Try this Fajita Nachos Four Layers of Flavor recipe
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- cilantro for garnish
- 1.5 lbs country style pork ribs (boneless)
- 1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper
- 2 tbsp cajun seasoning
- 1/3 uppickled jalapeno slices (i used hot)
- 1/3 upjalapeno juice (from the jar)
- 2-3 tbsp cooking fat (oil lard, rendered fat)
- 1 red onion peeled and sliced
- 1 orange pepper seeded and sliced
- 2 pinches kosher salt
- 1 bag blue tortilla chips (i used food should taste good
- 1 bag yellow tortilla chips (again i used food should taste good)
- 1 can sliced olives
- 1 vine-on tomato seeded cored and diced
- 1/2 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
- Carbohydrate 3.415362953686 g
- Cholesterol 57.87375 mg
- Fat 21.3659426330222 g
- Fiber 0.838468474019778 g
- Protein 13.0770069558641 g
- Saturated Fat 12.0182279782357 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (181g)
- Sodium 646.205277765851 mg
- Sugar 2.57689447966622 g
- Trans Fat 1.07522312215468 g
- Calories 255 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
- Add the pork to an oven safe baking dish. Coat both sides with the salt, pepper and cajun seasoning. Add in the jalapeno juice and water to the dish. Top the meat with the sliced jalapeno rings. Cover with foil and bake for 2 hours.
- When the meat is cooked, remove the cooked jalapenos and set aside. Next, carefully shred the meat with two forks in the baking dish. While you are shredding, heat a cast iron or other heavy bottom pan with the cooking fat until the fat shimmers in the pan.
- After you are done shredding and the pan is hot, use tongs to add the pork to the pan. Be careful as it may splatter some of the cooking fat. When all the pork is in the pan, allow to cook over high heat for 4-5 minutes without moving the pork. It will get a really nice sear to the meat.
- After the meat is seared, add in the remaining braising liquid to deglaze the pan. It should all cook off within about a minute, but leave the pork super juicy. Remove the pork from the pan and set aside.
- (After the pork comes out of the oven, increase the temperature to 400 degrees)
- Add the olive oil to a heavy bottom pan heating at the high setting on your range. When the oil shimmers, add in the sliced onions and a good pinch of kosher salt. Break up the onions a bit with a wooden spoon or spatula. Allow to cook for 3-4 minutes, then add in the peppers and another pinch of salt. Allow to cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions and peppers are soft and delicious. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Line a small rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easier clean-up later. Add in both types of chips and cover the bottom of the pan. Cover with cheese and place in the oven for 2-3 minutes until the cheese melts.
- Add another layer of chips, more cheese and some of the peppers, onions and pork. Place back in the oven for 3-4 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
- Repeat one more time with the remaining peppers, onions and pork. Cook again for 4 or so minutes until all the cheese has melted.
- Remove from the oven and top with the sour cream, olives, tomato and cilantro. Serve hot and enjoy!
Building Flavor Through Low-Temperature Braising
Boneless country-style pork ribs benefit immensely from a long, low 275-degree oven bath sealed under foil with liquid for two hours. This gentle breakdown tenderizes tough shoulder cuts without drying them out. Because grocery budgets stretch further when utilizing cheaper, harder cuts of meat that transform completely under sustained heat, braising remains an essential kitchen skill.
Achieving the Crispy Sear
Shredded meat needs surface area contact to develop deep savory notes rather than tasting purely steamed. Transfer the pulled pork directly into a smoking-hot cast-iron skillet with rendering fat, leaving it entirely undisturbed for four to five minutes until a dark crust forms. Pouring the reserved braising liquid into the hot pan instantly deglazes those caramelized bits back into the protein.
Constructing Thermal Integrity
Piling toppings onto a single massive plate guarantees cold cheese at the bottom and soggy chips in the middle. Layering blue and yellow corn tortilla chips sequentially with shredded cheddar across a rimmed baking sheet ensures every single bite receives adequate structural support and thermal distribution during successive three-minute oven melts at 400 degrees.
