Easy Pulled Pork and Quesadillas

We’re all about easy, versatile food in this house. Scott and I are big fans of cooking a large portion of something in order to freeze most of it for later. One of our go-tos is an easy pulled pork and one of our ways to use it up is making quesadillas. I’m sharing both with you today.

We buy a 6-7 pound pork shoulder and then cut it into fist-sized pieces in order to fit it into the crock pot. (We have a 6 quart crock pot and can fit all of it.)

The spice rub is easy and you probably have everything in your pantry already.

2 tbs garlic powder
2 tbs ground cumin
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground allspice
2 bay leaves

Rub the spice mixture over all the pieces of meat and place them in the crock pot.

Add one quart of chicken stock (for a 6 pound shoulder). Cover.


Cook on high for 5-6 hours.


When it’s done, drain the liquid from the meat and remove the bay leaves. Now, here’s a time saving tip–grab a pair of tongs and just squeeze at the meat until it’s all pulled apart. Sooo much faster than going through it with a fork and you get the same results.

We always make quesadillas on the day we cook the pulled pork. It’s a super easy dinner and the girls devour them. Lay out a flour tortilla. Layer shredded cheese (this is a jack and cheddar mix) and some of the pulled pork on half of the tortilla.

I’m a cheese lover, so I always add more.

Heat your skillet to a medium low with a  splash of canola oil (or oil of your choice). Fold your tortilla in half and place it in the skillet once it’s hot.

Flip the quesadilla over when it gets that golden brown delicious look to it.

Cut it into four pieces and enjoy. You can add anything you want at this point. Salsa, sour cream, and guacamole are all awesome on top or to dip into. I find that for myself, I love these just the way they are.

After the remainder of the pulled pork has cooled, we separate it into 1 lb bags to freeze. Make the bags as flat as you can. They will stack nicely in the freezer and will defrost faster.

This pulled pork is nice because you can then do whatever you want with it. It’s easy to add any sauces to it. We’ve used it on nachos and in soups and sandwiches. It is most definitely a family favorite, with bonus points for being so easy!