We’re willing to bet you never thought of repurposing pot roast this way. That’s OK, because Chef Belinda did.
Photo by Gwénaël Le Vot
MAKES 8 5-INCH EMPANADAS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, sliced
1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
1 garlic clove, minced
½ pound leftover pot roast, shredded or sliced
⅓ cup beef stock
Pinch, crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
2 9-inch pie crusts, store-bought or homemade
Monterey Jack cheese or queso blanco
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup heavy cream, for brushing
Preheat oven to 375 F. In a medium skillet over medium heat, add oil. Sauté onion and peppers until soft, 4–5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté an additional minute.
Add pot roast, stock, crushed pepper, cumin, salt and pepper and stir. Let come to a slight boil, lower temperature and allow to simmer until almost all liquid is evaporated. Cool slightly.
On a lightly floured surface, unroll pie crusts and cut into six 5-inch rounds. Rework scraps to make additional 2 rounds. On one side of the rounds, leaving about a ¼-inch edge, place a heaping tablespoon of the filling and a half-tablespoon of cheese. Brush the egg wash around the edges. Fold the other side over and press down to seal. Starting at one end, fold the dough up and over and keep repeating all the way around, or use a fork to crimp.
Place empanadas on a parchment-lined baking pan and brush with cream or more egg wash. Bake in oven 25–30 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
___
Chef’s tips
Remember that cooked roast will already be well-seasoned. Be sure to taste before adding additional salt.
___
Related stories
Two-for-one dinners—Never let leftovers go to waste. In this recipe column, Chef Belinda shows you how to turn tonight’s leftover rotisserie chicken into tomorrow’s Creamy Chicken, Potato and Bacon Casserole.
Give leftover pot roast a new life—Everybody loves pot roast. It’s even better the second day when you follow Chef Belinda Smith-Sullivan’s recipes.