Apple BBQ Pulled Pork Freezer Meal Recipe

This Apple BBQ Pulled Pork is tender, smoky, and sweet – which is exactly what pulled pork should be. Its make-ahead, meal prep nature meals it’s completely hands-off for you – which is exactly what dinner should be.  

Why you’ll love this Make Ahead Apple BBQ Pulled Pork

• Perfect balance of sweet and smoky – the apple BBQ combo hits it! 
• So versatile! Lettuce wraps, tacos, sandwiches – you name it, you can do it. 
• The best game day dish. Or pot lock, family dinner, or random weeknight. 
• No-fuss dinner. Set it, forget it, enjoy it when it’s done. 

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Apple BBQ Pulled Pork

This make-ahead Apple BBQ Pulled Pork recipe is the perfect combination of sweet and smoky, which means the whole family will love it. 

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Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 3 lbs pork shoulder (or pork butt)
• 2 Gala apples diced
• 1-2 cups BBQ sauce homemade recipe below

Homemade BBQ Sauce (Blend Together):

• 3 oz tomato paste
• 3 tbsp raw honey
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 0.25 tsp yellow mustard
• 0.5 cup water
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 0.25 tsp cinnamon
• 1.5 tsp ground cumin
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder

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US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

 

Make it Fresh | Slow Cooker Directions:

• Add four balls aluminum foil into base of slow cooker, then place pork shoulder on top. Add gala apples, and 1 cup BBQ sauce. 
• (Optional) If making Homemade BBQ Sauce: Add sauce ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. (You may have to scrape sides once or twice.) Store remaining sauce in fridge or freezer until you are ready to eat.
• Cook on low for 9-11 hours. 
• Remove pork from slow cooker and shred in large bowl, stir in any reserved BBQ sauce. 
• Serve shredded pork with veggies, as a sandwich, or on its own!

Freezer Meal Prep Directions:

• Prepare a gallon freezer bag, labeling according to your preferred method.
• (Optional) If making Homemade BBQ Sauce: Add sauce ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. (You may have to scrape sides once or twice).
• Add pork, apples, and 1 cup BBQ sauce to freezer bag. (Reserve remaining homemade BBQ sauce for serving).
• Seal bag, removing as much air as possible, freeze for up to three months.

Slow Cooker | Cooking Directions

• Thaw freezer bag in fridge 12-24 hours before cooking.
• Add four balls aluminum foil into base of slow cooker, then dump the contents of the freezer bag on top of foil balls.
• Cook on low for 9-11 hours. 
• Remove pork from slow cooker and shred in large bowl, stir in any reserved BBQ sauce. 
• Serve shredded pork with veggies, as a sandwich, or on its own.

Instant Pot | Cooking Directions:

• Dump the contents of the freezer bag, plus ½ cup water, into the Instant Pot.
• Set to High Pressure for 60 minutes, then allow a 10-minute natural release followed by a quick release.
• Remove pork from Instant Pot and shred in large bowl, stir in the reserved BBQ sauce. 
• Serve shredded pork with veggies, as a sandwich, or on its own.

Keyword BBQ Pork Shoulder Recipe, Freezer meal pulled pork, Make-ahead freezer meal pork, Slow cooker Apple BBQ pulled pork

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What to Serve with Apple BBQ Pulled Pork

• Pineapple, any way you like it. The perfect complement to the flavor – serve on the side or chop and serve on top. 
• Waffle fries. Buy a bag of them frozen, then pop in the oven or air fryer. Side’s done! 
• Corn on the cob – buy fresh or frozen, then boil, microwave, or grill for an easy, summer side. 
• Bagged coleslaw, tossed with whatever dressing you like. 
• Broccoli florets – grab a bag of it frozen, steam and toss with salt and pepper. 

Freezer Notes for Apple BBQ Pulled Pork

• Recipe will last for 3-6 months in the freezer (be sure to remove as much air as possible from the freezer bag before freezing).
• As a meat recipe, I recommend thawing for 12-24 hours before cooking. This follows food safety guidelines and makes it much easier to transfer from the freezer bag to your slow cooker/Instant Pot.
• Recipe can be frozen after cooking, however this does change the texture and flavor. I recommend freezing raw, not cooked.
• When reheating, warm in a pot over medium heat with a splash of water or reheat in the microwave in 30–45 second intervals, stirring between each.

Want to Make it Fresh in the Slow Cooker Today?

Step 1: Add four balls aluminum foil into base of slow cooker. Then place pork shoulder on top. Add gala apples, and 1 cup BBQ sauce. 

Step 2: (Optional) If making Homemade BBQ Sauce: Add sauce ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. (You may have to scrape sides once or twice). Store remaining sauce in fridge or freezer until you are ready to eat. 

Step 3: Cook on low for 9-11 hours.  

Step 4: Remove pork from slow cooker and shred in large bowl, stir in any reserved BBQ sauce.  

Step 5: Serve shredded pork with veggies, as a sandwich, or on its own! 

Real Mom Tips:

• If you want to shred faster, use a hand mixer on low – it gets the job done in seconds.  
• If you want the best shred texture, use two forks. It takes a minute, but it’s a minute well spent. 
• Don’t skip out on the foil balls in the slow cooker. They keep the meat from sitting in too much liquid during the cooking process. 
• Before shredding, make sure the pork is done with a meat thermometer. It should be 165°F. 
• Freeze the bag flat – your freezer will be more organized and it’ll thaw faster. 

Apple BBQ Pulled Pork Dietary Adjustments:

Make it Dairy-Free: Recipe is naturally dairy-free. 

Make it Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free BBQ sauce. 

Make it Nut-Free: Recipe is naturally nut-free. 

Make it Egg-Free: Recipe is naturally egg-free. 

Think “pulled pork.” Now, think “but even better.”

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FAQs

Which type of apples are best for this recipe? 

You’ll want to choose a sweet, firm apple for this recipe. My favorites are Gala, Fuji, and Honey Crisp. Typically, I buy what’s on sale between those three types. 

Don’t I need to add liquid to the slow cooker? 

The apples will release liquid as the meal cooks, and the BBQ sauce provides moisture, so extra liquid isn’t needed. 

Will the apples cook down and be soft or will they remain firm? 

Since the recipe cooks for a while, the apples have plenty of time to break down. They blend into the sauce, which is the reason it has the subtly sweet flavor, and they don’t take away from the tender texture of the shredded pork. 

How do I make this spicier? 

If you’re wanting to up the spice of the recipe, feel free to add hot sauce to taste once the recipe is finished. You can do this to individual portions so everyone can customize their own, or you can add the hot sauce to the entire batch. Alternatively, you can add a pinch of red pepper flakes when you prep the meal (or when you cook it). I’d probably go the hot sauce route so everyone can have the spice level they desire, though. 

How do I make this recipe Whole 30-compliant? 

Making this recipe Whole 30-compliant is actually pretty easy! Just omit the honey  and use a Whole 30-compliant BBQ sauce. In place of the honey, you can use date paste, but I’d actually recommend using 100% pure pineapple juice – the flavor will be a perfect complement to the flavors of the dish. 

What do I do if the pork is tough? 

Typically, if pork is tough it needs to be cooked longer. Pork shoulder needs time to break down, so keep it cooking on low until it shreds easily with a fork. Also, make sure there’s enough liquid in the pot to keep the meat moist while it cooks – you can add some vegetable or beef broth if necessary. 

What other meat can I use besides pork shoulder? 

Pork shoulder really is ideal for this recipe; the ingredients bring flavors that meld really well with pork. If you eat kosher or aren’t a fan of pork, you can definitely swap the pork in this recipe for beef chuck roast or beef brisket. I’d recommend chuck roast over brisket because of the price point and because it has great marbling, it shreds beautifully, and it soaks up the BBQ sauce perfectly. 

Other Pork Recipes You’ll Love

• Sausage Tortellini Bake Freezer Meal Recipe
• Enchilada Pork Bowl Freezer Meal Recipe
• Best Rib Rub Freezer Meal Recipe
• Baked Bean Chili Freezer Meal Recipe
• Sweet Italian Meatballs Freezer Meal Recipe

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