Loaded Pulled Pork Chili Fries with Chipotle Beer Queso

Let's be a little rebellious today. Let's throw caution to the wind and do the things we want to do and not worry about what we should be doing. It's Friday after all. I propose we start by taking baked chili fries, piling slow cooked pulled pork, guacamole, salsa, and chipotle queso on top and calling it a meal.

I asked Blake if he thought that constituted a meal, to which he replied definitely, if we put a vegetable on the side. At first I agreed but upon further consideration I realized a vegetable would tarnish all that is good and wonderful about these fries. Which is cheese and starchy potatoes. Last I checked potatoes were a vegetable so we're all set.

In all seriousness, these fries are amazing. The baked chili fries recipe is our weekly go to for a side dish. Topped with spice rubbed pork slow cooked for 6-8 hours in beer, BBQ sauce, and a little dijon mustard as well as creamy chipotle beer queso. Well, all I can stay  is be still my beating heart. This dish does consistent of a few components you have to make but once you get the pork cooking early in the day, the rest comes together fairly easily. The ingredient list appears long but most of it consists of spices you already have in your house.

After eating these fries for dinner, you will feel the sky's the limit as to what other crazy and self-indulgent acts you can commit. We capped ours off with some cardamom strawberry rhubarb ice cream. Tonight I may even enjoy them with a glass of wine or two. Who knows what other mayhem might ensue.

Loaded Pulled Pork Chili Fries with Chipotle Beer Queso 
Serves 4-6 people, fries adapted from Joy the Baker

Beer and BBQ Slow Cooked Pork 
12 oz of a light beer
3/4 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
2 tbs dijon mustard
1 cup water
2 tbs brown sugar
2 tbs chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp lemon pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3-4 lbs pork shoulder

Baked Chili Fries 
3 russet potatoes, roughly peeled and cut into fry shaped wedges
3 tbs cornstarch
3 tbs chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs worcestershire
2 tbs grill seasoning or BBQ rub

Chipotle Beer Queso 
1 tbs olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 jalapeno, diced
1 cup beer
8 oz cream cheese
3/4 cup pepper jack cheese
3/4 cup sharp cheddar (you could do just a 1 1/2 of one kind of cheese too)
1 chipotle pepper, chopped
1 tbs adobe sauce (comes with the chipotle peppers in a can)

Condiments 
Guacamole
Salsa

The pork needs to cook in a crock pot for 6-8 hours so plan accordingly. The longer you cooked it the more tender it will be.

In a crock pot whisk together beer, BBQ sauce, dijon mustard, and water.

To make the rub, mix together all the spices from brown sugar to garlic powder. Rub all over the pork shoulder. Heat a pan with olive oil to medium high heat and brown the pork on all sides. Place in the slow cooker with a lid and cook all day over low.

An hour before you want to eat preheat the oven to 425 degrees and prepare the fries.

Whisk cornstarch, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes together and set aside. In a large bowl, mix the potato wedges with the olive oil, worcestershire, and grill seasoning. Once all the fries are coated, sprinkle the cornstarch mixture over the top and mix.

Spread fries evenly over a baking sheet and bake for 35-45 minutes. Flip the fries half way through.

About 25 minutes before the fries are done, prepare the queso. In a saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeno and cook for 5-7 minutes until they soften. Add the beer and let cook until slightly reduce 3-5 minutes. Add the cream cheese and stir until no longer lumpy. Add the pepper jack and cheddar and stir until combined.

To assemble the fries: layer potatoes on the bottom, add pork, guac, and salsa, and drizzle the queso over the top. YUM!