# I have leftover cooked pork. What shall I do with it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 11, 2011, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-leftover-cooked-pork-what-shall-i-do-with-it/581569 "2011-05-11T21:31:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-leftover-cooked-pork-what-shall-i-do-with-it/581569/1 "2011-05-11T21:31:31Z")
I cooked two nice, thick boneless pork chops last night (seasoned, lightly floured, browned in a skillet) and we have some leftover meat. I cooked it perfectly - still barely translucent in the center, not that overcooked dry toughness some people prefer with pork - so the leftover meat can stand some re-heating if that’s what it takes. Any good ideas? Thoughts? Recommendations? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-leftover-cooked-pork-what-shall-i-do-with-it/581569/2 "2011-05-11T22:00:32Z")
Fajitas. Thin slice the pork and add it late to a fry up of julienned onions and bell peppers. Wrap in a flour tortilla and munch away. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-leftover-cooked-pork-what-shall-i-do-with-it/581569/3 "2011-05-11T22:05:22Z")
Do you want to eat it tonight? If you can wait, cook up a batch of rice for tomorrow’s pork fried rice. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-leftover-cooked-pork-what-shall-i-do-with-it/581569/4 "2011-05-11T22:06:58Z")
Make yourself six [Cha Siu Bao](http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/chinese-pork-buns-cha-siu-bao/Detail.aspx) if you’ve got four ounces of meat left over. Delicious, and very filling! ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-leftover-cooked-pork-what-shall-i-do-with-it/581569/5 "2011-05-11T22:25:33Z")
That Cha Siu Bao recipe is for uncooked pork. And is a little schizophrenic; it calls for cutting “finely chopped pork” “into 2 inch thick strips”. But aside from that, great idea.😉 One that’s become our favorite lately is to take leftover meat of whatever sort and cook it with lots of onions and peppers and a little tomato. The longer cooktime, the better, but 30 minutes is fine if that’s all you’ve got. You want LOTS of onion, halved & sliced. And a matching amount of whatever mix of peppers you like, sliced to match the onions (we’ve used various combinations of bells, poblanos, anaheims, jalepenos, habaneros, serranos, etc.). Plus some tomato, fresh or canned. Drain off most of the juice & seeds, you don’t want a lot of liquid (and you can always add it back in if needed). Toss in some garlic and herbs while you’re at it. I’d recommend soy sauce rather than salt. Put it in a pan and cook it all up over mediumish heat until the veg are very done and it looks kind of like a very thick stew. Serve it over crispy tortillas with some beans and corn and garnishes, or use it for soft tacos. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-leftover-cooked-pork-what-shall-i-do-with-it/581569/6 "2011-05-11T23:14:08Z")
Saute mushrooms in mix of olive oil and butter with salt, pepper and thyme. Add a clove or two of minced garlic if you like. Slice pork thinly and set aside. Add 1/4 c chicken stock to mushrooms and simmer for a few minutes to get the fond off the pan. Add the pork and heat through, then add a cup of heavy cream and add more pepper to taste. Serve over rice or egg noodles and garnish with finely chopped parsley or basil. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-leftover-cooked-pork-what-shall-i-do-with-it/581569/7 "2011-05-11T23:23:46Z")
chop 'em up and put 'em on some Cuban sandwiches. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-leftover-cooked-pork-what-shall-i-do-with-it/581569/8 "2011-05-11T23:25:51Z")
Simplest: slap them between 2 slices of bread, with mayo, BBQ sauce, etc. and have them for lunch tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-leftover-cooked-pork-what-shall-i-do-with-it/581569/9 "2011-05-11T23:29:28Z")
Oh, another thing I do with leftover pork chops: (I end up with them a lot, love chops!) Saute a bunch of yellow onions till they are very well done, browned and falling apart. Heat up the chops slowly and top with the onion and a fried egg. This one is really tasty. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-leftover-cooked-pork-what-shall-i-do-with-it/581569/10 "2011-05-11T23:30:27Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Simplest: slap them between 2 slices of bread, with mayo, BBQ sauce, etc. and have them for lunch tomorrow. This is what I would do, but I would debone it first. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-leftover-cooked-pork-what-shall-i-do-with-it/581569/11 "2011-05-11T23:39:31Z")
Grab a couple of boiled potatoes, dice them with some chopped onion, chop up the meat in a similar fashion, mix it all together, and fry it in butter in a cast iron skillet. Season it however you like. Serve it for breakfast with fried eggs and toast. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-leftover-cooked-pork-what-shall-i-do-with-it/581569/12 "2011-05-12T01:03:11Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > This is what I would do, but I would debone it first. From the OP: > [@](#): > > I cooked two nice, thick boneless pork chops last night … (But my first version of this said to cut off the bone first … until I remembered this from the OP.) ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-leftover-cooked-pork-what-shall-i-do-with-it/581569/13 "2011-05-12T03:16:22Z")
make sure the pork is cooked right through. slice it thin. take a nice long bread roll. split then hollow it out a little inside. inside that hollow, layer the sliced pork, cheese, ham, pork and cheese again. wrap in foil and weigh down with a brick then grill till the cheese inside melts. a cuban sandwich. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-leftover-cooked-pork-what-shall-i-do-with-it/581569/14 "2011-05-12T04:53:16Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Grab a couple of boiled potatoes, dice them with some chopped onion, chop up the meat in a similar fashion, mix it all together, and fry it in butter in a cast iron skillet. Season it however you like. > > Serve it for breakfast with fried eggs and toast. That sounds good for ANY meal, though I might omit the fried eggs and toast for dinner. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-leftover-cooked-pork-what-shall-i-do-with-it/581569/15 "2011-05-12T11:45:38Z")
I would throw it in some lentils or other beans just before they are done cooking ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-leftover-cooked-pork-what-shall-i-do-with-it/581569/16 "2011-05-12T13:08:05Z")
I would go with the PFR (pork fried rice). Mmmm. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-leftover-cooked-pork-what-shall-i-do-with-it/581569/17 "2011-05-12T14:23:29Z")
> [@mac\_bolan00](#): > > make sure the pork is cooked right through. slice it thin. take a nice long bread roll. split then hollow it out a little inside. inside that hollow, layer the sliced pork, cheese, ham, pork and cheese again. wrap in foil and weigh down with a brick then grill till the cheese inside melts. > > a cuban sandwich. You forgot the pickle! The only thing we use our George Forman grill for is to fry up Cuban’s (the sandwiches). Place it in there and squeeze like crazy. We’ll also use leftover pork for stir fry. It is the other white meat you know. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-leftover-cooked-pork-what-shall-i-do-with-it/581569/18 "2011-05-12T14:30:21Z")
I’ll put butter in a sauce pan and first sautee some mushrooms, then add the pork sliced thin and cook it enough to brown the sides. Then put it atop a bed of hot Texmati rice. ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-leftover-cooked-pork-what-shall-i-do-with-it/581569/19 "2011-05-12T14:38:54Z")
Oh yeah, Pork Lo Mein. Here’s a sample recipe: [link](http://www.food.com/recipe/authentic-pork-lo-mein-chinese-284271). It’s another one calling for fresh pork, but we usually make it with leftovers. I haven’t tried that recipe, we don’t use a recipe. Unfortunately, I’m not the lo mein chef in the house so I can’t even give an approximation, hence the recipe. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-leftover-cooked-pork-what-shall-i-do-with-it/581569/20 "2011-05-12T14:58:26Z")
> [@lost4life](#): > > You forgot the pickle! The only thing we use our George Forman grill for is to fry up Cuban’s (the sandwiches). Place it in there and squeeze like crazy. We’ll also use leftover pork for stir fry. > > It is the other white meat you know. Also forgot the mustard. Cuban sandwich is definetly the way to go. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-leftover-cooked-pork-what-shall-i-do-with-it/581569.md?page=2)