Spicy Pulled Pork Tostadas with Refried Beans and Crisp Vegetables
Last night we had the most delicious dinner of Spicy Pulled Pork Tostadas with Refried Beans and Crisp Vegetables. The pork was nice and spicy, with a hint of sweetness, the beans were light and creamy, and the vegetables were so fresh and crunchy. Best of all, we have a ton of leftovers.
To make this dish, it’s important to select a pork butt. If you would like to double the recipe, this pulled pork freezes very well and can be used in a multitude of dishes. I froze most of my leftover pork, and will be using it to fill sandwiches and quesadillas.
If you don’t like spicy food, cut down or omit the spices. The pork will still be terrific.
These refried beans are not actually fried, just pureed. But, that keeps them light, and actually fat free.
Spicy Pulled Pork Tostadas with Refried Beans and Crisp Vegetables
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
For Spicy Pulled Pork:
- 2 onions, cut in one inch slices
- 3 lbs. boneless pork butt
- ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. cumin powder
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
For Refried Beans:
- 1 cup dried black beans
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- ½ onion, sliced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup cilantro
For Assembling Tostadas:
- 8 large flour tortillas
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 cups pepper jack cheese, shredded
- 2 cups shredded lettuce
- 1 cup chopped red and orange peppers
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 4 radishes, sliced
- 1 cup sour cream
Instructions
For the Spicy Pulled Pork:
- Preheat the oven to 300°.
- At the bottom of a large Dutch oven, place the sliced onions. Then put in the pork butt, fat side up. Mix all the spices and spread them all over the pork. Add chicken broth and garlic to the bottom of the pot.
- Bake, tightly covered, for 5 hours.
- Shred the pork with two forks, and stir in the sugar.
For the Refried Beans:
- Rinse the beans and put them in a 3 quart saucepan, with enough water to cover the beans by a few inches. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes, then remove from the heat and let sit one hour.
- Drain and rinse beans and return to the pot. Add the onion, cilantro, garlic, salt and chicken broth, plus enough water to cover the beans by a couple of inches,
- Let beans cook about 2 hours, until tender. Add more water, if needed, so the beans stay covered at all times.
- Puree beans in food processor, and serve.
To assemble the tostadas:
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Rub tortillas on both sides with olive oil and bake for 10 minutes.
- Top tortillas with beans, then cheese, then pork. Top with vegetables and sour cream.
