Lusciously Tender Keto Pulled Pork Recipes

For those embracing a ketogenic lifestyle, the idea of enjoying classic comfort food like pulled pork might seem challenging. However, with a few clever modifications, you can savor delicious, keto-friendly pulled pork that aligns with your dietary goals. This article explores various keto pulled pork recipes, offering options for different cooking methods and flavor preferences.

Why Keto Pulled Pork?

Pulled pork is a versatile and satisfying dish that can easily be adapted for a ketogenic diet. By eliminating added sugars from rubs and sauces and focusing on high-fat cuts of pork, you can create a meal that is both flavorful and macro-friendly. Many traditional BBQ sauces are not keto-friendly, but with a few modifications, pulled pork can easily be made keto-friendly. Simply swap out the sugar for keto-friendly sugar in both the rub and BBQ sauce.

Selecting the Right Pork Cut

The foundation of any great pulled pork recipe is the cut of meat. For keto pulled pork, it’s essential to choose a fatty cut that will become tender and juicy during cooking. Two excellent options are:

• Boston Butt: Despite its name, the Boston butt is a cut from the pork shoulder. It is well-marbled with fat, making it ideal for slow cooking and shredding.
• Picnic Roast: Also from the shoulder, the picnic roast is another flavorful and economical choice for pulled pork.

Taking into account bones, fat, and juices, you can generally expect about half the cooked weight of the raw Boston Butt or Pork Shoulder. So, a five-pound Boston Butt would yield approximately two and a half pounds of pulled pork. The average serving size per person is approximately five ounces.

Keto Pulled Pork Recipes

There are several ways to prepare keto pulled pork, each offering unique advantages. Here are some popular methods:

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

Instant Pot Keto Pulled Pork

The Instant Pot is a game-changer for quick and easy pulled pork. This method significantly reduces cooking time while still delivering tender, flavorful results.

Ingredients:

• Pork butt or shoulder, cut into chunks
• Bacon grease or oil for searing
• Salt and pepper
• Chili powder, cumin, and garlic
• Chicken broth
• Sugar-free BBQ sauce

Instructions:

1. Pat the pork roast dry and chop into large chunks. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
2. Turn the Instant Pot to the sauté function and add bacon grease. Brown the pork chunks on all sides in batches.
3. Place all the pork back in the pot and sprinkle with chili powder, cumin, and garlic.
4. Pour in the chicken broth and seal the lid, ensuring the vent is set to seal.
5. Set the Instant Pot to manual high for 45 minutes.
6. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 to 20 minutes.
7. Transfer the pork to a large bowl and shred with two forks.
8. Add sugar-free BBQ sauce and toss to combine.

To deglaze the Instant Pot, simply add a bit of liquid with the saute function on and scrape the bits stuck to the bottom with a wooden spoon. Deglazing not only adds wonderful flavor to your dish, but it also cleans the inner pot. The Instant Pot has to have a certain amount of liquid in the pot to come to pressure. Otherwise, it won’t be able to generate enough steam. You will now pile the meat and liquids back in the pot. After turning your dial to high pressure, it will take about 10-15 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure before starting to pressure cook.

Slow Cooker Keto Pulled Pork

The slow cooker is a classic choice for pulled pork, offering a hands-off cooking approach that results in incredibly tender meat.

Instructions:

1. Place pork in the slow cooker.
2. Massage the spice rub all over the meat.If you have the time, cover and refrigerate the meat for 3 hours or as long as 24 to let the rub set in. If you are planning ahead, I recommend letting the rub set in. If you don't have the time, just season the pork and start cooking.
3. When you're ready to cook, pour the chicken broth into the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
4. Shred with two forks or tongs and serve.

Oven-Baked Keto Pulled Pork

For those without an Instant Pot or slow cooker, the oven is a reliable alternative.

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
2. Heat bacon grease in a large Dutch oven over medium heat and brown the pork chunks.
3. Add in the spices and chicken broth (about 1 1/4 cups).
4. Cover and transfer to the oven and let cook for 3 hours.

Smoked Keto Pulled Pork

For a truly authentic BBQ flavor, smoking the pork butt is the way to go.

Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide

Instructions:

1. Heat your Traeger to 250ºF. I prefer this cooked with apple pellets.
2. Season the pork butt generously on all sides with kosher salt.
3. Smoke the pork butt fat side UP for 3-4 hours until it has an internal temperature of 160ºF.
4. Lay out 4 pieces of aluminum foil so you can wrap the pork butt as air tight as possible. Transfer the pork butt fat side UP to the aluminum foil, partially wrap so the liquid won't leak out, then pour on the juice/cider/bone broth and then wrap the pork butt completely in foil.
5. Continue to cook on your Traeger at 250ºF for another 3-4 hours until the pork has an internal temperature of 205ºF.
6. Remove from the grill and rest for 30-45 minutes wrapped in the foil.
7. After it has rested. transfer the pork butt to a large bowl. Shred with 2 forks. Pour on remaining cooking liquid from the foil and add kosher salt as needed/desired.

Keto-Friendly Rub and Sauce

A crucial aspect of keto pulled pork is using a sugar-free rub and BBQ sauce. Here's how to make them:

Keto Rub Recipe:

• Paprika
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Chili powder
• Cumin
• Salt and pepper
• Lakanto Monkfruit Golden (or other keto-friendly brown sugar substitute)

Keto BBQ Sauce Recipe:

Many recipes exist, often involving a base of tomato paste, vinegar, spices, and a keto-friendly sweetener like erythritol or stevia. Some people love this method as it shreds the meat very quickly. Bear Claws - My hubby recently got a pair of these.

Serving Suggestions and Variations

Keto pulled pork is incredibly versatile. Here are some serving ideas:

• Pulled Pork Bowls: Serve over cauliflower rice with keto coleslaw and sautéed vegetables.
• Nachos: Using keto tortilla chips, load your nachos with pulled pork, cheese, and your favorite toppings like green onions, tomatoes, avocados, and cilantro.
• Mac and Cheese: Combine pulled pork with keto mac and cheese, topping with crushed pork rinds for a crunchy texture.
• Sandwiches: While traditional buns are off-limits, use lettuce wraps or keto-friendly bread for a satisfying sandwich.

Tips for the Best Keto Pulled Pork

• Don't add too much liquid: Pressure cooking will force the meat release plenty of its own juices.
• Add the BBQ sauce after cooking: Because the pressure releases so much liquid, your sauce will get far too diluted if you add it into the pot before cooking.
• Reserve a little of the cooking liquid: Depending on the cut of meat, pulled pork can get a little dry as it sits.
• Browning the pork first helps caramelize the fats and bring out better flavor in the meat. Use the sauté function on the Instant Pot.
• Cut the meat into chunks. A whole 3 or 4 lb roast takes a lot longer to cook through, so cutting it up saves even more time.

Storing and Reheating

Keto pulled pork can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It also freezes well for longer storage. To reheat, simply warm it in a skillet or microwave, adding a little extra sauce or cooking liquid to maintain moisture.

Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto

tags: #keto #pulled #pork #recipes