Guy Fieri’s Trash Can Nachos

"SMC" (super melty cheese):
2 cups Half & Half
½ pound Velveeta Cheese (cubed)
½ pound Smoked Gouda (shredded)
½ pound White Cheddar (shredded)
1 tsp Worcestershire
½ tsp Tabasco

Black Bean Puree:
2 – 15oz cans Black Beans (drained, rinsed)
1/3 cup Chicken Stock
¼ tsp Cumin (ground)
¼ tsp Chipotle Pepper (ground)
½ tsp Garlic (granulated)

Pickled Red Onions:
2 cups Red Onions (julienne)
½ cup Water
½ cup Red Wine Vinegar
¼ cup Grenadine
3 Tbls Sugar
2 tsp Salt Kosher
1 Tbls Dijon Mustard

Pico De Gallo:
2 cups Roma Tomatoes (small dice)
½ cup White Onion (small dice)
2 Jalapenos (seeded, minced – leave the seeds in if you like it spicier)
2 Tbls Cilantro (chopped)
2 Tbls Lime Juice
1 tsp Garlic (fresh minced)
1 tsp Salt Kosher
¼ tsp Black Pepper (freshly ground)

Trash Can Nachos:
16 oz/wt Corn Tortilla Chips (thick, good quality tortillas, large triangle pieces, fresh fried preferable)
3 cups SMC (super melty cheese)
2 cups Black Bean Puree
12 oz/wt Smoked Brisket (cubed) or substitute with your favorite protein like carne asada or grilled chicken breast or grilled shrimp
½ cup Guy’s Bourbon Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce
2 cups Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
¾ cup Sour Cream
2 cups Pico De Galo
2 Jalapenos (thinly sliced rounds, seeds and all)
2 T Pickled Red Onions (drained) Cilantro Leaves (garnish)

Prep Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 60 minutes | Yield: 6-8 servings

Prep-Ahead Tip: The protein, black bean puree, pico de gallo, and pickled red onions can all be prepped a day in advanced before your event.

To make the SMC (super melty cheese), place a small sauce pot on medium heat and add the half & half. Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat to low and start by whisking in the Velveeta cheese until it fully melts. Once the Velveeta has completely melted add the white cheddar, smoked gouda, Tabasco, and Worcestershire sauce then continue to whisk on low heat till all the cheese is fully melted. Set aside and keep warm.

To make the black bean puree, use a hand immersion blender or food processer, and add ¾ of the rinsed black beans, chicken stock and spices then blend into a puree. Fold in the last ¼ of the whole black beans for texture.

Make the pickled red onions: In a small sauce pot add all the ingredients except onions and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, pour the pickling liquid over the julienned red onions making sure they are submerged and allow them to pickle for a minimum of 90 minutes. Cover and cool in the fridge. To make the pico de gallo, add all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and fold together.

Note: The goal in assembling the Trash can Nachos is to get a little bit of SMC, black bean puree, diced protein, Guy’s BBQ sauce, and shredded cheddar on every chip so each bite is loaded with fixings.

To assemble the Trashcan Nachos, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and on a non-stick baking pan lay out a single layer of chips. Begin dressing the chips by first drizzling the warm SMC over followed by black bean puree, shredded cheddar, diced brisket (or your choice of protein), and Guy’s Bourbon Brown Sugar BBQ sauce. Place the nachos in to the preheated oven and bake for 5-7 minutes until hot and melty.

Serving Suggestions:
If you have a used #10 can available, clean it thoroughly then remove the bottom and top (but leave the top hinged) making sure there are no sharp edges. Place the can on the plate, and drizzle some cheese sauce on plate inside can. Using a spatula stack layers of the baked trash can nachos inside the can to about 1 inch from the top. Garnish with a drizzle of sour cream, pico de gallo, sliced jalapenos, drained pickled red onions, and fresh cilantro. Serve by carefully lifting the #10 can to reveal the stack of trash can nachos.