Pork King Ranch Casserole

Time :50 minutes
Yield :8 servings

Recipe Background

All this one needs is a tiny crown made of equally bold flavors, and the coronation can truly begin! This Pork King Ranch Casserole mixes the zesty, vibrant, herbaceous flavors of ranch seasoning into the casserole itself, so the tender pulled pork and seared vegetables are coated in all the good stuff. There's a decent amount of heat from the various chiles, but it is tamed a bit by the creaminess of sour cream and melty cheeses. The Pork King Ranch Casserole is ready to rule over all casseroles with a benevolent and tasty reign!
All this one needs is a tiny crown made of equally bold flavors, and the coronation can truly begin! This Pork King Ranch Casserole mixes the zesty, vibrant, herbaceous flavors of ranch seasoning into the casserole itself, so the tender pulled pork and seared vegetables are coated in all the good stuff. There's a decent amount of heat from the various chiles, but it is tamed a bit by the creaminess of sour cream and melty cheeses. The Pork King Ranch Casserole is ready to rule over all casseroles with a benevolent and tasty reign!

Ingredients

For the casserole:

  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup onion diced
  • 1/2 red bell pepper diced
  • 1/2 green bell pepper diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can beef broth
  • 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
  • 1 (10-ounce) can tomatoes and green chiles
  • 1 (11-ounce) can corn drained
  • 1 1/2 pounds pulled pork cooked
  • 1 1/2 cups sour cream
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 16 corn tortillas
  • 3 cups Mexican cheese blend shredded

Optional toppings:

  • sour cream to taste
  • cilantro to taste
  • pickled jalapeños to taste
  • hot sauce to taste

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  • Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large nonstick pan.
  • Add the onion, the red bell pepper, and the green bell pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic to the pepper mixture and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Add the chili powder, the cumin, the salt, and the black pepper and cook, while stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Add the flour to the pepper mixture and cook, while stirring, until the flour smell disappears, about 1 minute.
  • Slowly stir the beef broth into the pepper mixture.
  • Bring the pepper mixture to a simmer.
  • Add the diced chiles and the tomato and green chiles to the pepper mixture and simmer for 2 minutes.
  • Stir the corn, the pork, and the sour cream into the casserole mixture.
  • Transfer the pan off of the heat.
  • In a separate large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
  • Add as many of the tortillas as can fit in the skillet and cook until golden, about 30 seconds-1 minute per side.
  • Transfer the toasted tortillas to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
  • Repeat with the remaining oil and the remaining tortillas.
  • Arrange six of the toasted tortillas into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, ensuring the bottom is fully covered.
  • Spread 1/2 of the pulled pork mixture into the baking dish.
  • Sprinkle the pork layer with 1 cup of the cheese.
  • Repeat the layers, finishing with a final layer of the tortillas.
  • Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
  • Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the tortilla layer.
  • Bake the casserole, uncovered, until the cheese is melted and golden, about 10 minutes.
  • Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes.
  • Serve topped with the with the extra sour cream, the cilantro, the pickled jalapeños, and the hot sauce.
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