As I mentioned, it’s finally fall and with the changing leaves and cozy clothes (already busted out THE black fleece – oh yeah!) comes NFL games on what feels like every day that ends with a -y. That is to say, I feel like football is taking over my life. Ya’ feel me?!
I shouldn’t complain too much. Ben has always been great about sharing the remote so I can shamelessly watch my Housewives, and we’ll compromise when nothing is on by watching Ink Master or Naked and Afraid together (RIP, N&A) but on Sunday and Monday nights when he’s got his fantasy lineup all ready to go, how can I say no?
BTW does anyone else find it weird that in fantasy football you sometimes, nay oftentimes, find yourself rooting against your otherwise favorite team? I’ll never understand.
Anyway, the answer is I can’t, so I go by the motto, what is it, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em? For me, football is much more tolerable when I get to scarf Pulled Pork Taquitos with Chipotle-Ranch Dipping Sauce at kickoff.
Corn tortillas are rolled around crock pot pulled pork and shredded cheese, baked until crisp, and then dunked into smoky Chipotle-Ranch Dipping Sauce before devouring. These taquitos are perfect game-day food. Toss a bunch onto a platter then let the gang dive right in!
Even better? This recipe is not only gluten-free but freezer friendly too, so you can make a batch ahead of time then pop ’em into the oven right before game time. Even betterer (more better?!) since these taquitos are baked rather than fried, you can feel free to enjoy a few!
I am pretty much obsessed with the smokey Chipotle-Ranch dipping sauce for the taquitos which takes literally 30 seconds to make, but a nice thwack of guacamole on top of a hot stack of crunchy taquitos is heavenly too. I modified my Lazy Girl’s Guacamole recipe to make it even lazier by simply mashing a ripe avocado with garlic salt and pepper. It was to die for. Think I’ll skip the squeeze of lime juice from here on out!
Ok! Start the taquitos by slow cooking the pulled pork. Pick up a 3-3.5lb boneless pork butt roast then trim off as much fat as you can. Don’t make yourself crazy over it, but if there’s a big thick layer anywhere on the roast – get rid of it!
Cut the roast into 8 big hunks then toss ’em into the bottom of a 5.5 or 6 quart crock pot. Here’s a similar crock pot to the one I have >>
Next add a few seasonings and spices like 1 chopped onion, 6 peeled garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons each cumin and chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 14oz (1 can) chicken broth. Pop a lid on the crock pot then cook on high for 5-6 hours, or low for 10-11 hours, until the roast is easily shredded with two forks. Like buttah! (Get it? BUTTah?! Moving on…)
Place the shredded pork into a bowl then combine with 1/2 cup cooking liquid and discard the rest.
Meanwhile, shred 8oz queso fresco cheese, which I found by the refrigerated tortillas in the grocery store. I am so in love with this cheese – it’s right up there with smoked gruyere, I tell ya’! Queso fresco is light and mild-tasting, kind of like a harder mozzarella, and pairs fantastically with the garlicky pulled pork.
If for some reason you can’t find queso fresco, I’d use shredded mozzarella or monterey jack cheese.
Next, warm 18 corn tortillas. Corn tortillas are notorious for cracking when rolled or bent unless they’re super fresh, which most grocery store tortillas aren’t. An easy way to get them nice and pliable is to wrap 6 at a time in a damp paper towel then microwave for 40 seconds.
To the center of a heated corn tortilla, place 3 Tablespoons pulled pork and top with 1 Tablespoon shredded queso fresco then roll and place seam side down on a foil-lined, nonstick-sprayed baking sheet.
Spray the tops with nonstick spray then bake for 13-15 minutes at 425 degrees, or until golden brown and crispy. Alternatively, freeze the taquitos un-baked then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake straight from the freezer at the same time and temp!
While the taquitos are baking make the dipping sauce by combining 1/2 cup Light Ranch Dressing with 2 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce, plus 2 teaspoons of the sauce in a food processor then processing until smooth. Alternatively you could chop the peppers up real fine then stir into the dressing.
You can find Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce in the Mexican-foods aisle of the grocery store. Chipotle peppers are just smoked jalapenos and they add a fantastic, smokey flavor to the dipping sauce. Mmm, mmm, mmm. So yummy. Freeze the leftover chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in a plastic baggie then pop out 1 or 2 when you need them again!
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Pulled Pork Taquitos with Chipotle-Ranch Dipping Sauce
Description
Gluten-free Pulled Pork Taquitos with Chipotle-Ranch Dipping Sauce made in the crock pot are seriously killer - freezer-friendly, too!
Ingredients
- 3 - 3.5lb boneless pork butt
- 14oz can chicken broth
- 1 onion, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8oz shredded queso fresco (could use Monterey Jack or Mozzarella)
- 18 corn tortillas
- Guacamole and salsa, for serving
- For the Chipotle-Ranch Dipping Sauce:
- 1/2 cup light Ranch dressing
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce + 2 teaspoons sauce
Directions
- Trim fat from pork then cut into 8 hunks and place into the bottom of a 5.5 or 6 quart crock pot. Add chicken broth, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and salt then stir to combine. Cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 10-11 hours, or until very tender. Remove pork then shred and place into a large bowl with 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Discard remaining liquid.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees then line a baking sheet with foil and spray well with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Wrap 6 tortillas at a time in a damp paper towel then microwave for 40 seconds. Place 3 Tablespoons shredded pork into the center of each warm tortilla then top with 1 Tablespoon shredded cheese. Roll then place seam side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining ingredients then spray tops of the tortillas with nonstick spray and bake for 13-15 minutes or until tops are brown and crunchy.
- For the Chipotle-Ranch Dipping Sauce:Â Combine ranch dressing, chipotle peppers, and sauce in a food processor then process until smooth. Alternatively, finely chop peppers then stir ingredients together to combine.
- To freeze:Â Freeze taquitos on a baking sheet then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake the same way frozen as fresh (ie do not thaw.)
Notes
Adapted from BHG.com.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Crunchy, cheesey, and mouthwatering, you and your friends and family will devour these taquitos. Enjoy!
Julie 10.02.2013
Oooh! I love a good taquito – especially if I can freeze the extras for a quick dinner/snack later!
Lisa 09.30.2013
This was sooo good. My husband asked where I bought it from. Lol
Kathy 09.29.2013
Made these today and they were a huge hit! Now I am sharing the recipe with friends and family. Sooo yummy!
Aileen 09.29.2013
I could only find a 6.5 lb pork butt. If I doubled the recipe, how long should it stay in the crockpot? Double the time?
Iowa Girl Eats 09.30.2013
That’s probably what I’d do, and move the beef from the bottom to the top halfway through so it cooks evenly.
A Pause. | tawnylee 09.27.2013
[…] I made these pulled pork taquitos but dinner sized and then we had a green salad on top that we added a massive amount of tomatoes […]
Courtney 09.27.2013
I am making this today for a fun Friday night dinner! And pork was one sale at Hy Vee this week, so all the better. :)
I almost always have chipotle in adobo sitting around my house (it’s my husband’s favorite flavor for things) so I love when I see new ways to make it. And that ranch dressing looks like it would be good on so many things.
M 09.26.2013
After 4 hours in the crock pot they are finally in the oven- can’t wait! Tried to make them yesterday but didn’t have a crockpot liner!
Kathleen 09.26.2013
Yum !!!!
Deanna 09.26.2013
Hi…Yesterday before leaving for work I had stuck a pork roast in the crock pot, and then read your blog with the Taquito recipe. So I stopped by the grocery store on the way home to pick up some cheese, chipoltle peppers and tortillas. Could not find the queso fresco cheese at my local HyVee, so substituted with Monterey Jack. Also, used the low carb flour tortillas (fewer WW points). My hubby really liked the dipping sauce! I did love the cruchiness of the tortillas after baking. Will definately make these again. Thanks for the recipe…as a fellow Iowa “girl”, I enjoy following your blog.
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious 09.26.2013
Oh goodness – these taquitos look like they’d be addicting! I would have about 12 in a single sitting! And that ranch dipping sauce is the best!
MaryRuth 09.25.2013
my life may never be the same after eating these! I wish it wasn’t almost midnight or I’d run to the store right now! these look so good!
Meagan @ Scarletta Bakes 09.25.2013
Love the look of these so much! PERFECT for my weekend sports-viewing spread!
Stephanie @cookinfanatic 09.25.2013
chipotles in adobo are my favorrrrrrittttte!! these look so good! although i might rather be enjoying them on a sunny summer afternoon, whyyyy do i not love fall like everyone else?! ;) oh ps got this text from my mom tonight “IGE chicken and wild rice soup….amazing” — looks like i know where i’ll be stopping by for leftovers! haha but really :)
Carrie Lasich 09.25.2013
These look like a tasty made-ahead meal for a crowd. Fortunately, I live in an area of the country where I can get fresh corn or flour tortillas in just about every grocery store so plan on making these. Another really easy dipping sauce is to mix salsa and sour cream. But, I drain the extra juice off the salsa before adding it to the sour cream. That way, it doesn’t get too runny. I just put the salsa in a fine sieve, press with a fork and drain off all the excess liquid. Just mix with the sour cream to your taste. You can also try plain Greek yogurt for extra calorie/fat savings.
Emily @ More Than Just Dessert 09.25.2013
Yummm, these look perfect for a gameday get together!!!
Also, totally agree with fantasy football and rooting against your fave team!
C. 09.25.2013
Ooh yum!! I love taquitos. Your sauce recipe looks amazing too! Can’t wait to try this.
Des 09.25.2013
Making taquitos is always one of my favorite things to do with pulled pork. I am loving the Chipotle Ranch Dipping sauce with these. Looks fantastic!
Lindsay 09.25.2013
I’ve been following you for a while now, and I wish that every time you cooked something that the ingredients to make it would magically appear in my kitchen so I could enjoy it too!!
Lisa 09.25.2013
Could you cook the pork and roll these ahead of time, baking them right before you want to eat/serve them? (ie, cooking/rolling the day before and popping in the oven before the big game the next day). ;) Thanks!
Iowa Girl Eats 09.25.2013
I would roll then freeze (directions in the recipe) but I wouldn’t roll then refrigerate as I think the corn tortillas would crack open too much!
Sarah 09.25.2013
Sometimes I really wish I lived in America so I could buy all the delicious foods you guys seem to have there. I have no idea where I’d buy chipotle peppers here in Australia but I love them so much that whenever a place I go has chipotle sauce I must have it haha