3 Best Substitutes For Apple Cider Vinegar In Your Pulled Pork Recipe

Pulled pork is a popular dish around the world.

However, not everyone knows the recipe to make it, in which apple cider vinegar is one of the essential ingredients.

So what if you cannot find apple cider vinegar in your kitchen or in a grocery store? What should you use instead?

Don’t worry, our post will list out the best apple cider vinegar substitutes so that you can use them interchangeably without messing up your pulled pork dish.

What is apple cider vinegar?

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Apple cider vinegar is a type of vinegar that is made from fermenting apple juice.

It has been used for centuries for different purposes and countless uses, including household cleaning, hair care, beauty treatments, and cooking.

Regarding the popularity of apple cider in cooking, it is typically used for salad dressing, marinating, cleaning, or preserving food.

Some people even dilute and drink apple cider vinegar alone as a beverage.

In the past few years, studies have shown that consuming apple cider vinegar can help with weight loss, lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and improve skin health.

It is especially good for people with diabetes.

Apple cider vinegar can be easily made at home, but it will averagely take about weeks for the apple juice to be fermented and used as vinegar.

Therefore, most people opt for store-bought apple cider vinegar that is sold in any grocery store or supermarket.

Can you substitute apple cider vinegar in a pulled pork recipe?

Yes, apple cider vinegar can be substituted with another acidic ingredient for making pulled pork.

Many people might wonder why apple cider vinegar is widely used in a pulled pork recipe although it doesn’t seem to be related.

In fact, a bit of apple cider vinegar will really do the trick.

The acidity from this natural vinegar will help tenderize the meat and also add a slightly sour taste for an extra flavor and make your pulled pork easier to eat.

When you cannot find a bottle of apple cider vinegar in a local store and don’t have time to make it from scratch.

The good news is that there are various options that can alter the classic apple cider vinegar while still maintaining the similar flavor and the use of this ingredient.

What can you substitute for apple cider vinegar in pulled pork?

As already mentioned, don’t worry if you don’t have apple cider vinegar on hand to make your favorite pulled pork dish.

Here are some best substitutes for apple cider vinegar:

1. Lemon juice or lime juice

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Lemon juice or lime juice can perfectly work as a substitute for apple cider vinegar in pulled pork.

The acidity from these citrus fruits can also help break down the pork meat and add an extra flavor to your dish.

Although lemon juice is also sour, it tastes like lemon rather than vinegar so depending on if you like this flavor or not, you can adjust the amount of lemon juice or lime juice in your recipe.

2. Wine vinegar

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You can also make vinegar from either red wine or white wine.

You will need some live vinegar to ferment wine with a proper ratio (like three parts of wine or other alcoholic beverages for one part of unpasteurized vinegar) if you want to make your own wine vinegar.

Otherwise, just grab a bottle or jar of wine vinegar from a grocery store.

One thing to keep in mind is that red wine vinegar has a stronger flavor and also adds color to your dish, while white wine vinegar is lighter in flavor.

3. Rice vinegar

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Rice vinegar is a staple in Asian cuisine.

It is made by fermenting rice or noodles.

However, when using rice vinegar for your pulled pork recipe, you better use the unseasoned type instead of the seasoned counterpart.

The bottom line

We hope you have found this apple cider vinegar substitute guide helpful.

It can be hard to find the right one for your needs, but these alternatives should make it easier!

The key here is to make your pulled pork more tender and have an extra flavor, so in general, different kinds of vinegar or acidic ingredients will work, as long as it won’t completely change or add a strong flavor to your dish.

After trying all of the aforementioned apple cider vinegar substitutes, what do you like the most?