Make Leftover Ribs and Pulled Pork Delicious Again

We had our family get-together over the past weekend and although it was a record turnout, we still had some leftovers. Jodi and I believe in making more than you need, just in case! But with a fridge full of leftover pork ribs (that we slow cooked for 5 hours), and pulled pork (which we cooked low & slow for 8 hours), something had to be done.

I'm a 'clean plate' club member and hate the idea of wasting food. Enter #CharlieTheButcher. He created a red sauce that not only worked great with fresh pasta the nighty after the event, but, two days later, served as the perfect sandwich filler for our morning crew!

As my daughter Elizabeth pointed out on the show while visiting the studio, he really needs to start writing down these incredible recipes. Here's what he remembered:

• Chopped onions, celery, carrots and fennel in olive oil.
• Spice it up with cumin, chili powder, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, fennel powder and tumeric.
• Add fresh garlic cloves and deglaze with white wine.
• Add a combination of canned whole peeled tomatoes and some diced fresh tomatoes and you've got a sauce.

Then enter the meat portion (which many of us know turns the 'sauce' into 'gravy').

• Strip the meat off the cooked ribs and chop it up.
• Remove any cartilage and excess fat.
• Next, just take the pulled pork and add it to the sauce.
• Simmer for an hour or so and you're done.

Wait till you taste it. From BBQ to pasta to sandwiches. Nothing to waste and every step more delicious than the last!

Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015. Tweet him @NJ1015 or @BillSpadea. The opinions expressed here are solely those of Bill Spadea.

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