• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Food Lovin Family
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Cooking Tips
  • Appetizers
  • Breakfast
  • Drinks
  • Dinner
  • Lunch
  • Sweets
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Cooking Tips
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About Me
    • Recipes
    • Cooking Tips
  • ×

    Home » Cooking Tips » How To Freeze

    Can You Freeze Pulled Pork? (Guide To Freezing)

    Published: Apr 5, 2022 by heather · This post may contain affiliate links

    • Facebook
    Jump to Recipe

    Unless you’re feeding a crowd, cooking a pork shoulder is sure to leave you with plenty of leftovers which might have you asking, can you freeze pulled pork?

    Pulled pork on a table.

    Let me show you how to freeze pulled pork the right way so you can continue to enjoy your hard work for weeks or even months! When frozen properly, the meat stays tender, succulent, and oh-so-delicious. You’ll love having this ready-to-go meal waiting in your freezer!

    If you’ve ever tried making pulled pork, you know it involves a pretty large cut of meat. Unless you’re cooking for a big group of people, there’s a very good chance you’ll have lots of leftovers. That’s why it’s important to know how to freeze pulled pork the right way!

    Fresh pulled pork is absolutely delicious. The wonderful savory flavor with the melt-in-your-mouth texture is downright irresistible! And when you freeze your leftovers properly, they’ll be just as succulent and delightful as when they were first cooked. How great does that sound?

    Whether you love freezer-meals or you just need to know what to do with all your extra pork, this guide has you covered. You’ll be able to use the meat in your favorite leftover pulled pork recipes for weeks or even months to come!

    Table of contents

    • Can you freeze pulled pork?
    • What is pulled pork
    • How to freeze pulled pork
    • How to reheat pulled pork
      • Slow Cooker
      • Oven
      • Grill
      • Stove
      • Instant Pot
      • Microwave
      • Sous Vide
    • Can you freeze pulled pork with BBQ sauce?
    • Pork recipes

    Can you freeze pulled pork?

    Yes, you can absolutely freeze pulled pork. It is important to freeze the meat so that it keeps as much moisture as possible so it’s not dry when it thaws.

    What is pulled pork

    Pulled pork refers to pork that has been cooked until tender and then shredded. The meat is often mixed with barbeque sauce and then served in a sandwich or on its own. When cooked properly, it’s wonderfully tender and savory!

    While barbeque is the most popular use, pulled pork is a super versatile ingredient that can be used with plenty of different flavor profiles. You can serve it up as carnitas in your tacos, use it to top a burger, throw together a Cubano sandwich, enjoy it over a salad, and so much more.

    The most common cuts of meat used are pork shoulder or pork butt, also known as a boston butt. While similar and often used interchangeably, there is a slight difference between the two.

    Both come from the front of the animal (so the “butt” has nothing to do with the animal’s actual rear-end). Pork butt comes from the shoulder blade area up to the spine while the pork shoulder wraps around the underside of the pig. Pork butt has a little more fat content.

    How to freeze pulled pork

    A wonderful way to store leftover pulled pork is to freeze it. The secret to freezing pulled pork is to retain as much moisture as possible. By preventing the meat from drying out, it will still have that melt-in-your-mouth texture after freezing and reheating!

    If you already know you’re going to freeze a good portion, you can always shred what you plan to eat right away but leave the rest of the pork butt whole. On the other hand, if you do shred it, try to let it fully cool first so the meat can retain most of its juices.

    Once the meat reaches room temperature, store it in a large resealable freezer bag or airtight container. You could also cut the meat into portions and store them in smaller bags. The latter is nice if you will only want to thaw a serving or two at a time in the future.

    Next, make sure to remove as much of the air as possible. This is the key to preventing the risk of freezer burn.

    A Vacuum sealer also work well for packaging frozen pulled pork.

    When properly sealed, pulled pork can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months. It’s truly the meal that keeps on giving!

    How to reheat pulled pork

    You can choose from quite a few different ways to warm up your leftover pork. The trick with each one will be to heat the meat through without drying it out. 

    For each method, you’ll want to thaw the pork first either at room temperature for a few hours or in the refrigerator overnight. You’ll also want to use a splash of liquid to keep the meat tender. This could be reserved cooking juices from when you cooked the pork, apple juice, broth, or even just water.

    It’s also important to make sure the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

    Slow Cooker

    The low-and-slow Crock Pot method is almost fool-proof. Just add the pork to the slow cooker, then top with either barbeque sauce or a splash of liquid.

    I recommend setting the heat to warm and letting it sit for 2-3 hours. If you’re in a hurry, you could also cook it on low for 1-2 hours. Just be sure to check on the meat and stir it occasionally. Once the internal temperature reaches 165°F, it’s ready to serve.

    Oven

    This method is another great option and only takes about 30-45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 225°F, then place the pork in a roasting pan and add your liquid of choice. Cover with aluminum foil, then roast until the meat is heated through. If desired, you can add barbeque sauce for the last 5 minutes.

    Grill

    Preheat the grill on low. Similar to the oven, you’ll add the pork to a disposable aluminum pan with your liquid of choice. Set the pan on the grill rack, then close the lid and cook for 30-45 minutes until the meat is heated through. Again, you can add BBQ sauce for the last 5 minutes if you like.

    Stove

    Add the pork and liquid to a large saucepan or skillet, then turn the meat to medium-low. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10-20 minutes until the meat is hot all the way through. You’ll want to keep a close eye on the liquid, adding more as necessary to keep the meat from drying out.

    Instant Pot

    An electric pressure cooker is a great way to keep pulled pork nice and tender! First, you’ll want to add enough liquid to the bottom to allow the Instant Pot to come to pressure. Next, place your trivet inside the pot. Finally, place the pork in a heat safe dish and set it on top of the trivet.

    Close the Instant Pot, turn the valve to sealing, and set the cooker to steam for 5 minutes. Once the cooking time is up, you can let the pressure release naturally or perform a quick release.

    Microwave

    When you’re in a hurry, the microwave is always the quickest and easiest method. Place the pork in a microwave-safe dish, add a splash of liquid or barbecue sauce, and cover. Heat on high for about 2 minutes until the meat is hot.

    Sous Vide

    First, make sure the pork is in a Sous-Vide-safe plastic bag. Next, use the Sous Vide to bring a pot of water to 165°F. Once heated, place the sealed bag of pork in the pot and allow the meat to reheat for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

    Can you freeze pulled pork with BBQ sauce?

    If possible, I recommend freezing pulled pork without any sauce. It’s just easier in my opinion. However, as long as the sauce you’re using is freezer-safe, you can certainly freeze your pork with the sauce already on it!

    Pulled pork sandwich with sauce.

    Pork recipes

    • Baked pork tenderloin
    • Baked pork chops
    • Air fryer pork loin

    How do you like to use your pork leftovers? Let me know in the comments below.

    Pulled pork on a table.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    No ratings yet

    How To Freeze Pulled Pork

    Easy method for freezing pulled pork.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Total Time3 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: pulled pork
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 219kcal
    Author: Heather

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups pulled pork

    Instructions

    • Let pulled pork come to room temperature.
    • Place the pork in freezer safe zip-top bags or freezer safe airtight container. Make sure to remove as much air from the bag as you can.
    • Freeze for up to 6 months. Make sure to thaw before reheating.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 219kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 705mg | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 177IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Follow me @foodlovinfamily or tag #foodlovinfamily!

    More How To Freeze

    • Can You Freeze Sour Cream?
    • How Long Does It Take For Water To Freeze
    • Can You Freeze Ham – How To Freeze, Thaw, Reheat
    • Can You Freeze Tortillas
    • Facebook

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hello and thank you for visiting Food Lovin’ Family! With 3 kids I know it can be hard getting food on the table. Here you will find easy and delicious recipes that the whole family will enjoy.

    More about me →

    Favorite Recipes

    • 25 Best Fondue Recipes
    • 28 Best Movie Snacks
    • 21 Best Loaded Fries Recipes
    • Chili Cheese Dip
    • How Long To Bake Chicken Wings
    • 31 Delicious Crescent Roll Recipes

    Sweets

    31 Best Blueberry Desserts

    Slice of blueberry pie, blueberry ice cream, and piece of blueberry buckle.

    27 Best Brownie Mix Recipes

    Chocolate cookies, brownie sundae, and brownies.

    Brownie Sundae

    28 Best Movie Snacks

    Candy, popcorn, chicken nuggets, and soft pretzel.

    More Love →

    Drinks

    25 Delicious Breakfast Drinks

    Smoothie, hot chocolate, frappuccino, and mimosa.

    25 Delicious Apple Cider Cocktails

    Glass filled with ice and apple juice.

    25 Spooky Halloween Cocktails

    Orange martini, bloody mary, and green martini.

    30 Festive Christmas Cocktails

    Copper much with cranberries, blue drink, green drink, and a milky drink.

    More Love →

    Lunch

    30 Best Fall Soup Recipes

    Four bowls of soup.

    30 Tortilla Wrap Recipes

    Chicken tortilla wrap, hap and cheese wrap, and chicken wrap.

    25 Bagel Sandwich Recipes

    Four different bagel sandwiches

    50 Cold Lunch Ideas

    Chicken wrap, chicken salad, tortilla roll up, and stacked sandwich.

    More Love →

    Breakfast

    Strawberry Muffins

    25 Delicious Breakfast Drinks

    Smoothie, hot chocolate, frappuccino, and mimosa.

    McDonald’s Breakfast Sauce Recipe

    Bowl of yellow sauce and a spoon.

    27 Best Bisquick Recipes

    Breakfast casserole, chicken tenders, pizza, and piece of quiche on plate.

    More Love →

    Appetizers

    25 Best Fondue Recipes

    Cheese fondue with bread, chocolate strawberry fondue, steak fondue.

    28 Best Movie Snacks

    Candy, popcorn, chicken nuggets, and soft pretzel.

    21 Best Loaded Fries Recipes

    Loaded cheese fries.

    Chili Cheese Dip

    Hand holding chip with cheese dip.

    More Love →

    Dinner

    Meatloaf Sandwich

    Meatloaf sandwich and bowl of chips.

    How To Cook Sizzle Steak

    Cooked steak on a plate with green beans.

    31 Breakfast For Dinner Ideas

    Breakfast casserole, steak bagel sandwich, egg and sausage bowl.

    Meatloaf With Brown Gravy

    Meatloaf with gravy and mashed potatoes on a plate.

    More Love →

    Footer

    Collage of logos.

    Copyright © 2022 foodlovinfamily.com. All rights reserved. PRIVACY POLICY.