More than maybe any other class of food, pulled pork delivers maximum flavor with minimum effort, and at scale too, making it a potluck favorite.
These 24 recipes might take a while, but you can relax; let the crockpot do its work.
Carolina Vinegar-Pepper Pulled Pork
If you prefer a brighter, less sweet pulled pork, this is the recipe for you. Texas Pete would be the most traditional hot sauce here, but the choice is yours.
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Ingredients
Method
- Season pork with salt, paprika, and black pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Brown pork 3 to 4 minutes per broad side; set over onion in a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Pour broth around pork. Cover; cook on low 8 to 8 1/2 hours until a fork twists easily in meat.
- Whisk vinegar, brown sugar, hot sauce, crushed red pepper, and Worcestershire until sugar dissolves.
- Transfer pork to a rimmed pan; discard large fat pockets. Pull into bite-size strands.
- Skim cooker juices; return 1/2 cup juices and pork to cooker. Fold in half the vinegar sauce.
- Cover on warm 10 minutes; serve with remaining sauce alongside.
South Carolina Mustard Pulled Pork
Cultures around the world serve pork with mustard for good reason. South Carolina yellow mustard barbecue might be the peak pairing, though, with just enough sugar for balance.
Ingredients
Method
- Rub pork with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Put onion in a 6-quart slow cooker; top with pork. Pour broth around it.
- Cover; cook on low 8 hours until pork separates readily under a fork.
- Whisk mustard, vinegar, brown sugar, tomato paste, Worcestershire, and cayenne in a small saucepan.
- Simmer sauce over medium-low heat 5 minutes, stirring until glossy. Reserve 1/2 cup for serving.
- Transfer pork to a rimmed pan; discard excess fat. Shred with two forks.
- Skim cooker liquid. Return pork with 1/2 cup liquid and remaining mustard sauce; cook on high 10 minutes before serving.
Kansas City Molasses Pulled Pork
I grew up with Kansas City-style barbecue, heavy on the molasses. For that reason, I think you should be a bit more conservative with the sauce than with other pulled porks; you want it to taste like pork, not candy.
Ingredients
Method
- Mix salt, paprika, chili powder, and black pepper; rub over pork.
- Put onion in a 6-quart slow cooker; arrange pork over it.
- Whisk ketchup, molasses, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire, and dry mustard until smooth.
- Stir 1/3 cup sauce into broth; pour around meat. Refrigerate remaining sauce.
- Cover; cook on low 8 to 8 1/2 hours until shoulder pulls apart without resistance.
- Simmer reserved sauce in a saucepan 8 minutes while transferring, defatting, and shredding pork.
- Return meat to cooker with 1/2 cup skimmed juices and enough warm sauce to coat. Serve remaining sauce alongside.
Memphis Dry-Rub Pulled Pork
Memphis boasts both sauced and dry-rub barbecue, but dry rub really is synonymous with the city's regional style. Here, the rub does the work, with just enough apple juice in the slow cooker to provide moisture.
Ingredients
Method
- Mix paprika, brown sugar, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, mustard, and cayenne.
- Reserve 1 tablespoon rub; coat pork thoroughly with rest.
- Spread onion in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add pork; pour apple juice and vinegar around meat.
- Cover; cook on low about 8 hours until very tender.
- Transfer pork to a rimmed pan; discard excess fat. Pull into thick shreds.
- Toss pork with reserved rub and 1/2 cup skimmed cooker juices.
- Spread half the pork on a foil-lined sheet. Broil 3 to 4 minutes until scattered edges brown; mix back with soft pork.
Alabama White Sauce Pork Sandwiches
Alabama white barbecue goes heavy on the mayo, sauced up after cooking. The mayo can get a bit sweet and cloying, so horseradish and a touch of mustard help things stay lively.
Ingredients
Method
- Put the pulled pork and broth in a 4-quart slow cooker and toss to moisten it.
- Cover and heat on low until the pork is steaming throughout, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Whisk the mayonnaise, vinegar, horseradish, mustard, Worcestershire, garlic powder, black pepper and salt until smooth.
- Refrigerate the white sauce for at least 20 minutes so the pepper and horseradish settle into it.
- Toast the cut sides of the buns in a dry skillet if you want a sturdier sandwich.
- Fill each bun with hot pork, spoon on the white sauce and finish with a loose handful of cabbage.
Cuban Mojo Pork Rice Bowls
Citrus does a lot to help the cooking process for pulled pork, and a Cuban (OK, Canary Islander in origin) mojo sauce with orange and lime gets soaked up so beautifully. For a full Cuban lunch, serve with rice, black beans, avocado, and quick-pickled onion.
Ingredients
Method
- Put the pork on one side of a 4-quart slow cooker and the black beans on the other.
- Whisk the orange juice, 2 tablespoons lime juice, garlic, cumin, oregano and salt and pour it evenly over the pork and beans.
- Cover and cook on low until the meat and beans are hot and fragrant, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Toss the red onion with the remaining lime juice and sugar and let it stand for 20 minutes.
- Fluff the hot rice and divide it among six bowls.
- Add the mojo pork, black beans, avocado and drained pickled onion in separate sections over the rice.
Crispy Pulled Pork Street Tacos
If you've got extra pulled pork, it's time for pulled pork reloaded. These tacos get re-browned in the oven before hitting a corn tortilla with a little onion and cotija cheese.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 450°F with a rimmed sheet pan inside for 5 minutes.
- Toss pork with broth, lime juice, cumin, ancho chile powder, and salt.
- Carefully spread pork on hot pan; roast 8 minutes.
- Turn browned pieces with a spatula; roast 4 minutes more until edges crisp and centers stay moist.
- Warm tortillas in a dry skillet or wrapped in foil in oven.
- Fill tortillas with pork; top with onion and cotija. Serve lime wedges alongside.
Green Chile Pulled Pork Enchiladas
Enchiladas are a great way to use up leftover meats of any kind, as long as there aren't too many clashing seasonings. Carnitas work especially well.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 375°F; spread 3/4 cup enchilada sauce in a 9-by-13-inch dish.
- Mix pork, green chiles, 1 cup cheese, onion, cumin, and salt.
- Wrap tortillas in damp paper towels; microwave 45 seconds until flexible.
- Divide filling among tortillas; roll snugly and arrange seam-side down in dish.
- Whisk remaining enchilada sauce with sour cream; spoon over rolls.
- Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until bubbling and lightly browned.
- Rest 8 minutes before lifting from pan.
Pulled Pork Sheet-Pan Nachos
The sheet pan is probably the easiest way to make nachos for a big group. Leftover pulled pork makes for a tasty alternative to the usual chicken or beef.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 425°F and line a large rimmed sheet pan with parchment.
- Toss the pulled pork with the barbecue sauce and microwave it until steaming, about 2 minutes.
- Spread the chips in a single overlapping layer and scatter the pork and black beans evenly over them.
- Cover with the cheddar and bake until the cheese is melted and the outer chips are lightly toasted, 7 to 9 minutes.
- Whisk the sour cream with the lime juice until it can be drizzled.
- Top the hot nachos with the tomato and jalapeños, then drizzle with the lime sour cream and serve immediately.
Barbecue Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese
I generally don't like too many extra elements in my mac and cheese, but pulled pork seems logical. The key to keeping the mac and cheese flavor is to use a strong cheese like sharp cheddar.
Ingredients
Method
- Boil the macaroni in salted water for 2 minutes less than the package directs, then drain it.
- Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large oven-safe skillet, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in the warm milk, mustard, salt and pepper and simmer until the sauce coats a spoon, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cheddar by handfuls until smooth.
- Fold in the macaroni, then spoon the pulled pork and barbecue sauce in broad ribbons across the top and turn them through only twice.
- Melt the remaining butter, toss it with the panko and scatter the crumbs over the skillet.
- Broil 2 to 3 minutes until the crumbs brown, watching continuously, and rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Pulled Pork and Dill Pickle Pizza
If you were a fan of the Pizza Hut barbecue pizza as a kid (hey there, '90s kids!), this is worth a try if you've got leftover pulled pork. The additional barbecue sauce makes this accommodating to many different seasoning profiles in your leftovers.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 475°F with an inverted rimmed sheet pan on the middle rack.
- Stretch the dough on parchment into a roughly 12-by-15-inch rectangle and brush the rim with olive oil.
- Spread on the barbecue sauce, leaving a 1/2-inch border.
- Scatter the pulled pork, mozzarella and red onion evenly over the sauce.
- Slide the parchment and pizza onto the hot pan and bake until the bottom is crisp and the cheese has brown spots, 13 to 16 minutes.
- Add the dry pickle chips and black pepper, then cool the pizza for 3 minutes before slicing.
Pulled Pork Sweet Potato Hash
The principle is the same as for corned beef hash — leftover meat made into a hearty breakfast. For pulled pork, sweet potatoes are the natural choice.
Ingredients
Method
- Microwave the sweet potato cubes with 2 tablespoons water in a covered bowl for 5 minutes, then drain them well.
- Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the onion and bell pepper for 4 minutes.
- Add the sweet potatoes, paprika, salt and black pepper and spread them into an even layer.
- Cook without moving for 4 minutes, turn the potatoes and cook until browned and tender, about 6 minutes more.
- Fold in the pulled pork and cook until hot with crisp edges, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Make four wells, crack in the eggs, add 2 tablespoons water at the skillet edge and cover.
- Cook until the whites set but the yolks remain soft, 3 to 5 minutes, and serve from the skillet.
Pulled Pork Breakfast Biscuit Sandwiches
If you've got biscuits (or, for that matter, English muffins), pulled pork makes a tasty topping for a breakfast sandwich. I'd dose it with a little extra hot sauce, especially if I had a couple too many the night before.
Ingredients
Method
- Bake the biscuits according to their package directions until deeply golden.
- Heat the pulled pork with the broth and black pepper in a covered skillet over medium-low heat until steaming, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Whisk the eggs, milk and salt until no streaks remain.
- Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet and pour in the eggs.
- Cook over medium-low heat, folding broad sections toward the center, until just set.
- Divide the eggs into six portions, lay a cheddar slice over each and cover for 1 minute to melt.
- Split the biscuits and fill each with egg, warm pork and a restrained spoonful of barbecue sauce.
Loaded Pulled Pork Baked Potatoes
Bacon isn't the only game in town for loaded baked potatoes. Pulled pork does the trick too, making a complete meal.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 425°F and prick each potato several times with a fork.
- Rub the potatoes with the oil and 3/4 teaspoon salt and set them directly on the oven rack.
- Bake until the skins are crisp and a skewer meets no resistance in the centers, 55 to 65 minutes.
- Warm the pulled pork and barbecue sauce together in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Split the potatoes, squeeze the ends to open them and fluff the centers with a fork.
- Season the potato flesh with the remaining salt and black pepper, then fill with hot pork.
- Top with cheddar, sour cream and scallions and serve while the skins are still crisp.
Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Brunswick Stew
Brunswick stew can take on whatever meat works for you, so pulled pork is a natural fit. This recipe uses a little barbecue sauce, but especially if there's barbecue sauce in your pulled pork to begin with, feel free to leave it out.
Ingredients
Method
- Put the potatoes, onion, tomatoes, broth, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire, paprika and salt in a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Stir, cover and cook on high until the potatoes are almost tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
- Add the pulled pork and lima beans and stir to break up any dense clumps of meat.
- Cover and cook on high for 1 1/2 hours until the beans and potatoes are tender.
- Stir in the frozen corn and cook uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Add the cider vinegar, taste for salt and let the stew stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Pulled Pork Pineapple Fried Rice
In Asia, fried rice is usually a means for leftovers, and I'm sure some intrepid home cook in Singapore or Hong Kong is making fried rice with leftover American-style BBQ as we speak. Pineapple makes sense given the sweetness of the pork, but it's not at all necessary.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat.
- Scramble the eggs until barely set, transfer them to a plate and wipe out loose bits.
- Add another tablespoon oil and cook the pineapple without moving for 2 minutes, then add the bell pepper and scallion whites for 2 minutes.
- Add the remaining oil, cold rice and ginger and stir-fry until the grains are hot and separated, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Fold in the pulled pork and cook until its edges begin to brown, about 3 minutes.
- Return the egg, add the soy sauce and sesame oil and toss for 1 minute.
- Scatter the scallion greens over the fried rice and serve immediately.
Pulled Pork and Charred Corn Quesadillas
Quesadillas are another dish basically designed for leftovers, and pulled pork happens to be one of the most common fillings. Charring the corn makes this something special.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat a large skillet over high heat and cook the corn in 1 teaspoon oil until browned in spots, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer the corn to a bowl and mix it with the pulled pork and salsa verde.
- Lay out four tortillas and divide half the cheese, the pork mixture, scallions and remaining cheese among them.
- Top with the remaining tortillas and press gently.
- Brush the skillet with some of the remaining oil and cook one quesadilla at a time over medium heat until browned, about 3 minutes per side.
- Rest each quesadilla for 2 minutes, cut into wedges and serve with sour cream and lime.
Hawaiian Pulled Pork Sliders
Think of this as more Hawaiian-inspired than Hawaiian per se — no need to dig an underground oven for kalua pork (although please use it if you have it). For bonus points, stick the pineapple rings under the broiler or on the grill.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Slice the connected rolls horizontally and set the bottom slab in the dish.
- Mix the pulled pork with the barbecue sauce and spread it evenly over the rolls.
- Layer on the ham, pineapple rings and Swiss cheese and replace the roll tops.
- Whisk the melted butter, mustard and Worcestershire and brush it over the tops.
- Cover with foil and bake for 12 minutes, then uncover and bake 8 to 10 minutes until browned and hot.
- Rest for 5 minutes and cut along the roll seams.
Ginger Pulled Pork Ramen Bowls
While ramen across Japan has strong regional traditions and rigid rules, you don't need to worry if it's just you and a pack of instant noodles. Pork plays well with ginger here, and the Japanese-style eggs, not quite hard-boiled, are addictive.
Ingredients
Method
- Lower the eggs into boiling water, cook for 7 minutes, then move them to ice water before peeling and halving.
- Bring the broth, ginger, garlic, soy sauce and rice vinegar to a simmer in a wide pot.
- Add the mushrooms and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the pulled pork and cook until it is hot, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the ramen noodles and simmer just until loosened and tender, about 3 minutes.
- Fold in the spinach and remove the pot from the heat as soon as it wilts.
- Divide among four bowls and add the halved eggs and scallions.
Pulled Pork Shepherd’s Pie
If you think of shepherd's pie as a format, meat and veggies under mash, this makes more sense than it might at first blush. Texture the mashed potatoes with a fork for a little extra browning.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 400°F and grease a 2 1/2-quart baking dish.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook the onion over medium heat until soft, about 6 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then add the broth, Worcestershire and black pepper.
- Fold in the pulled pork and frozen vegetables and simmer until the filling is hot and lightly thickened, 5 minutes.
- Spread the pork mixture in the baking dish and spoon the warm mashed potatoes evenly over it.
- Rake the potatoes with a fork, brush them with melted butter and bake until bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Broil for 2 minutes if the ridges need more color, then rest the pie for 10 minutes.
Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Chile Verde
As long as the seasonings aren't too assertive, pulled pork can be the basis for a great chili verde. Roasting the veggies adds a little extra complexity.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the broiler and arrange the tomatillos, poblanos, jalapeño, onion and garlic on an oiled rimmed pan.
- Broil 6 inches from the heat, turning once, until the vegetables have dark spots and soften, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Peel the garlic and blend all the roasted vegetables with the broth, cumin and salt until mostly smooth.
- Pour the green sauce into a 5-quart slow cooker and fold in the pulled pork and hominy.
- Cover and cook on low until the pork has absorbed the sauce and the hominy is tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
- Stir in the lime juice, taste for salt and let the chile verde stand uncovered for 10 minutes.
Smoky Pulled Pork and Collard Bowls
Since collard greens are usually cooked with a cured pork product of one kind or another, they're a logical fit for leftover pulled pork. This recipe suggests brown rice, but I think white rice works better.
Ingredients
Method
- Put the collards, onion, tomatoes, broth, paprika, crushed red pepper and salt in a 5-quart slow cooker.
- Press the greens into the liquid, cover and cook on high for 2 hours.
- Stir the softened greens, then fold in the pulled pork and black-eyed peas.
- Cover and cook on high until the pork is hot and the collards are tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Stir in the cider vinegar and let the mixture stand uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Divide the brown rice among six bowls and spoon the pork, greens and broth over it.
Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese
Put almost anything in a grilled cheese, and it'll probably taste good. Don't go too heavy on the barbecue sauce, or the whole thing will fall apart.
Ingredients
Method
- Spread one side of every bread slice with the softened butter.
- Turn four slices butter-side down and divide half the cheddar over them.
- Add a thin layer of warm pork, a tablespoon of barbecue sauce, dry pickle slices and black pepper to each.
- Top with the remaining cheddar and bread, keeping the buttered sides facing out.
- Cook two sandwiches at a time in a covered skillet over medium-low heat until the bottoms are golden, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Turn carefully and cook uncovered until the second sides brown and the cheese is melted, 3 minutes more.
- Rest 2 minutes before cutting to keep filling between the slices.
Pulled Pork Biscuit Pot Pie
Think of this as biscuits and gravy, pulled pork edition. Instead of breakfast sausage, you use pulled pork, and instead of assembling it on the plate, you bake it all together.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 400°F and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan and cook the onion over medium heat until soft, 6 minutes.
- Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in the warm broth and milk.
- Simmer until thick enough to coat a spoon, 4 to 5 minutes, and stir in the Worcestershire, salt and black pepper.
- Fold in the pulled pork, frozen vegetables and barbecue sauce and cook until the mixture just begins to bubble.
- Spread the hot filling in the baking dish and arrange the separated biscuits over it with a little space between them.
- Bake until the filling bubbles and the biscuits are deeply browned and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Rest the pot pie for 10 minutes before serving.
