These little guys are perfect for appetizers or
tailgating.
When you
smoke a lot of BBQ like we do, you often find yourself blessed with
leftover pulled pork. It is easy to vacuum seal, freeze and reheat.
It is hard to top a great pulled pork sandwich but sometimes I look
for other creative ways to use that smoked pork. Tonight was one of
those times and I came up with these mini-chimichangas, or
“mini-changas” as my 12 y/o coined them.
The great
thing about these is if you don't have leftover pulled pork (stay OUT
of my freezer, smoke your own) you can use leftover grilled chicken or just about any
cooked meat. I couldn't believe how the drizzle sauce had so much
smokiness and flavor for just two ingredients.
Nibble Me
This Mini-Changas
Servings: 6
(24 mini-changas)
1 Tbsp
vegetable oil
1/2 cup
onion, finely diced
½ cup red
bell pepper, finely diced
½ cup
poblano chile, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced
2 cloves
garlic, minced
¼ cup
cilantro, finely chopped
¼ cup green
onion, chopped
½ cup
pulled pork, chopped
½ cup
shredded cheese
2 teaspoons
southwestern rub (I used Albukirky's Green Chile Rub)
24 wonton
wrappers
¼ cup agave
nectar or honey
1 oz
chipotle hot sauce (I used Cholula's Chipotle hot sauce)
Preheat a
skillet over medium high heat. Preheat a deep fryer to 350f (or you
could do stove top).
When the skillet is hot,
add the oil.
Add the
onion and saute for 3-4 minutes. You aren't trying to fully cook
them since they will go in a deep fryer. Add the red bell pepper and
cook another minute.
Add the
poblano and garlic, cooking for one more minute. Turn off the heat
and stir in the green onion and cilantro so they will wilt from the
residual heat.
Place the
pork, cheese and southwestern rub in a bowl. Top with the hot veggie
mixture and toss together.
Top each
wonton at one end with some of the mix. I use a melon baller to get
a good scoop but you could use a little less than a tablespoon.
Wet the
opposite end with water. Roll the wonton up and seal the joint. Pinch the ends.
Deep fry the
mini-changas for 1 minute until crispy and golden. For most home
deep fryers, you will need to do this in batches of 4 to 6
mini-changas.
Mix together
the agave nectar and hot sauce.
Serve the
mini-changas with the agave sauce drizzled over them.
The crispy crunchy shell, savory filling, and the spicy sweet sauce rocked!
These sound (and look) awesome Chris and like you, we are rarely without pulled pork.
ReplyDeleteYes, please! I could probably eat a whole plate stacked high.
ReplyDeleteIt's been awhile since I've seen something so divinely fried. Wow.
ReplyDeleteThese look and sound delicious, Chris! I love the presentation!
ReplyDeleteKim in MD
Please tell us how to do this without a deep fryer. They look wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThere is a tiny little whole in the wall Mexican place out here that call them mini-changas too! They are good, but yours look better!!!
ReplyDeleteOh.. and I was only LOOKING in your freezer.. I wasn't going to actually take anything, geez!!! :)
Mini Changas in wonton! That is so creative. GREG
ReplyDelete@Larry - Yeah, it's a nice problem to have, isn't it?
ReplyDelete@girlichef - One order coming up!
@toon - Thanks, dude.
@Kim - Thanks, they were tasty
@Stephen - I haven't tried it that way but I don't see why you couldn't just do it in a deep cast iron skillet with the oil heated to 350f. The downside is it seems like a waste of oil since you don't get to reuse it.
@Jenn - You can have a freezer pass
@Greg - It came to me when I was going to bed the night before. I've got to quit thinking about food 24 x 7 ha ha.
I want a freezer pass too! These look fantastic. They sound mouthwatering.
ReplyDeleteYou have no idea how much I'd love to be your pesky neighbor who just might have an incredibly rude habit of stopping by whenever I smell your BBQ.
What a great idea,Chris! They look and sound amazing! Great for a party appetizer!
ReplyDeleteGreat cooking and equally great picture. It really tells the story.
ReplyDeleteThese are so stinkin adorable, Chris! I really need to stop being afraid to use my deep fryer!!
ReplyDeletegosh i bet you throw the best parties, these are fantastic! they look delicious, but they are also so fun to look at, i love food in mini form!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great way to re-use some good pulled pork. My crew would devour these in an instant!
ReplyDeleteThis is yet another reason why I need to start stocking wonton wrappers on a regular basis. You can do so many things with them. These look awesome!
ReplyDeleteHi this is Nicole from Colie’s Kitchen I just discovered your blog and wanted to drop by and say hi. I am now a new follower. I would love to have you stop by Colie’s Kitchen if you get a chance. www.colieskitchen.com
ReplyDeleteAwesome final shots. I could eat the whole plate full of those beauties... YUM!
ReplyDeleteLooks great Chris!! Super yummy!!
ReplyDeleteChris, I am SO impressed with your chimichanga-folding skills. Where can I get me some of those?
ReplyDeleteThose look awesome, Chris. I am going to have to try those for sure.
ReplyDelete