This apple BBQ pulled pork is a great freezer meal for your meal plan! It can be as simple as two or three ingredients if you prefer to use your favorite packaged BBQ sauce!
Or if you are aiming to make everything from scratch I have included a healthy BBQ sauce you can make with a blender and staple pantry ingredients. (apple cider vinegar, raw honey, spices, etc…)
Who knew making homemade BBQ sauce for your pulled pork was so easy!
The apple in this pork bbq recipe gives you a wonder tartness combined with the sweetness of your BBQ sauce.
Tip: If you like heat add a little hot sauce or chipotle! Absolute perfection!
Pork and apple have quite a history of tasting delicious together, one classic dish is a slow cooker pork roast with apples. That dish inspired this apple bbq slow cooker recipe, and being a lover of comfort food the bbq recipe version wins hands down!
p.s. I love comfort food but also healthy food. Making the easy apple bbq sauce in my recipe below makes this apple bbq pulled pork recipe both preservative free for a delicious clean meal!
Don’t forget to tag @FamilyFoodFreezer or #familyfoodfreezer!
Apple BBQ Pulled Pork
Equipment
- Slow Cooker/Crock Pot
Ingredients
- 3 lb pork shoulder or pork butt
- 2 gala apples, chopped
- 1 cup BBQ sauce (if you want to make your own see recipe below)
Homemade BBQ Sauce (Blend Together):
- 3 oz tomato paste
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 3 tbsp raw honey
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp mustard
Supplies for freezing:
- 1 Gallon Freezer Bag
Instructions
Directions:
- Add four balls aluminum foil into base of slow cooker.
- Set pork atop foil balls then top pork with bbq sauce and chopped apples.
- Cook on low 9-10 hours.
- Remove from slow cooker and shred.
- Serve over rice, in tortillas, in a sandwich or any other way you like!
Freezer Directions:
- Label Freezer bag with Recipe name, cooking from freezer directions and expiration date (todays date plus three months).
- Add all ingredients to labeled gallon freezer bag.
- Store in freezer for up to three months.
Cooking from Freezer Directions:
- If desired, Thaw overnight in fridge or in the morning in water (meal may not be 100% thawed but that is ok).
- Add four balls aluminum foil into base of slow cooker.
- Add freezer bag contents into the slow cooker atop foil balls.
- Cook on low 9-10 hours.
- Remove from slow cooker and shred.
- Serve over rice, in tortillas, in a sandwich or any other way you like!
Notes
- Be sure to only cook pork butt or should on low, that is how the pork gets its amazing flavor and texture!
- Optional: Add 1 tsp liquid smoke.
What is the best cut of meat for pulled pork?
Pork tenderloin or pork shoulder works great in this slow cooker pulled pork recipe. Both these cuts of meat will cook long and slow in the crockpot getting tender and juicy ready for you to enjoy when its dinner time! Learn more about cuts of pork here!
How do you fix dry pulled pork?
Add a little extra BBQ sauce if making this recipe. If your making something else and you have a dried pulled pork issue try using chicken broth or veggie broth!
How do you shred pulled pork?
Just use two fork and pull the forks apart from each other to shred the meat.
What if I forgot to thaw my freezer meal?
Don’t worry. This recipe can be thawed a bit in water in the morning or cooked straight out of the freezer. You just may need 30-60 min extra cook time if frozen.
How do you pull a pork shoulder?
Cut a chunk off your pork shoulder if it is very large and start shredding with two forks pulled apart from each other as you insert them into the meat.
Is apple BBQ pulled pork good for you?
This recipe sure is! Making everything from scratch in your food gives you the control of what you eat. No hidden ingredients or unknown preservatives. And things like BBQ sauce are as simple as throwing things into a blender!
If you’ve been craving BBQ Pulled Pork then try this recipe! Its one of those comfort food that you crave and cannot get out of your mind till you sit down to enjoy!
If you liked this recipe then you may like my enchilada pork bowl recipe you can find here!
