Pork. The other white meat. BBQd, smoked, roasted, braised, grilled–it’s what’s for dinner in this house. Here in Texas, it is often considered blasphemy to talk about preferring pork over beef when dealing with BBQ recipes. Well, today I am that blasphemer.
Don’t get me wrong though. I love beef. I love a really good steak, wrapped in bacon (more pork!), cooked medium rare. I enjoy a good steak tartare. And who can turn down a really well-cooked burger? But pork…well, that’s a whole other beast (literally and figuratively!).
Each time we have lived in Texas (’cause apparently, once isn’t enough), my husband has jumped on the smoke-a-hunk-of-meat bandwagon, smoking everything from brisket, to chicken, to turkey, and of course pork. He’s gotten really good at all of them. But our favorite is the pork. He smokes a pork shoulder, “low and slow” as they say on the BBQ circuit, to a crispy crust and moist, flavorful shredded pork. It’s ah-mazing. However, there are only 2 of us, and yet sometimes he’ll smoke a whole darned pork shoulder (usually in the 8-10 lb. range) just for kicks. Did I mention there are only 2 of us??
So that means leftovers. And they’re good. They’re really, really good. But at some point I have to step away from yet another pulled pork sandwich and figure out alternatives to using up the smoky goodness that winds up in my refrigerator.
This is one of those alternatives, my friends. And it, too, is goooooddd.
I love recipes like this where I look in the refrigerator and pantry, and just make it up from there. I love recipes like this even more when they work out this well. And now, in the days after a big ole’ smoke-fest, BBQ Pork Stuffed Peppers are always on the menu .
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 4 people | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 30 minutes |
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BBQ. Pork. Bell Peppers. Yup, that spells tasty goodness to me. This recipe is leftover magic. It transforms this smoky and moist pork into another meal using fresh bell peppers, corn, and other pantry ingredients. And that transformation takes no time at all. Dinner (or a side dish, or lunch, or a snack) is ready in no time. Leftovers unite in BBQ Pork Stuffed Bell Peppers!
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- 2 large red bell peppers, halved and cleaned
- 1 cup shredded BBQ pork
- 1 cup grilled corn kernels
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 1/4 cup BBQ sauce, divided
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Halve the bell peppers, and remove seeds and white pith inside each half. Place in a cooking-spray coated, oven safe dish.
- Add the shredded pork, corn, tomatoes and rice to a bowl. Stir to incorporate.
- Stir in 2 tbsp. BBQ sauce.
- Split rice and pork mixture between each bell pepper half.
- Sprinkle cheese on top of each stuffed pepper half. Drizzle with 2 tbsp. BBQ sauce.
- Bake in 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbled and begins to brown on top. Serve with additional BBQ sauce.
This flavorful BBQ pork stuffed pepper dish is great as a meal, or as a side dish to a green salad or other fresh vegetable. I prefer red bell peppers, but you could use any peppers you may have available.
If you have other types of grains handy (quinoa, freekeh, couscous), those could easily be substituted for the rice. Other pantry items that could round out different flavors include black beans, green chiles, or even other leftover proteins like beef, turkey, or chicken.
Get creative, and get to the table ASAP for this great use of leftovers!
I’ve never stuffed bell peppers with pulled pork! What a great idea!
This is such a great idea, I’ve only even seen the baked ground beef and rice variety (but this sounds so much better!). Can’t wait to try!
What a great way to use pulled pork! I put my leftovers on pizza, but now I have this idea in mind. Of course I have the peppers, but not the pulled pork this time around!
This made me instantly hungry! What a delicious and creative way to use up some left-over pulled pork – a must try! Thanks for sharing.