Pulled pork is an easy meal to throw together in the slow cooker or grill. But, what about the leftovers? Here are a fabulous variety of Leftover Pulled Pork Recipes the entire family will love.
My family loves pulled pork. It’s a staple in our menu because it’s delicious and everyone enjoys eating it. I love making it because it is a cheap cut of meat and oh so easy to make. And the leftovers? It’s begging to be used again and again!
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The best way to cook pulled pork
When I first started cooking, I would use this slow cooker pulled pork recipe. Just put all the ingredients in the crockpot, turn it on and walk away. But after my husband perfected his smoked pulled pork, we have gotten spoiled and prefer our pork on our Big Steel Keg.
If you are impatient and don’t want to wait all day for shredded meat goodness, you can make pulled pork or carnitas in the instant pot. You’ll have a fabulous taco bar ready in a fraction of the time.
Another favorite and easy way to make this family friendly meal is in the oven. When it is cold outside, I like to make my crispy oven pulled pork. I feature this method in the video on this post.
Which is better? I guess it all depends on how much time you want to spend. Although grilling your pork yields the best tasting meat I ever had, not everyone has the time to deal with a grill. In that case, nothing beats the slow cooker method. And of course, you can make it crispy at home by finishing it off in the oven. So many choices!
The best cut of meat for pulled pork
If you are making pulled pork, you have several choices in meat cuts. The most common choice is the pork shoulder. It is the lower part of the pork shoulder and includes part of the front leg quarter. Because it includes part of the leg muscles, this cut needs more time to break down and tenderize.
Another popular cut of meat is a Boston butt. Strange name, but it is from the high part of the pig’s shoulder, above the shoulder blade, and not the actual butt of the pig. It has a lot of marbled fat, making it ideal for the grill and it includes part of the picnic shoulder.
The picnic shoulder, or picnic ham, is a shoulder cut with the shank attached. This cut is cheaper than the other cuts because it requires less work butchering it, and it contains more bone.
Best ingredients to add flavor
Pulled pork is also not a tedious meal because you can add any flavors you want to the sauce while it cooks, or even afterwards. When in a pinch, I go simple with store-bought bbq sauce. But when I’m feeling creative, I make my own sauce and add orange juice, pomegranate concentrate, whiskey or countless other flavorings to make my sauce sing.
When grilling our pork, we use a dry rub – a mix of spices like paprika, chile pepper, brown sugar and garlic powder. I swear no two rubs my husband uses are alike. But each concoction is incredibly smokey and delicious.
I have made so many different versions of this meal for my family, and they all have a special place in our heart. However you do end up cooking your pulled pork, I encourage you to mix things up and try something new:
Instant Pot Pulled Pork Chile Verde
Smoked Pulled Pork with Honey Whiskey Barbecue Sauce
Asian Fusion Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Can I make soup with my pork bones?
When we make pulled pork, sometimes we use a boneless pork shoulder, but other times it’s the bone-in pork shoulder that is on sale. Yes, a bone in roast takes longer to cook than a boneless cut of meat, it does at extra flavor.
But once the pork is shredded, you are left with a giant bone. Did you know you can make soup with it? I wrote this post all about how to make instant pot bone broth. And one of the bone broths I made was a pork bone broth.
Although bone broth needs more pieces of connective tissue than a pork shoulder has (which is none), you can still make a delicious broth with a pork shoulder bone. If you want more gelatin in your pork bone broth, add some pork neck bones to the mix. A roasted bone gives more flavor than a raw bone, but either can be used to make pork broth.
30 Leftover Pulled Pork Recipes
And when you are cooking up a massive pork shoulder roast or pork butt roast, you are blessed with leftovers that taste BETTER the next day. But what can you do with leftover pulled pork?
Think outside the bun, because here it is…
Leftover Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese
Combine two classic comfort foods together to make this leftover pulled pork mac and cheese, one amazing dinner the whole family will be fighting over!
Instant Pot Pulled Pork Chile Verde French Fries
This Instant Pot pulled pork chile verde is made by pressure cooking pieces of pork shoulder in a delicious homemade chile salsa verde made with roasted green chiles, tomatillos, onions, garlic and cilantro. Serve alone, as tacos or top french fries to make carnitas fries.
Leftover Pulled Pork Nachos
Super easy and loaded with goodies, this sheet pan pulled pork nachos is a perfect way to feed a crowd while watching the big game or your favorite movie.
Baked Taquitos with Steak
These easy oven baked taquitos are made with steak, but you can easily swap it out and use leftover pulled pork or carnitas instead!
Leftover Pulled Pork Tacos
These easy to make leftover pulled pork tacos are stuffed with delicious pulled pork, avocado pico de gallo, shredded cabbage and topped with a spicy crema. Perfect in soft flour or corn tortillas, even crispy taco shells.
Campfire Dutch Oven Cornbread Chili
Instead of making chili with ground beef or turkey, use leftover pulled pork. Try something special like this Dutch Oven Chili with Cornbread where you bake the cornbread in the same pot as your chili!
Mexican-Style Charro Pinto Beans
Sick of chili? Substitute the ham hocks for pulled pork and make this delicious instant pot cowboy pinto beans (charro beans).
Leftover Pulled Pork Ragu with Polenta
Use up leftovers to make this incredible pulled pork ragu. Serve over pasta or my favorite, creamy polenta and you've got an incredible Italian comfort food that will blow you away!
Chipotle Lime Carnitas Salad
Top your salad with some bbq goodness, like this chipotle lime carnitas salad.
Leftover Pulled Pork Spanish Rice (Mexican Rice)
Leftover pulled pork Spanish rice with corn and roasted hatch chilies is the perfect comfort food dish. So easy to whip up, and kids of all ages will devour it every time you make it!
Cherry Chipotle BBQ Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps (or sliders!)
Dollop the pork into baby lettuce cups or endive for a gluten-free treat.
Slow Cooker Hawaiian BBQ Pork Wonton Tacos
Wrap them in gyoza and make some pulled pork won tons
Pulled Pork and Collard Green Egg Rolls with Alabama White BBQ Dipping Sauce
Go one-step further and roll them with cabbage or collard greens to make leftover pulled pork egg rolls.
Spicy Pulled Pork Ramen
Want soup? Serve up some delicious spicy pulled pork ramen.
Pulled Pork Empanadas with Peach-Chipotle Barbecue Sauce
Leftover pulled pork gets a makeover with empanadas and a sweet-smokey-spicy barbecue dipping sauce.
Leftover Pulled Pork Breakfast Hash with Eggs
Whether you are looking for a hearty breakfast or a new way to use up leftovers, this leftover pulled pork breakfast hash with eggs makes a terrific meal for any time of the day!
Pulled Pork Eggs Benedict
Pulled Pork Eggs Benedict is the ultimate breakfast experience. Barbecue pulled pork, English muffins, poached eggs, and plenty of Hollandaise!
The Easiest 2 Ingredient White Queso
Stir some leftover pulled pork in with queso to make a very special game day dip!
Slow Cooker Asian Pork Noodles Recipe
A great slow cooker recipe for summer, these Slow Cooker Asian Pork Noodles are made ENTIRELY in the crockpot! You don’t even need to brown the meat, so it heats up your kitchen as little as possible.
Pork Sausage Fried Brown Rice
Go Asian in a different way and stir it in your fried rice using whatever vegetables you have available.
Savory Crepes with Turkey, Mushroom and Swiss Cheese
Use this savory crepe recipe and stuff it with leftover pulled pork and your favorite cheese.
Campfire Carne Asada Fries
Swap out the steak and top your fries with pulled pork!
Leftover Pulled Pork Quiche with Rosemary Olive Oil Pie Crust
Smoky and full of flavor, this leftover pulled pork quiche with rosemary olive oil pie crust makes a delicious breakfast or lunch. Make mini pulled pork quiches in a muffin tin and serve with barbecue sauce to make a fun appetizer.
Pulled Pork Stuffed Poblano Peppers Recipe
Stuff it in an Anaheim chile, jalepeño or bell pepper!
Instant Pot Pork Tamales [VIDEO]
Stuff them to make these Instant Pot Pork Tamales. This authentic Mexican recipe is incredibly tasty and ready in half the time.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Still eat as a sandwich, but switch out the bread. Try tortillas, lavash, pretzel rolls, focaccia or challah.
BBQ Pulled Pork Savory Waffles
Heard of fried chicken and waffles? Why not pulled pork and waffles!
Leftover Pulled Pork Pizza
Pulled pork is an easy meal to throw together in the crockpot. But, what about the leftovers? This Leftover Pulled Pork Pizza is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner.
BBQ Pulled Pork Pop Tarts
Bake it in phyllo, puff pastry or pie crust to make leftover pulled pork hand pies.
Leftover Pulled Pork Cubano Sandwich with Pickled Shallots
These easy-to-make pickled shallots will soon be your secret ingredient to take your Leftover Pulled Pork Cubano Sandwich or any sandwich to a whole new level.
I’d do anything to get the bbq pulled pork sandwich on top. I need to go sleep, but I have a feeling that I’d be thinking about this until I pass out. 😀
Pulled pork is not something you hear much about here but I am intrigued. I don’t have a slow cooker though and usually have to make quick meals because I don’t get home from work until after 6pm. Maybe on the weekends…
suzanne, not getting home until after 6 p.m. is precisely why you need a slow cooker! When you arrive home, weary and harried, there it is, filling your house with wonderful fragrances and ready to dish up. Afterwards, wash the insert and make up tomorrow’s recipe, which will rest politely in the ‘frig, until just before you leave for work, at which time it will slide into your slow cooker and busily cook, all unattended, until you arrive home, weary etc. See the bliss of it?
No need for a slow cooker. Use a crock pot. Just plop a frozen port butt in and add some Beef broth, maybe some beer and set it to cool low all day. Start it in the morning and when you get home the house will smell soo good. You can add things like peppers or what ever you like and there you go. Fast easy and ready when you get home. I’ve cooked if form 8 to 12 hours. It just falls apart.
To most cooks, a crock pot and a slow cooker are one and the same. Crock pot is a brand. Think of Kleenex vs tissue as a comparison.
That’s a great comparison. Just like “Xerox” has become synonymous with making copies.
Yumm that sounds awesome
Susan Perazzini…you might want to invest in a crock pot. They are fantastic for those of us who don’t get home until 6 or so. You can do SO much with a slow cooker!
Oh wow get yourself a slow cooker they are not expensive and are ideal for when you’re out at work all day! Chuck a pork shoulder in on low before you go to work and when you get home 8 -10 hours later it’s done! I shred it then pop it in the oven to dry out a bit…divine 🙂
Oh My Goodness Girl, You need to get a crockpot which will become your best friend! Put all ingredients of what you would like to cook in it, in the morning, turn it on low and leave for work! Viola…dinner will be done when you come home!
I LOVE my pressure cooker!! Done in an hour, including time to get to pressure!! Pork always comes out good, so does roast beef!!! I got one as a gift, and use it at least 2 times a week. You can also put a pork into a slow cooker because of your time, but this is just easier!
Pulled pork can be awesomeness. It is easiest made in the crock pot, with your desired bbq ingredients. It can be made in to so many things, long after the BBQ. Sandwiches, tacos, burritos, and on and on!
Well, as I am from Oz, but don’t have my own blog, I should not comment?! But I simply have never heard the term ‘pulled pork’ here? [Altho’ a number of US recipes have long taught!]. Other Oz readers, please help! But I do understand the term, and, since I love lean pork, it is more than appetizing, & I am ever so grateful to write all these ideas down and try them, one by one 🙂 !
As a kiwi living in the usa I understand not having heard the term. The best comparison would be shredded chicken. We smoke a pork butt in a smoker or some ppl do it in a crockpot but either way its low and slow. The meat becomes so tender that you can shred or pull it apart. Mix in some bbq sauce.. and put it on a hamburger bun with coleslaw and its yummo. Not any bbq sauce I tasted in nz though. Americans have taken bbq sauce to another level and I would recommend making your own or searcing… Read more »
Pulled pork is southern terminology explaining how the pork was treated in whole hog cooking situations. They’d get together and shred large portions of meat off of the whole hog after cooking/cooling. Cmon y’all lets get to that pork pullin.
The term ‘pulled’ just means shredded. The pork shoulder butt is so tender when it’s been slow cooked it falls apart with a fork. So, it just means pork that has been shredded with a fork.
Pulled pork was pork “pulled” off of a pit roasted whole hog, as we do in the South. The term has been adopted to mean shredded pork roast or BBQ in other areas.
Great bit of trivia. Thanks for sharing!
— Laura
Great ideas on ways to use the leftovers. I’ve done a few of those, but can’t wait to try some of the others. When I smoke a pork butt, I often do 2 or 3 and freeze the rest so we have a stash on hand for when the cravings hit. Thanks for sharing.
Pulled pork is such good stuff! And homemade BBQ is the way to go (though you can buy some mighty good boutique commercial ones these days). But of course when you make your own pulled pork you end up with a mountain of meat. Some great suggestions for what to do with the leftovers. Thanks!