Give Pepperoni A Break And Go For A Different Pork Pizza Topping

Pepperoni is a highly popular pizza topping, and for good reason. Whether it's the wide, flat circles of regular pepperoni or the tangier "cup and char" old world pepperoni, the fermented log of beef, pork, and spices is a perfect topping for countless different styles of pizza.

The virtue of pepperoni as a pizza topping is not in question. But the classic combination of cheese, sauce, and bread is highly versatile. There is much more to the world of delicious pizzas than either cheese, pepperoni, sausage, veggie, or supreme.

A good way to start exploring the near limitless depths of good pizza combinations is to change up a familiar protein. As a protein option, pork has a rich depth of textures and flavors possible, varieties which often work well as pizza toppings. Keeping in mind the culinary rule of thumb that good flavor takes time, an easy and delicious pepperoni replacement on your next pizza is leftover pulled pork.

Although pepperoni takes longer to ferment than pulled pork takes to cook, both proteins take time to reach their full flavor potential, and shortcuts will show in the meat quality. With the care and patience required to do it right, the richness of pulled pork can near-seamlessly replace pepperoni as a pizza topping.

For best results, pair your pulled pork pizza topping with a BBQ sauce base. However, a tomato sauce can also work, as suggested by the fact that some BBQ sauces are themselves tomato- or ketchup-based. 

To boost the flavor of your topping to-be, caramelize some onions in a heavy pan to mix with the pork and spread on top of your pizza before cooking, to lend your leftovers a burst of fresh flavor. To give the pulled pork even more impact, consider topping your pizza with a smoked cheese, which nicely complements the ultra-savory flavor.