Pork is the star of the show for many a meal, but once the dish has been consumed, the leftovers are usually seen as just that — leftovers. But instead of reheating the pork-based dish and eating it until it's gone, you can get creative and incorporate the meat into entirely different meals to make for interesting entrées.
Don't have an idea of where to start? Here are some recipes you can try:
Pork pot pie
Everyone is familiar with chicken pot pie, but did you know that you can make the pastry-topped meal with pork as well? While the process is longer considering how it requires you to make your own pie crust, you'll find that the effort is worth it when you dig in. If you're not too confident about your pie crust making skills, you're free to use a prepared puff pastry instead. And when it comes to the filling, you can also substitute the snap peas to whichever vegetables you prefer. Just don't forget to stir in the leftover pork, of course.
Pork fried rice
If you're pressed for time but still want to put together a decent meal without going through an intricate cooking process, you can always make a batch of pork fried rice. But while you can use just about any leftover grains, it's best to start with a fresh batch by using the right aroma rice cooker, which can sauté rice first before simmering it to perfection. This taste will surely come out when you're finally munching on your finished meal. In making this dish, all you need to do is mix the rice with the leftover meat, some vegetables like carrots, broccoli, and green peas, and some eggs. You may also want to add additional soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, or Sriracha sauce for good measure.
Split pea soup
Want something comforting? How about giving split pea soup with leftover ham a try? While the cooking time can take a little over an hour, the prep time actually only takes approximately 15 minutes. Aside from your leftover ham, you also need unsalted butter, onion, carrots, celery, kosher salt, pepper, garlic, peas, chicken stock, bay leaf, and finally, dried oregano. For this dish, you may want to opt for a good-quality Dutch oven, as it helps ensure that there's an equal distribution of heat and air that's pretty much impossible to replicate with other equipment. In your Dutch oven, melt the butter and add all the vegetables and seasoning until aromatic. Stir in the chicken stock next, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for around an hour to half an hour. Don't forget to stir it occasionally until the split peas are cooked down and the soup is thickened to your preferred consistency. Oh, and only add your leftover ham in the last 15 minutes of cooking.
Pulled pork nachos
If you wish to prepare a meal that everyone would love, pulled pork nachos is a sure winner. An easy-to-assemble dish, it can serve as a quick supper option for the whole family or party food that can feed a crowd. What's great about it is you can prep the ingredients in advance and quickly prepare and bake the recipe in as fast as 15 minutes. You also have the option to serve garnishes on the side, add more of an ingredient, or make other alterations needed to make the recipe your own. You can throw in sweet pineapple chunks, drown it with sour cream, or add lots of jalapenos depending on your tolerance to spices.
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Submitted by Alessa Jacob