Whenever I make my husband’s favorite classic Smoked Ribs Dinner (ribs with Coleslaw along with a beans or corn side dish), there are leftovers. Most of us don’t want to eat the same dinner day after day, so it’s fun to come up with good dishes using the leftovers in such a way that nobody will recognize them. The following Fusion Smoked Rib Tacos have become a favorite; the tacos keep their bbq flavor which goes well with the Mexican salsa and cheese. The filling for these luscious tacos takes about 10 minutes to put together.

To get the meat off the leftover ribs, place them in a pot, add a bit of water, cover, and steam them. Remove them from the water (strain the juices and refrigerate so the fat comes to the top and discard the fat), and let them sit until they are cool enough to remove the meat with your fingers. Stir in some of the defatted juices to keep the leftovers moist. The meat can be frozen, or it keeps a day or two in the fridge.

8 Servings


1 tablespoon bacon fat, or vegetable oil
2 cups smoked rib meat, all fat removed and chopped
1 cup medium salsa
1 14 ounce package frozen Birdseye C&W Ultimate Southwest Blend, or frozen Baja southwest vegetable mix
2 cups grated cheddar jack cheese

24 4”-5" street taco flour tortillas
Coleslaw

1. Heat the bacon fat in a large skillet; add the leftover smoked rib meat and stir over medium heat until warm.
2. Add the salsa and vegetables; let come to a boil and cook for a few minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed.
3. Turn the heat to low and stir in the cheese; continue stirring until the cheese is melted.
4. Heat the tortillas (3 per person) on a hot grill (I like to crisp them up a bit); spoon a generous scoop of filling into each tortilla and top with drained coleslaw. Serve immediately.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 493 Calories from Fat 208
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 42% Protein 20% Carb. 38%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 23 g
Saturated Fat 11 g
Cholesterol 62 mg
Sodium 609 mg
Total Carbohydrate 47 g
Dietary Fiber 3 g
Sugars 2 g
Protein 24 g

Vitamin A 9% Vitamin C 7% Calcium 0% Iron 4%