Freeze-Dried Pulled Pork at Home

Greg at Ballistic BBQ has done it again. After freeze-drying raw ground beef, chiles, cheese, and onion rings for a New Mexico-inspired cheeseburger, he moved on to pulled pork — one batch of pork shoulder dry-rubbed and smoked, another marinated in tacos al pastor seasoning with pineapple juice and pineapple chunks.

His verdict: "Very, very happy with the pulled pork. It looks and smells like fresh pulled pork... has the texture... very tender. It makes me laugh every time I do this because it's shocking how fresh it tastes."

How to Freeze-Dry Pulled Pork Yourself

Cook and shred the pork however you normally would — smoked, slow-cooked, or braised all work — then spread it in a single, even layer on the freeze dryer trays so it processes fully. Let it cool completely before loading the trays.

Once dried, store the pulled pork in an airtight mylar bag with an oxygen absorber. To rehydrate, add warm water or broth gradually, stirring as you go, until it returns to its original tender texture — the exact amount will depend on how much liquid the pork released during cooking, so add it a little at a time rather than all at once.

More Ways to Use It

Rehydrated pulled pork works well on its own, piled onto a bun, or folded into tacos if you went with the al pastor version. Freeze-dried and rehydrated cheeseburger has more from Greg's freeze-drying experiments if this one's a hit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can pulled pork be freeze-dried?
Yes — cook and shred it as usual, freeze-dry in a single layer, and store in an airtight mylar bag. Ballistic BBQ's Greg has freeze-dried both smoked and al pastor-marinated versions with good results.

How do you rehydrate freeze-dried pulled pork?
Add warm water or broth gradually, stirring as you go, until it returns to its original tender texture.

Does freeze-dried pulled pork taste like fresh?
According to Greg at Ballistic BBQ, who's tested it directly, it looks, smells, and tastes remarkably close to fresh.