Sure, you could just make ordinary nachos. But this is the Super Bowl® (or just a normal Sunday)! Isn’t it worth going the extra mile to make a championship-worthy snack? Chiefs Nachos are suited up and ready for the Big Game. The homemade pulled pork is savory and juicy. The homemade cheese sauce is rich and melty. And then the homemade barbeque sauce is sweet and tangy! Piled high on tortilla chips and served with a vibrant lime-cilantro cream sauce, Chiefs Nachos may take a little extra effort, but aren’t all great things worth it in the end? Your taste buds will certainly think so!
Ingredients
For the pulled pork:
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- 1 (3 1/2-4-pound) pork shoulder or pork butt, fat-cap intact
- 1/2 cup lager-style beer
- 1/2 cup cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
For the homemade barbeque sauce:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups ketchup
- 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup steak sauce or marinade
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon liquid smoke
- freshly ground pepper, to taste
For the cheddar sauce:
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
- 8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- kosher salt, to taste
For the cilantro-sour cream sauce:
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon lime juice, freshly squeezed
- kosher salt, to taste
For the nachos:
- 1 (12-ounce) bag tortilla chips
- pickled jalapeños, to taste
- queso fresco or cotija cheese, to taste, crumbled
- salsa verde, to taste, for serving
- hot sauce, to taste, for serving
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Step 2 –In a bowl, add the paprika, 1 tablespoon of the salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper, the garlic powder, the chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon of the dry mustard powder, and the cayenne pepper and whisk to combine.
Step 3 –Massage the spice mixture into the pork on all sides.
Step 4 –In a Dutch oven, add the seasoned pork, the beer, 1/2 cup of the cider vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of the liquid smoke.
Step 5 –Cover the Dutch oven and roast, while basting occasionally, until the pork easily falls apart and it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, about 3 hours.
Step 6 –Transfer the pork to a cutting board while it is still hot.
Step 7 –Carefully trim the excess fat from the pork. You may need gloves.
Step 8 –Shred the pork.
Step 9 –Return the shredded pork to the Dutch oven and toss it with the cooking liquid.
Step 10 –Cover the Dutch oven and set it aside.
Step 11 –In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
Step 12 –Add the ketchup, 1/3 cup of the Worcestershire sauce, the steak sauce, the maple syrup, the brown sugar, the remaining cider vinegar, the onion powder, the remaining liquid smoke, and the ground pepper, to taste, and whisk to combine.
Step 13 –Bring the sauce mixture to a boil.
Step 14 –Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.
Step 15 –In a medium saucepan, add the eggs and the evaporated milk and whisk to combine.
Step 16 –Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and add the remaining mustard powder, the remaining Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of the hot sauce, and 1/2 of the cheddar cheese.
Step 17 –In a small bowl, add the cornstarch and the water and whisk to combine.
Step 18 –Once the cheese sauce mixture starts to warm, add the slurry and whisk to combine.
Step 19 –Cook the cheese sauce mixture, while whisking frequently, and gradually adding the remaining cheese until the sauce reaches your desired thickness, about 10-13 minutes. You may not need all of the remaining cheese.
Step 20 –Season the cheese sauce generously with the salt, to taste.
Step 21 –In a small bowl, add the sour cream, the cilantro, and the lime juice and whisk until well-combined.
Step 22 –Season the cream sauce with the salt, to taste.
Step 23 –Chill the cream sauce for 1 hour.
Step 24 –On a large serving platter, arrange the tortilla chips.
Step 25 –Top the chips with the warm pulled pork, the homemade barbeque sauce, and the cheddar sauce.
Step 26 –Garnish the nachos with the pickled jalapeños and the queso fresco.
Step 27 –Serve the nachos topped with the cilantro-sour cream sauce, the salsa verde, and the remaining hot sauce.
