Barbecue Lasagna

Pat (Chef #1185858)'s Note:

Years ago, Mid 1990 I think. I was sitting around talking about how the Pizza chains had come out with BBQ Pizza when I got the idea of BBQ Lasagna. I was inspired by the pizza, my Italian family upbringing and my southern living as an adult. This may sound strange at first but everyone I have served it to for the past 10+ years loved it. I start by cooking a large 6-10 lb Boston Butt on the smoker ahead of time slicing off some for a diner and then pulling the rest for pulled pork sandwiches and of course BBQ Lasagna. If you are already accustomed to pulled pork you are ahead of the game. If not there are many great smoked Boston Butt/pulled pork recipes on the web. If this seams like way to much work (smoking/ barbequing is a sport and requires lots of time and beer) then there is ready made pulled pork alternatives sold in most grocery stores that could be used. Here is one I see in the stores. Lloyd’s BBQ Pork, search lloydsbbq.com http://www.lloydsbbq.com/products_shredporkbbq.aspI have not tried this but I’m sure it would be pretty good. I will stick with smoking and pulling my own. The same can be said for BBQ sauce. There is lots of good recipes on the web or use your favorite store bought brand. You can go spicy or sweet the choice is fully yours. Fact is you will find that you can vary this entire recipe many different ways using your favorite Lasagna recipe if you already have one. I like to think of this more as an Idea then a recipe. You can even trade out BBQ pulled Chicken, Beef etc. I will not use exact measurements for the pork or BBQ sauce as like I said I always make a lot and use what is left for other meals. I would guess I use somewhere between 1-2 lbs of pork in the Lasagna. I mix plenty of BBQ sauce to my pulled pork in a sauce pan and bring it to a slow simmer. (Don’t burn) You just want the meat good and wet with the sauce and enough to simmer but not so much it is soupy. It should be very meaty. On the flip side if you choose a real thick sauce you may need to add a little water to thin it out. You’re looking for the same consistency as a traditional marinara sauce to spread easily and be soaked up by the lasagna.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 45 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

• 1 1/2 lbs shredded pork with barbecue sauce
• 1 (16 ounce) box lasagna noodles
• 16 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 16 ounces pre-shredded mozzarella cheese
• 16 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Bring pulled pork in favorite BBQ sauce at a slow simmer on stove top.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine ricotta, egg, salt, black pepper. Mix until smooth. Put aside.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, combine shredded mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese. Put aside.
5. Boil 6 quarts of water, add pinch of salt, and cook pasta to almost done. Rinse in cold water.
6. Spoon enough sauce from your simmering pork mix to spread around bottom and sides of a 10”x14”x3” or closest sized baking pan you have and place one layer of lasagna on the bottom of the pan.
7. Spread evenly over lasagna a nice layer of pork and sauce. Next spread a layer of ricotta mixture and sprinkle on mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Repeat layering. Usually 3 or 4 layers depending on pan used. The goal is to use equal quantity of filling between each layer.
8. On the top layer, top with remaining ricotta, thin layer of pulled pork and lightly sprinkling with cheese saving some cheese to top during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
9. Bake for approximately 45 minutes until bubbly.
10. Remove from oven; let sit for 15 minutes. Cut and serve with garlic bread. Enjoy!
11. Foot Note: Use more or less cheese as desired. Save some cheese to add to top during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Reviews

[Chef #996399]

Very tasty and fun combination of flavors. I used the oven-ready noodles with a little extra BBQ sauce on the bottom with great results. I also used small curd cottage cheese and Monterrey jack instead of the ricotta and mozz, respectively, since that's what I had in the fridge. Will definitely make it again!

[Chef #1189802]

excellent recipe tastes as good as the it looks . very easy to make . looking forward to more recipes from this chef.