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One Meat Into 5 Meals: Let's Cook Pulled Pork!

Easy weeknight cooking for your family

By Charlotte Linde October 4, 2018

This story was originally featured in our Macaroni Kid EATS monthly newsletter. New EATS editors Charlotte Linde and Erika Veduccio feature family-friendly recipes, practical tips, and fun features each month. Make sure to check out the Macaroni Kid EATS website and subscribe to the FREE monthly newsletter!

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Save time and money by buying one type of protein, cooking it all at once, and then creating 5 quick and delicious meals for your family!

This month we are featuring pulled pork! This is more of an idea starter to get you going. You can switch it up with things you may already have in your pantry. We created this for a family of four -- so you might need to adjust your quantities.

Like the sides that are paired? We’ve put together a shopping list so you can grab it all at once -- but we bet you have most of the items on hand. Enjoy!


Slow Cooker Pulled Pork 


Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Ingredients:

  • 5-pound pork shoulder
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • ½ cup chicken stock
  • 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Salt and pepper entire pork shoulder. Place onion, garlic, stock, and vinegar in the bottom of the slow cooker and mix. Place pork with fat facing up on top of the onion mixture. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours. Shred with a fork. Divide equally into 5 containers and refrigerate. 

Prep Time:

10 minutes

Meal One:

Pulled BBQ Pork Sandwiches

In a small pot over medium heat, add ½ cup of your favorite bbq sauce and one container of shredded pork. Heat until just bubbly. Serve on your favorite Kaiser rolls topped with coleslaw and a side of corn on the cob. Add a pitcher of sweet iced tea to round out this family favorite. 


Pulled BBQ Pork Sandwiches


Meal Two:

Shredded Pork Enchilada Casserole

Did you like our Rotisserie Chicken Enchilada Casserole? Substitute shredded pork for the chicken!  

Serve with a garden side salad and sliced avocado. 

Meal Three:

Pulled Pork Burrito Bowl

  • Cook one cup of rice according to directions and divide into four bowls.  
  • Top the rice with warmed pulled pork.  
  • Add sweet corn kernels, rinsed black beans, chopped avocado, pico de gallo, and a squeeze of lime juice on top. 
  • Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and serve.

Meal Four:

Pulled Pork Quesadillas 

  • Top your favorite flour tortilla with shredded cheese, pulled pork, chopped scallions, and Pico de Gallo.  
  • Add more cheese and top and another tortilla. 
  • Warm in a skillet, and flip when starting to brown. 
  • Cut into slices with a pizza cutter and top with pickled jalapeños and sour cream.  
  • Serve with fresh sliced pineapple, rice, and beans, and enjoy. 

(Time-saver tip: Microwave each quesadilla for 60-90 seconds.)

Meal Five:

BBQ Pulled Pork Loaded Potatoes

  • Bake potatoes until tender.  
  • Add your favorite bbq sauce to the pulled pork and heat. 
  • Slice open potatoes and push sides in to open.  
  • Fill potatoes with butter, sour, cream, shredded cheese, and bbq pulled pork.  
  • Top with chopped scallions and pickled jalapeños. 
  •  Serve with a side salad.

Shopping List 

  • 5-pound pork shoulder
  • 1 onion
  • Green onions or scallions
  • 2 limes
  • 3 avocados
  • Bulb of garlic
  • 4 Ears of corn
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • 2 bags of garden salad
  • Fresh pineapple
  • Bunch fresh cilantro
  • 4 Baking potatoes
  • Coleslaw 
  • Pico de Gallo 
  • Sour cream
  • Butter
  • 2 bags shredded cheese
  • 16 oz enchilada sauce
  • BBQ sauce
  • Pickled jalapeños 
  • 3 cans of black beans
  • 2 cans of sweet corn kernels
  • Chicken stock
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Kaiser rolls
  • Corn tortillas
  • Flour tortillas
  • Bag of rice

Favorite Tools

Cuisinart Slow Cooker and ready-to-go ingredients, such as chicken stock and bagged salad.