Pulled Pork Chopped Salad with BBQ Ranch and Crispy Onion Straws

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The best possible use for yesterday's barbecue: cold crisp romaine, charred sweet corn, sharp cheddar and warm pulled pork, all pulled together by buttermilk ranch thinned with barbecue sauce. A tangle of buttermilk-soaked onion straws goes on top for crunch, and the whole thing eats like the smokehouse lunch special it's modeled on.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup barbecue sauce, preferably a tangy tomato-based one
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives or scallion tops
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

• 1 medium yellow onion, halved and sliced paper-thin
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for finishing
• 3 cups vegetable oil, for frying

• 2 cups leftover pulled pork (or pulled smoked chicken)
• 2 tbsp barbecue sauce, for warming the pork
• 2 ears corn, husked (or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed)
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 large romaine hearts, chopped into 1-inch ribbons (about 8 cups)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/4 cups sharp cheddar, coarsely grated
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced dill pickles or bread-and-butter pickle chips
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Make the dressing first so it can chill: whisk the mayonnaise, buttermilk, sour cream, barbecue sauce, chives, dill, cider vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and 1/4 tsp salt in a bowl or jar until smooth. It should coat a spoon but pour easily — thin with another tablespoon of buttermilk if needed. Refrigerate at least 20 minutes (up to 4 days) so the herbs bloom.
2. Soak the onions: separate the paper-thin onion slices into rings and submerge them in the 1 cup buttermilk. Let them sit at room temperature 15–20 minutes while you prep everything else. This tames the raw bite and glues the coating on.
3. Char the corn: heat a dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high for 3 minutes, rub the ears with 1 tsp oil, and cook 8–10 minutes total, turning every 2 minutes, until blistered and spotted brown in places. Cool 5 minutes, then cut the kernels off into a bowl. (For frozen corn, dry it well on a towel and char in the hot skillet 4–5 minutes without stirring much.)
4. Warm the pork: toss the pulled pork with 2 tbsp barbecue sauce and 2 tbsp water in a skillet over medium heat, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until steaming and just beginning to crisp at the edges. Pull it off the heat — you want it warm, not hot, so it doesn't wilt the lettuce.
5. Fry the onion straws: pour 3 cups oil into a deep saucepan or Dutch oven (about 1 1/2 inches deep) and heat to 350°F. Meanwhile whisk the flour, cornstarch, smoked paprika, cayenne and 1 tsp salt in a wide bowl. Lift a handful of onions from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off, and toss in the flour mixture until every strand is coated; shake off the extra in a strainer.
6. Fry the onions in 3 or 4 small batches, 2–3 minutes each, stirring once with a spider or slotted spoon, until deep golden and no longer bubbling hard. Drain on a paper-towel-lined rack and salt immediately. Let the oil come back to 350°F between batches so they stay crisp rather than greasy.
7. Build the salad: in a very large bowl, toss the chopped romaine with 1/3 cup of the BBQ ranch and a pinch of salt until barely coated. Spread it across a wide platter or divide among 4 shallow bowls.
8. Arrange the charred corn, cherry tomatoes, black beans, cheddar, pickles and scallions in stripes or clusters over the greens, then pile the warm pork down the center. Drizzle with another 1/4 cup dressing, crack black pepper over the top, and crown it with a loose tangle of onion straws. Serve right away, with the remaining dressing on the side.
9. At the table, break through the layers and toss each portion just before eating so the onion straws stay crisp until the last second.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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