Reheating Frozen Pulled Pork in a Crockpot: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Do you have too much leftover pulled pork to eat before it goes bad? I’ve got you covered. Well, me, some freezer bags, and a permanent marker have you covered.

Pork shoulder, which is also called pork butt, pork rump roast, or boston butt roast, is a cheap but tasty cut of meat. I often grab this type of meat when they’re on sale to prepare in my slow cooker.

People love it when you feed a lot of people, but because the cut is naturally good for making a lot, you’ll probably end up with leftovers even if you’re not having a barbecue. And one can only eat so many pulled pork sandwiches in the same week.

As you read this guide, we’ll talk about the best ways to freeze pulled pork so that all of your hard work doesn’t go to waste and you always have cooked pork on hand for a sandwich or pork tacos.

Have extra chicken? The steps are pretty much the same, but I have a separate post about how to freeze rotisserie chicken here.

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There are many ways to make pulled pork, but my favorite is in a slow cooker because I can just set it and forget about it. Dump and go crock pot recipes are great for busy days. Barbecue enthusiasts may prefer to smoke it, which is also delicious. For any pulled pork recipe to work, the meat needs to be cooked slowly and slowly. This makes it tender and easy to shred. So, the pork is cooked to a higher temperature than the minimum 145 degrees Fahrenheit needed for shredding. Even though it was cooked slowly, it will still be fall-apart tender.

During the cooking process, I suggest not using barbecue sauce when making a large amount of pulled pork that will be left over. With a spice mix like the one in this recipe, the pork’s flavor stays the main focus. The meat can also be used in more than one type of cooking for leftovers. You can of course still slather your sandwich with bbq sauce!.

What if I haven’t cooked the pulled pork yet?

If a roast is too big for your family or your cooking machine, it’s best to cut it in half, cook one half, and freeze the other half for later.

To freeze a whole or partial pork roast, first wrap the raw roast in plastic wrap. Since it won’t conform to your bag shape it’s much harder to remove air. Then, wrap it again in heavy-duty aluminum foil. If it fits, put the uncooked roast in a freezer bag, or wrap it in more plastic wrap. Label and freeze for up to 6 months.

What can I make with leftover pulled pork?

You can make a lot of tasty meals with pork that you’ve already cooked. Some of our favorites are burritos, nachos, egg rolls, pot stickers, crescent sandwiches, pastas, sliders, salads, and yes, barbecue sandwiches.

Allow your pulled pork to come to room temperature before freezing leftovers. If you put fresh pork leftovers in an airtight container and put them in the fridge, they will last for 3–5 days. However, I suggest freezing them after 3 days.

Think about how much meat you’ll need for a recipe to help you choose the right sizes of bags. These leftover pulled pork carnitas tacos use 2 cups for 8 tacos. For a dish like pork fried rice or single servings, you can use less. For a big family or teenagers who are hungry, you can use more. In terms of food safety, you can freeze pulled pork twice, but it may lose some of its flavor and be more likely to get freezer burn. So, it’s best to freeze in a couple of smaller bags rather than one large one.

For a small portion of 1 cup up to 3 cups of pulled pork, use a quart freezer top. For portions of 4 cups or more a gallon freezer bag is preferable.

Bring the pork to room temperature or below if you put it in the fridge. Then, get some quart or gallon freezer bags and a Sharpie. Alternatively, you can use a vacuum sealer if you have one. You can also use a measuring cup to be sure of how much meat to put in each large freezer bag that can be sealed again.

The first step is to put enough meat in a ziploc bag for one meal (2 cups). Be sure to include some of the cooking juices to keep it moist. To make it flat, use your hands or a rolling pin. When the meat gets close to the seal, close it three quarters of the way.

Work the meat into an even layer by pressing it into the corners and edges and getting rid of as much air as you can from the open area. Too much air can contribute to freezer burn.

Finish sealing the bag, and label it clearly with the quantity of meat, and the date of freezing. While the pork freezes, put the meat in the freezer flat. Once it’s frozen, you can turn it over or put it on its side, whichever works best for you.

If you do not have freezer bags, you can use a freezer safe container and plastic wrap. Put the pork as tightly as you can into the container. Then put the cling wrap on top and press the air out from under it. Label the container and freeze.

Once frozen, cooked pulled pork should last in your freezer up to 3 months.

There are two primary methods of defrosting frozen pulled pork. The first and best way is to thaw it in the refrigerator. To do this, put one bag on a plate with a rim or in a container and put it on a fridge shelf. In case the bag gets holed in the freezer, the plate will catch the leak. You don’t want any leaks in the fridge. If your plans change, this method lets you re-freeze the pork without worrying about food safety. However, going through the freezing process more than once raises the risk of freezer burn and lowers the quality of the meat.

The second way is to defrost the pork in cold water. This is a faster method than the refrigerator and maintains good quality pork. However, since the temperature changes so quickly, it is not a good idea to freeze meat that has been thawed this way. Cold water should be changed out every 30 minutes to avoid bacterial growth.

A third but less common method is sous vide, a cooking method that can also be used to both defrost and reheat. While typical zip-top bags are not meant for microwaving or boiling, Anova endorses them for sous vide cooking. To use the sous vide method, submerge your bag of frozen pulled pork in a pot of water and set your sous vide appliance to 145 degrees until the pork is hot and ready to serve.

For best quality, reheat your pulled pork on the stove top. Put some water and meat in a pan or pot. Heat over medium-low heat until the meat reaches the right temperature of at least 145 degrees.

You can also reheat in a conventional oven. Set your oven to 225 degrees and put the pork in a casserole dish, roasting pan, or pot that can go in the oven. Cover with aluminum foil or the pot lid and heat until warmed through- about 20 minutes.

Alternatively, you can reheat the pulled pork in the microwave. Place your pork and 1 tablespoon per cup of water in a microwave-safe dish. Cover with a paper towel or microwave cover and cook 15-30 seconds at a time until hot. Exact cooking times will vary depending on your appliance.

Tip: If youre making a dish that calls for additional spices, you can add them during this step. The above was turned into carnitas tacos in just a few minutes all in the same pan.

Simple Pulled Pork Re-Heating Method