Pulled pork is a classic barbecue dish that is tender, juicy, and full of flavor. While you can make pulled pork entirely from scratch, buying pre-made or store-bought pulled pork can save a lot of time and effort. However, store-bought pulled pork often needs some extra touches to make it restaurant-quality. There are many easy ways to enhance boxed or pre-cooked pulled pork so it tastes like you spent all day smoking a pork shoulder.
Add barbecue sauce
The most obvious addition to pulled pork is barbecue sauce. Slathering on a tangy, sweet and spicy barbecue sauce adds a ton of flavor. There are many styles of barbecue sauce to choose from:
- Kansas City-style: Sweet and tangy, often with molasses
- Memphis-style: Tomato-based with vinegar
- Texas-style: Tomato-based with spices
- North Carolina-style: Vinegar-based with pepper flakes
- South Carolina-style: Mustard-based
You can buy bottled barbecue sauce or make your own. Homemade sauce allows you to customize the flavor. Try mixing ketchup, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar and other ingredients to taste. Barbecue purists may scoff at slathering store-bought sauce on pulled pork, but it infuses a ton of extra flavor with minimal effort.
Include a spice rub
In addition to sauce, a dry spice rub adds flavor and crust to pulled pork. You can either mix the spices directly into the pork, or coat the outside and let it form a spicy, caramelized crust. Some classic spice rubs for pulled pork include:
- Brown sugar
- Chili powder
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Ground cumin
- Cayenne pepper
- Salt
- Black pepper
Try this simple, 5-ingredient rub:
| Brown sugar: | 1/4 cup |
| Smoked paprika: | 2 Tbsp |
| Garlic powder: | 1 Tbsp |
| Salt: | 1 Tbsp |
| Black pepper: | 1 Tbsp |
You can also purchase pre-made rubs, but make sure to get a sweet and smoky one meant for pork. Dry rubs add texture and concentrated flavor to pulled pork.
Mix in extra smoked flavor
The hallmark of great pulled pork is smoky flavor that’s achieved through hours of low and slow cooking. If your store-bought pork seems to be lacking that quintessential smoke taste, there are a few easy ways to increase it:
- Add liquid smoke – Just a dash of natural liquid smoke gives pork intense smoky notes.
- Mix in smoked paprika – Smoked paprika is made by smoking peppers, giving them a rich smoky taste.
- Sauté onions in bacon fat – Cooked bacon fat and onions impart smoky undertones.
- Deglaze with beer or broth – Pour a small amount of beer, broth or even just water into the pork cooking pan, let it simmer and scrape up browned flavor bits.
You can also mix a few wood chips in with the pork as it reheats to release live smoke. Or wrap pork in parchment then foil and bake it with a small bowl of smoker wood chips.
Include flavorful liquids
Moisture is key to keeping pulled pork tender and juicy. While you can just add plain water or broth, using flavor-packed liquids adds an extra layer of taste. Consider mixing in, simmering or serving pork with:
- Apple cider vinegar – Adds tanginess
- Fruit juice – Pineapple, orange or apple
- Root beer or cola – For sweetness
- Bourbon, rum or beer – For booze flavor
- Coffee – For richness
You can also simmer pork with onions, garlic, chipotle peppers or other aromatics to infuse flavor, then discard solids before shredding.
Include a flavorful fat
Pulled pork reaches its full potential of juiciness and flavor when cooked in and mixed with rich fat. If your pre-made pork seems dry or lean, stir in and coat shreds with added fat such as:
- Melted butter
- Bacon drippings
- Lard or tallow
- Duck fat
- Olive oil
Fats carry flavor compounds and keep pork moist. Mix in a tablespoon or two of your favorite cooking fat. Pork fat also softens when heated to coat shreds in juicy goodness.
Toss with flavor agents
There are many ways to quickly infuse extra taste into store-bought pulled pork right before serving. Toss hot pork with:
- Minced garlic
- Caramelized onions
- Sauteed peppers and onions
- Chopped pickles or relish
- Diced tomatoes
- Sliced jalapenos
- Shredded cheese
You can also top pulled pork with crispy fried shallots, bruschetta mix or fresh herb sprigs. Let guests build their own tacos by topping pork with avocados, cotija cheese, cilantro and diced onions.
Make it crispy
The hallmark texture of amazing pulled pork is tender, fall-apart shreds mixed with crispy, caramelized bark or outside bits. If your pork seems mushy, you can add crunch a few ways:
- Brown it – Quickly sauté or broil shredded pork to crisp the exterior.
- Bake it – Spread out pork shreds on a baking sheet and bake at 400F for 10-15 minutes to crisp the edges.
- Fry it – Toss small handfuls of pork in an air fryer or skillet with a bit of oil to add crunch.
Baking or frying also warms up cold, leftover pulled pork. The contrast of crispy browned bits and soft interior is what makes pulled pork so crave-worthy.
Mix in crunchy slaw
Coleslaw is a classic accompaniment to pulled pork sandwiches to provide cooling crunch. But you can also mix shredded cabbage right into pork for texture. Make a fast slaw by tossing thin sliced green and red cabbage with:
- Mayonnaise
- Apple cider vinegar
- Sugar
- Salt and pepper
Stir a bit of vinegary slaw into juicy pulled pork just before serving. The crisp cabbage cuts through the richness. You can also top pork with regular creamy mayo-based coleslaw.
Stuff it in a baked potato
Pulled pork can transform a baked potato into a flavor-packed meal. Simply bake russet potatoes until tender all the way through. Then split potatoes and fluff the insides with a fork. Top with juicy pulled pork, shredded cheese, butter and any other fixings like:
- Scallions
- Sour cream
- Bacon bits
- Barbecue sauce
- Ranch dressing
The baked potato halves soak up all the delicious pork juices and fat for more flavor in every bite.
Make cheesy quesadillas
Warmed flour tortillas layered with melted cheese and juicy pulled pork make incredible quesadillas. Just place shredded pork and shredded cheese (cheddar, pepper jack or Mexican blend) between tortillas. Cook in a skillet over medium heat until the cheese melts. Top quesadillas with:
- Salsa
- Guacamole
- Sour cream
- Jalapenos
- Cilantro
The quesadillas soak up pork juices and fat for added flavor. They’re easy to pick up and eat by hand for a fun, crowd-pleasing appetizer.
Make Italian sandwiches
Pulled pork can also make tasty Italian-style sandwiches. Pile pork high on crusty bread or rolls. Top with mozzarella cheese and quick giardiniera, an Italian relish of pickled vegetables.
To make giardiniera: Mix oil, white vinegar, salt, oregano and red pepper flakes. Pour over mixed chopped veggies like cauliflower, carrots, peppers and onions. The tangy relish cuts through the rich pork.
Other Italian pork sandwich toppings include:
- Spinach
- Italian dressing
- Pepperoncinis
- Banana peppers
- Pesto
The bold flavors transform pulled pork from Southern BBQ to a Italian taste sensation.
Make nachos
Pulled pork is fantastic on cheesy nachos. Just layer crispy tortilla chips with shredded pork, shredded cheese, beans, salsa, guacamole and any other favorite nacho toppers. Bake or broil until the cheese melts. Garnish with:
- Sliced jalapenos
- Sour cream
- Cilantro
- Hot sauce
The pork adds hearty richness and moisture so the nachos don’t dry out and get soggy. They make a perfect game day or party appetizer for a crowd.
Make ramen bowls
Pulled pork elevates instant ramen noodles from boring dorm food to a flavorful meal. Simply prepare ramen noodles according to package directions. Then top with hot shredded pork, broth and desired garnishes like:
- Soft boiled egg
- Sliced scallions
- Sliced mushrooms
- Bamboo shoots
- Baby bok choy
- Sesame seeds
The pork adds hearty protein and the fat enriches the broth. It makes an easy, comforting one-pot meal.
Make fried rice
Pulled pork is also delicious in fried rice. First cook jasmine rice until tender. Chill fully then toss with sesame oil. Fry the rice in a wok or skillet along with chopped veggies like carrots, peas and scallions. Then stir in shredded pork and season with soy sauce, ginger and garlic.
Garnish fried rice with:
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Sriracha
- Chopped peanuts
- Lime wedges
- Cilantro
The richness of the pork pairs perfectly with the crisp veggies. Enjoy this easy one-pan meal on its own or stuff into lettuce wraps.
Blend into dips
Shredded pulled pork can also help create easy yet flavor-packed dips for chips and crudités. Blend it into warm cheese, bean and veggie dips. Try mixing pork with:
- Queso dip
- Chili con queso
- Refried beans
- Hummus
- Spinach and artichoke dip
The meat adds hearty richness and protein. Garnish dips with scallions, bacon bits, chopped BBQ pork rinds or cilantro. Pork dip is perfect for game day appetizers or parties.
Add to omelets
Chopped pulled pork makes omelets extra hearty and flavorful. First make plain omelets or scrambles with beaten eggs. Then sprinkle hot shredded pork down the center along with any extra omelets fillings like:
- Shredded cheese
- Sautéed onions and peppers
- Salsa
- Avocado
- Sour cream
Then fold omelets over fillings and top with hot sauce before serving. The tender pork and runny eggs combine for an easy yet totally satisfying breakfast.
Conclusion
With just a few extra ingredients and preparations, boxed pulled pork can transform into restaurant-worthy BBQ. A flavorful sauce, spice rub, smoky flavors and crispy textures are key. Simply pick 1 or 2 enhancements that sound good and add them when heating up store-bought shredded pork. Soon you’ll have juicy, crave-worthy pulled pork ready for sandwiches, tacos, nachos and more. Add a unique spin by using pork in omelets, ramen bowls or stuffed potatoes. With the right additions, even basic store-bought pulled pork can become lip-smacking finger-licking good.