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State Fair Pulled Pork and Cornbread Crouton Salad

Name: State Fair Pulled Pork and Cornbread Crouton Salad
Prep time: 32 min
Cook time: 175 min
Total time: 207 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 , 8.5 ounce; 1 large egg; 0.33 cups milk; 1 tablespoon olive oil; salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Total Time

3h 27m

32m prep · 175m cook

Servings

4 people

Rating

—

Difficulty

Hard

2 views

🌾 Gluten-Free 🥜 Nut-Free

This pulled pork and cornbread salad reminds me of hot summer nights at the state fair! It brings together smoky sweet pulled pork, crunchy cornbread croutons, and tangy pickled onions for a flavor explosion! What I love most is that it tastes like I spent hours in the kitchen instead of only about 30 minutes of hands-on time, using shortcuts like pre-cooked pulled pork and Jiffy mix.

Gluten-Free Nut-Free Breakfast Fried asian filipino sweet spicy savory umami sugary european greek mediterranean middle eastern region healthy_fats side sour plant_based american_region french main american

Ingredients

1 , 8.5 ounce
1 large egg
0.33 cups milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1

Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C), or according to package directions. Grease an 8x8-inch baking pan.
2

For croutons, add muffin mix, egg, and milk to a small bowl; stir until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan.
3

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
4

Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Let cornbread cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cutting board. Once cool enough to handle, cut into 3/4-inch cubes.
5

To toast croutons, spread cubes on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil or melted butter, season with salt and pepper, and toss gently.
6

Bake in the preheated oven until golden and crisp, flipping halfway through baking time, 8 to 12 minutes. (Alternately, heat oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat and toast cubes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy, 5 to 8 minutes.) Set aside.
7

For pickled onions, place red onions in a small heatproof bowl or jar. Bring vinegar, water, sugar, and salt to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar and salt dissolve.
8

Carefully pour hot liquid over onions. Press onions down gently to ensure they are submerged. Let sit for at least 15 to 20 minutes or up to several hours at room temperature. They get better the longer they sit. Drain before adding to salad.
9

For BBQ ranch dressing, whisk ranch dressing and BBQ sauce together in a small bowl until smooth. Whisk in hot sauce and smoked paprika. Set aside.
10

If desired, warm pulled pork gently in a skillet over medium-low heat, or according to package directions. Warm roasted corn, if desired, in a pan over low heat or microwave, about 1 minute.
11

Place lettuce in a large salad bowl, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add pulled pork, corn, black beans, pickled red onions, and Cheddar cheese.
12

Drizzle about 1/2 to 2/3 of dressing over salad and toss gently to combine. Add more dressing as needed to taste, or serve dressing on the side. Just before serving, top salad generously with croutons.