Baked Barbecue Pulled Pork Taquitos

Every week when I sit down to plan our meals, I start by adding at least two or three new-to-us recipes. Then, I fill out the rest of the week with tried and true favorites. I choose the repeats based on a number of factors – there may be ingredients in the pantry or fridge I’m trying to use up, or maybe there’s a meat sale at the store I can’t pass up. I get bored easily with dinners though and need a ton of variety, so it’s rare that any old favorite makes it onto the menu more than once a month.

There are two notable exceptions to this rule, however. Homemade pizza is always welcome on our menu – even if we use the same toppings every time, it never gets boring. And these baked chicken taquitos? I could make them twice a week for the next year and they’d be met with the same enthusiasm each and every time. Simply put, we adore everything about them! Heck, if I happen to stumble upon a sale on chicken, I stock up for the sole purpose of having the ingredients on hand to make them whenever I want.

So, when Josie posted a variation on our beloved taquitos last month, a variation that incorporated my favorite meat – pulled pork – I was so in. The basic recipe and the method are the same, but she adapted the spices and binders to complement the pulled pork. A genius idea! I think Shane was a bit skeptical about switching up the original since he loves the chicken version so much, but I had high hopes, and ultimately we were both thrilled with the results. These barbecue pulled pork taquitos were super flavorful and just as quick and easy to throw together as the chicken taquitos. I can’t say which I preferred, they were both awesome in their own way, and something tells me this new variation will be in heavy rotation among our tried and true favorites

Baked Barbecue Pulled Pork Taquitos
slightly adapted from Pink Parsley

{Note: the barbecue sauce we used was already pretty spicy so I eliminated a few ingredients from Josie’s recipe like hot sauce and red pepper flakes. If your sauce isn’t spicy and you like heat, head over to her site for more info.}

1/4 – 1/3 cup ranch dressing
1/3 cup barbecue sauce (we used leftovers from this recipe)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chile powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon packed brown sugar (light or dark)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup diced red onion
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 cups shredded pulled pork
1 cup shredded cheese (I used Monterey Jack)
10-12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
ranch dressing and/or barbecue sauce, for serving

Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, stir together 1/4 cup of the ranch dressing, the barbecue sauce, paprika, chile powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, brown sugar, salt, red onion, scallions and parsley. (If the mixture seems too dry, add the remaining ranch dressing – I added a little more, but not all of it.) Add the pork and cheese and stir until evenly distributed. Season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper.

Place 2 tortillas at a time on a microwave safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 25 seconds, or until the tortillas are soft and pliable. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the filling onto the lower third of each tortilla, and roll tightly. Place seam side-down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.

Spray the tops of the taquitos with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the tortillas are crisp and golden. Serve with ranch dressing and/or barbecue sauce.