this x
http://www.wild-cherrytree.com
This looks AMAZING and the pictures are gorgeous! Will be stuffing my face with this tomorrow and enjoying some kiwi margs with it!
Nachos. Step Brothers. Avocado. Mango. Gobs and gobs of cheese. You sure know the way to a girl’s heart! I want to do a large amount of nacho-face-shoveling once finals are over and I actually have time to clean the kitchen after (says the girl with houseplants to the woman with a new baby).
im making guacamole w some pineapple, just regular old beef and black bean tacos and pineapple margaritas with a splash of coconut rum ! i cannot wait.
YESSSSSSSSSSSSS
I’m an English major (and an editor), and I approve your use of hyphens in this post.
Gonna try this tomorrow!!
Question on the Queso: Ingredients say 1 Tbl “Olive oil”, but in the directions, it says add the “butter”. So is it olive oil or butter that you use?
Thanks for this recipe inspiration!
Hi Hiedi, I had the same question. I made this last night and used butter, because the olive oil weirded me out. I also added about half a diced jalapeno. It was ok but seemed to need more flavor, IMO.
Oh my goodness! This looks over the top epic! I want it NOW.
Thanks for your tips on how to make Made this last night for dinner.
I think my favorite thing about your dishes is that they are always the perfect level.
This wasn’t a good idea to look at while hungry! I need all of these right now!!
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I am making something that I had at our local Mexican place the other night. I believe it was called Matchaca Loco. It was seasoned shredded beef and scrambled eggs served with rice, refried beans and warm tortillias. I’m never ordering anything else again! SOOOOO good!
I am pretty positive that I could destroy that entire pan to myself! Love all these colors and flavors!
OHMYGOD can I just face plant these please?! If my skinny jeans wouldn’t protest, I’d live off of Nacho’s. All these toppings are just divine – I must make these!
I love the way you write about every detail of the food. I swear I know exactly what it tastes like after I read this. I’ve been focusing on Mother’s Day recipes on my blog, but do love me some Mexican food. Heck, my birthday is on Cinco de Mayo, so I kind of have too. Thanks you for this wonderful birthday recipe!
Happy Cinco de Mayo, these baked nachos look healthy but dangerous. I love that you made, and tore, your tortillas, I’m a fan of homemade chips especially tortilla chips!
What brand of tortillas did you use because I really want mine to turn out JUST LIKE YOURS?!?!
Yes please! Gimme all the chips! These look amazing!
Hi Jessica! These nachos look DIVINE – I can’t wait to make them!! Do you have another method to cook the pulled pork? I don’t have a crock pot. :-|
You can use a Dutch oven and cook in your regular oven at 275-300 for 5-6 hours. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t dry out. Sometimes you have to add more liquid. People have been cooking meat like this for much longer than Crock Pots have been around!
These chips look so wholesome and delicious! I just want to take a bite out of my computer screen into these photos right now.
i’m new to your blog/instagram but had to comment because your commentary had me laughing out loud. you had me at “enchis.” i am sure you already have been told you have the perfect mixture of wit and food wisdom, but I will tell you again. and thank you for the cinco de mayo inspiration!
OMG girl I can’t even handle the gorgeousness that I’m seeing right now! I can literally taste every bite and I need these nachos in my life ASAP!!!
So, question. I made these last night, and they were ahhh-mazing, BUT my queso didn’t turn out creamy so much as it did…stringy. Don’t get me wrong, cheese is cheese, and we ate it and it was delicious, but do you have any suggestions to get that perfect creamy queso?
Did you use preshredded cheese? I have to use block cheese, freshly grated to achieve the right consistency. And I used butter instead of olive oil. Not sure that makes a difference?
No, I used freshly grated, and I used butter instead of the olive oil too. Maybe I just need to keep making more and more queso to see what’s wrong. Couldn’t hurt, right? :)
I think that’s a great idea! :)
Those Chips. That Mango! Love!!! <3
Wow!! I can’t get over how colorful this is! Will be a beautiful treat to make for a party this warmer season. Thanks for sharing!
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So colorful and yummy! I like how the chips aren’ts fried!
Wow! I just happened to have pulled pork in my freezer. (Left over from the SuperBowl?) Thawed it out and made these great nachos. Had to work 12 hours on the 5th and none of the Mexican places would even take a carry-out order so we just celebrated a day later!
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I made mango margaritas! This recipe rules!