If you love bold, tangy flavors and tender meat, this Pickled Pork Recipe is going to become your new favorite. It’s simple, budget-friendly, and packed with classic American brining flavors like garlic, mustard seeds, and apple cider vinegar.
Pickling pork may sound complicated, but it’s actually very easy. With just a few basic ingredients and a little patience, you can create juicy, flavorful pork that works perfectly in sandwiches, rice dishes, or Southern-style comfort meals.
This homemade pickled pork recipe is ideal for meal prep because it keeps well in the fridge and can even be frozen. Let’s dive into everything you need to know to make the best pickled pork at home.
What Is Pickled Pork?
Pickled pork is pork that has been preserved and flavored in a salty, tangy brine made with vinegar, salt, spices, and seasonings. The brining process not only preserves the meat but also makes it tender and deeply flavorful.
Traditionally popular in Southern American cooking, pickled pork is often used in dishes like beans, stews, and rice recipes. The combination of apple cider vinegar and spices gives it a bold, slightly sour, savory taste that enhances many meals.
Unlike fresh pork, pickled pork has a unique flavor profile that is salty, tangy, and mildly spiced. After a few days in the brine, the meat becomes infused with all the aromatic ingredients.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
There are many reasons to love this easy pickled pork recipe:
- ✔ Simple ingredients you can find anywhere
- ✔ Easy step-by-step process
- ✔ Deep, tangy, savory flavor
- ✔ Great for meal prep
- ✔ Stays fresh for days
- ✔ Perfect for Southern-style dishes
You don’t need special skills or fancy equipment. Just mix, simmer, cool, and refrigerate. The fridge does most of the work!
Equipment’s
To make this homemade pickled pork recipe, you’ll need:
- Nonreactive 2-quart saucepan
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Stove burner
- Mixing bowl
- 1-gallon zip-top bag
A nonreactive saucepan (like stainless steel or enamel) is important because vinegar can react with aluminum or copper.
Ingredients With Amounts
Here is everything you need for this easy pickled pork recipe:
Main Ingredient
- 1 ½ lb fresh boneless pork butt
- 8 ounces ice
Marinade Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar, Recommended
- 6 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tablespoons McCormick Yellow Mustard Seeds, recommended
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon McCormick Celery Seeds, Recommended
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
These ingredients create a balanced brine that is salty, tangy, slightly sweet, and gently spicy.
Instructions
Follow these simple steps to make perfect pickled pork:
Step 1: Prepare the Brine
In a 2-quart nonreactive saucepan, combine:
- Water
- Apple cider vinegar
- Kosher salt
- Crushed garlic
- Sugar
- Yellow mustard seeds
- Hot sauce
- Celery seeds
- Bay leaf
- Whole black peppercorns
Bring everything to a boil over high heat.
Step 2: Simmer
Once boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. This helps dissolve the salt and sugar while releasing the flavors from the spices.
Step 3: Cool the Brine
Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in 8 ounces of ice to cool the pickling liquid quickly. The brine must be completely cool before adding the pork.
Step 4: Add Pork to Brine
Place the pork butt into a 1-gallon zip-top bag. Carefully pour the cooled pickling liquid over the pork.
Step 5: Seal and Refrigerate
Remove as much air as possible from the bag and seal it tightly.
Place the bag in the refrigerator for at least 3 to 4 days. Flip the bag occasionally to ensure even pickling.
Step 6: Use or Store
After 3–4 days, your pickled pork is ready to use. For best quality, use within 14 days or remove from brine and freeze.
Notes
- Always let the brine cool completely before adding the pork.
- Use kosher salt, not table salt, for best flavor.
- Make sure the pork is fully submerged in the liquid.
- Flip the bag daily for even flavor distribution.
Variations
You can easily adjust this pickled pork recipe to suit your taste.
Spicier Version
Add extra hot sauce or a teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
Sweeter Brine
Increase the sugar to 3 tablespoons for a slightly sweeter balance.
Herb-Infused
Add fresh thyme or rosemary for a more aromatic flavor.
Smoky Flavor
Add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika to the brine.
Tips
Here are some helpful tips for best results:
- Cut pork into smaller chunks for faster pickling.
- Use high-quality apple cider vinegar for better taste.
- Label the bag with the date to track pickling time.
- Don’t skip flipping the bag — it ensures even flavor.
- After pickling, rinse lightly before cooking if you prefer less salt.
What to Serve With Pickled Pork?
Pickled pork is very versatile. You can serve it in many delicious ways:
- Cooked with red beans and rice
- Added to collard greens
- Mixed into Southern-style cabbage
- Served with cornbread
- Used in sandwiches
- Added to stews and soups
Its salty, tangy flavor makes it perfect for hearty comfort food dishes.
How to Store Pickled Pork?
In the Refrigerator
Store in the brine inside a sealed zip-top bag for up to 14 days.
In the Freezer
Remove pork from brine, pat dry, and freeze in airtight packaging for up to 3 months.
After Cooking
Cooked pickled pork can be refrigerated for 3–4 days in an airtight container.
Have a look at our Best Sabana De Res Recipe if you are interested.
Pickled Pork Recipe
Equipment & Tools
- Nonreactive 2-quart saucepan
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Stove burner
- Mixing Bowl
- 1-gallon zip-top bag
- A nonreactive saucepan (like stainless steel or enamel) is important because vinegar can react with aluminum or copper.
Ingredients
Main Ingredient:
- 1 ½ lb fresh boneless pork butt
- 8 ounces ice
Marinade Ingredients:
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar, Recommended
- 6 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 tablespoons McCormick Yellow Mustard Seeds, recommended
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon McCormick Celery Seeds, Recommended
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
Instructions
- In a 2-quart nonreactive saucepan, combine:
- Water
- Apple cider vinegar
- Kosher salt
- Crushed garlic
- Sugar
- Yellow mustard seeds
- Hot sauce
- Celery seeds
- Bay leaf
- Whole black peppercorns
- Bring everything to a boil over high heat.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. This helps dissolve the salt and sugar while releasing the flavors from the spices.
- Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in 8 ounces of ice to cool the pickling liquid quickly. The brine must be completely cool before adding the pork.
- Place the pork butt into a 1-gallon zip-top bag. Carefully pour the cooled pickling liquid over the pork.
- Remove as much air as possible from the bag and seal it tightly.
- Place the bag in the refrigerator for at least 3 to 4 days. Flip the bag occasionally to ensure even pickling.
- After 3–4 days, your pickled pork is ready to use. For best quality, use within 14 days or remove from brine and freeze.
Notes
Nutrition
Valuable Tips
How To Serve With Pickled Pork?
A staple of Louisianan cuisine, pickled pork is frequently served with red beans and rice. In a short story that was published in The New Yorker in 2007, Dan Baum presents a funny perspective on a Northerner’s first encounter with pickled pork.
How To Store Pickled Pork In Cool Place?
Depending on the size of the meat, cover with a lid or cover with aluminium foil and store in a cold place for 1 to 2 weeks: 6 to 9 pounds take 7 days, 10 to 12 pounds take 12, and 13 to 15 pounds take 14 days.
How To Store Pickled Pork In The Fridge?
Remove as much air as you can, then close the bag and put it in the fridge for at least three days, regularly turning it. Use within fourteen days, or take the pork out of the brine and freeze it.
How Do You Get Pickled Pork?
You can get pre-packaged pickled pork at practically any store in southern Louisiana because it is a mainstay of New Orleans Creole and Cajun cuisine. The Savoie’s or Richard’s brand is one of the more well-known names. If pickled pork is not available where you live and you are not in southern Louisiana, you can always get it from CajunGrocer.com.
You can look at our Souplantation Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe If you’re interested.
Take a peek at our Chico’s Tacos Recipe if you’re interested.
Conclusion
This easy Pickled Pork Recipe is a flavorful, traditional way to preserve and enhance pork. With simple ingredients and minimal effort, you can create tender, tangy pork that’s perfect for Southern-style meals, stews, or sandwiches.
The brining process transforms ordinary pork into something bold and delicious. Once you try this homemade pickled pork recipe, you’ll want to keep it in your meal rotation.
Give it a try and enjoy the rich, tangy flavor that only pickling can provide!
