Between busy schedules and a family full of picky eaters, the dinner struggle is real. Finding inspiration for meals can challenge the best of home cooks. That’s where meal planning becomes a lifesaver. Have you heard of nextovers? The idea is to prepare a larger amount of something you would normally make when cooking a meal for your family and repurpose a portion of it for additional meals. By planning ahead on how you can create two or more meals each time you cook, it will help make life a little less stressful.
To kickoff your nextovers planning, let’s start with one recipe for Pulled Pork that you can make into three different, easy meals for the week. You decide how you want to cook the pulled pork. Have you recently acquired a mulitcooker? Is your slow cooker needing some attention? Or, pop the pork in a casserole and let the oven do all the work. Moist, tender, fall-off-the-bone pork awaits you whichever cooking method you choose.
Once you have the Pulled Pork, nextovers can commence. You can make all kinds of things. The Pulled Pork can be spooned onto buns for sandwiches or wrapped in tortillas for carnitas. Looking for more? Gather a few ingredients to add to the Pulled Pork and you can have Barbeque Pulled Pork Pizzas, Pulled Pork Burrito Bowls or Pulled Pork Ragu on the table in minutes.
Meal planning is done for the week! One easy recipe. Three different meals and not a leftover in sight.
Pulled Pork
- 5 pounds HORMEL® ALWAYS TENDER® Pork Butt, cut into large chunks
- 3/4 cup cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Slower Cooker Directions:
Place pork In 4- to 6-quart slow cooker.
In small bowl, combine vinegar, brown sugar, salt, red pepper flakes and black pepper; mix well. Pour over pork. Cover; cook on LOW setting 10 to 12 hours or on HIGH setting 5 to 6 hours.
Transfer pork to cutting board, reserving juices. When cool enough to handle, cut and pull pork into bite-size pieces.
In bowl, combine pork and as much reserved juices as desired to moisten. Return to slow cooker until ready to serve.
Multicooker Directions:
Place pork in 6-quart multicooker.
In small bowl, combine vinegar, brown sugar, salt, red pepper flakes and black pepper; mix well. Pour over pork. Cover; pressure cook on HIGH pressure 60 minutes. Let pressure release naturally 20 minutes.
Transfer pork to cutting board, reserving juices. When cool enough to handle, cut and pull pork into bite-size pieces.
In bowl, combine pork and as much reserved juices as desired to moisten.
Oven Directions:
Heat oven to 350°F. Place pork in 6-quart covered Dutch oven.
In small bowl, combine vinegar, brown sugar, salt, red pepper flakes and black pepper; mix well. Pour over pork. Cover; bake 2½ to 3 hours or until tender.
Transfer pork to cutting board, reserving juices. When cool enough to handle, cut and pull pork into bite-size pieces.
In bowl, combine pork and as much reserved juices as desired to moisten.
Pulled Pork Ragu
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced carrot
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 2 cups Pulled Pork
- 14 ounces pappardelle or other pasta, cooked and drained
- Grated Parmesan cheese and chopped Italian parsley for serving
Instructions
In large saucepan over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add carrot, celery and onion. Cook 6 to 8 minutes or until soft and translucent. Stir in garlic. Cook 2 minutes. Add red wine. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until reduced by half.
Stir in tomato paste. Add marinara sauce. Simmer 10 minutes. Stir in pork. Cook 5 minutes or until heated through.
Serve over cooked pasta. Serve with Parmesan cheese and parsley.
Pulled Pork Burrito Bowls
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked regular long-grain white rice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Pork and Beans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 cups Pulled Pork
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chilies
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 (1-ounce) package taco seasoning mix
- Toppings
- Crumbled Cotija cheese
- Diced avocado
- Lime wedges
- Shredded lettuce
Instructions
In 2-quart saucepan, heat 2½ cups water to boiling. Add rice and salt; cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 16 to 18 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is just tender.
In small bowl, combine cilantro, lime juice and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Stir into cooked rice; fluff with fork.
In large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Cook onion and serrano chile pepper in oil 6 minutes or until softened. Add pork, black beans, tomatoes, green chilies, 2/3 cup water and taco seasoning mix. Heat to simmering; reduce heat to low. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve pork and beans in bowls with rice and desired toppings.
Barbeque Pulled Pork Pizzas
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 pound pizza dough
- 1/2 cup barbeque sauce, plus more for drizzling
- 2 cups Pulled Pork
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 small red onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
Heat oven to 500°F. Place pizza stone in oven or sprinkle small amount of cornmeal on baking sheet.
In small bowl, combine olive oil and garlic. Divide pizza dough in half. Roll and stretch one dough half into 12-inch circle; brush dough with half the oil mixture. Top with half the barbeque sauce and 1 cup pork. Drizzle with additional barbeque sauce. Sprinkle half the cheddar and mozzarella cheese on top. Top with half the red onion slices. Transfer to pizza stone. Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until crust is lightly browned and cheese is bubbly. Sprinkle with half the cilantro. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
