Pork Quesadillas with Pineapple Salsa
Pork Quesadillas with Pineapple Salsa is one of our favorite fall appetizers. I love this recipe for several reasons. First of all, I like that this recipe uses pulled pork. Since, I always have pulled pork in my freezer. This recipe makes a lot of pulled pork. You’ll only need some of it for these quesadillas. But it freezes beautifully, and you’ll be able to use it for tons of recipes. Please check out my many recipes for pulled pork on this blog. Secondly, I like that these quesadillas can either be an appetizer or a main course. To make these quesadillas a main course, I would probably double this quesadilla recipe. And, lastly, I love how quick and easy this recipe is, when I’ve already made the pork.
The Equipment I Used
- A Dutch Oven- I like to make my pork in an enameled cast iron Dutch oven. But, you could also use a casserole dish, with a tight fitting lid or aluminum foil.
- A Cast Iron Skillet- To cook my quesadillas, I use a cast iron skillet or a grill pan.
The Ingredients Needed for Pork Quesadillas with Pineapple Salsa
- Pork- You’ll need a boneless pork butt for this recipe.
- Chicken Stock- I always use my homemade chicken stock. The recipe is below.
- Pineapple- Use fresh pineapple for the Pineapple Salsa.
- Tomatoes- I like to use plum tomatoes for the salsa.
- Jalapeno- Remove the seeds before dicing.
- Lime Juice- Be sure to use fresh lime juice.
- Bell Peppers- I like to use a mix of red, orange, and yellow peppers.
- Cheese- Use Monterey pepper jack cheese, or Monterey Jack cheese for this recipe. I like the Cabot brand.
How I Made my Quesadillas
- First, I made the pulled pork. In my opinion, this is the easiest thing to make. Because, all you need to do is put everything in the Dutch oven and let the oven do all the work.
- Next, while the pork cooks, I made the salsa and cooked the peppers and onions.
- Finally, I cooked the quesadillas and served them with the salsa.
If you like pulled pork, you need to try these truly tasty Pork Quesadillas with Pineapple Salsa.
Pork Quesadillas with Pineapple Salsa
Quesadillas filled with tender pulled pork, peppers, onions, and cheese. Topped with Pineapple Salsa.
Ingredients
For the Pulled Pork:
- 2 onions, cut in one inch slices
- 3 pounds boneless pork butt
- ½ tsp. each cayenne pepper and kosher salt
- 1 tsp. each black pepper, garlic powder, and cumin powder
- 2 tsp. each chili powder and paprika
- 6 cloves of garlic, peeled
- 1 cup chicken stock
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
For the Quesadillas:
- 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 3 bell peppers, sliced
- 2 tbsp. minced garlic
- 1 cup sliced onion
- 3 cups grated Monterey Pepper Jack cheese
- 4 flour tortillas
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 cup sour cream
For the Pineapple Salsa:
- 1 cup diced pineapple
- ½ cup diced red bell pepper
- ¼ cup minced red onion
- ¼ cup minced cilantro
- 1 minced jalapeno
- 2 tbsp. lime juice
Instructions
- Begin by making the Pulled Pork: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. At the bottom of a large Dutch oven, place the onions. Mix the spices together, and rub them all over the pork. Place the pork butt on top of the onions, fat side up. Add the chicken stock to the bottom of the pot.
- Bake tightly covered for five hours. When the pork is done, shred it with two forks and stir in the sugar. You'll only need about two cups of the pork for this recipe, but you can freeze the rest and use it for all kinds of recipes on my blog.
- While the pork cooks, prepare the Pineapple Salsa: Simply combine all ingredients in a bowl.
- Also, prepare the pepper filling: Heat the olive oil on medium heat in a large skillet. Add the peppers, onions, and garlic and cook until they're crisp tender, for about 7 minutes.
- To cook the quesadillas: Lay out the tortillas. Place a half cup of pork, some veggies, and some cheese on half of each tortilla. Fold the tortillas on half, and cook on medium heat, in a cast iron skillet or grill pan. Use some of the butter to cook each quesadilla. Just cook them long enough to melt the cheese and until the tortillas are buttery and light brown. Serve topped with the salsa and sour cream.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Chicken Stock
Homemade chicken stock
Ingredients
- 4½ lbs. chicken breasts and wings with skin and bones
- 10 cups water
- 2 peeled onions
- 2 peeled carrots
- 3 peeled parsley roots
- 1 tbsp. kosher salt
- 4 stalks celery
- 1 peeled parsnip
- 2 tbsp. garlic cloves
- 1 cup fresh parsley and fresh dill
Instructions
- Put the chicken and the salt in a large, tall pot and cover with ten cups of cold water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes, skimming any scum that forms.
- Add all the vegetables and herbs and simmer for two and a half hours. Pour the soup through a strainer to remove everything but the broth.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
