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These past few months, I’ve been asked a lot of times how to reheat pulled pork and keep it from getting dry.
I’ll start this tutorial by showing you a couple of my favorite ways to smoke a pork butt. Next, I’ll show you how to make pulled pork that tastes like it was just taken out of the smoker, even though it was cooked the day before. The meat will be more juicy than ever and taste better than when it was first taken out of the smoker. It will even have more smoke flavor.
You don’t have to do this step, but I really think you should: put the pork butt in a half-size foil pan fat cap up. If you have multiple pieces of meat, use a separate pan for each one.
Why use a pan? It keeps your smoker clean and makes sure you get all the tasty juices from the pork butt.
Apply a thin coat of mustard to the fat-cap and sides of the pork butt. This helps the rub to stick really well to the meat.
Once the rub and mustard are on the butt, let it sit for 10 minutes so the rub can mix with the mustard. Then, turn it over so the fat cap is facing down.
Note: if you are using a pellet smoker, here are some tips to help you out.
Make sure you have good smoke flowing. I used hickory wood, but you can use any smoking wood you have on hand or your favorite.
Smoke for at least four to six hours, but you can smoke the whole time if you want to.
Keep the temperature at 107°F (225°C) while smoking the pork butts. It should take about 14 hours to finish.
When it gets to 160°F (71°C), some people like to wrap or cover the pork butts, but I don’t do that often.
In the thickest part of the meat, the pork butts are done cooking when they reach 207°F (97°C). They can now be brought inside to cool down.
Heres some instructions for separating the fat from the juices if you want to do that.
Note: You can also leave the juice in the pan and pull the meat apart while it’s still wet. This is not as healthy but it tastes amazing and the meat is SO juicy and flavorful!.
With two forks, pull the meat into pieces after it has been cool for about an hour. Dont shred it too much. just let it fall apart into its natural sections.
Do You Drain the Juice from Pulled Pork? Everything You Need to Know
Pulled pork is a quintessential BBQ dish that evokes memories of summer, smoke billowing from a grill, and the irresistible flavor of slow-cooked, fall-apart tender pork. When making this classic recipe at home, one of the most common questions is whether or not to drain the pork juices that accumulate in the bottom of the roasting pan or slow cooker. So, should you drain the juice from pulled pork or not? Here’s a comprehensive look at the pros, cons, and best practices for dealing with those flavorful pork juices.
The Role of Pork JuicesFirst, it’s important to understand the source and role of the juices that are expelled when cooking pulled pork. As the pork cooks low and slow, the fat and connective tissues break down, releasing moisture that mingles with the fat to create rich, flavorful juices These juices provide immense flavor and moisture to keep the pulled pork succulent
Some cooks insist that the juices are an indispensable component of pulled pork. Others argue that draining the juices helps concentrate the pork flavor and prevents a watery texture. So who’s right? As with most culinary dilemmas, there are merits to both approaches.
The Case for Draining the Juices
Here are some of the reasons you may want to drain away some of the expelled pork juices:
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Avoiding a watery texture An overload of juices can lead to pulled pork that seems soggy or watery Draining some of the liquid helps concentrate the texture.
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Intensifying the pork flavor: Draining away the thinner juices can make the pork flavor pop more. The juices dilute the pure pork taste slightly.
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Thickening the BBQ sauce: Draining the juices allows any BBQ sauce coat the pork more thoroughly without becoming thinned out.
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Preventing a messy sandwich: On a pulled pork sandwich, copious juices lead to a disastrously soggy bun. Draining some juices prevents this.
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Storage: Storing pulled pork with all the juices may cause sogginess, especially when reheating. Draining some juices helps the pork maintain texture.
When draining juices, use a fat separator to retain the fatty juices and drain just the thinner liquids. Or, spoon the pork into a colander and briefly drain. Blot with paper towels to absorb additional moisture.
Why You Should Keep the Juices: On the other hand, there are good reasons to keep those tasty pork juices:
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Flavor and moisture: The juices add a lot of flavor and moisture to the pork. Draining may make the pork dry or less flavorful.
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Great for stewing and braising: the juices make a great base for stewing beans, vegetables, or greens.
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Perfect sauce base: Use the juices to make a deliciously rich gravy or sauce rather than buying canned broth.
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Baste and reheat: Keep juices to baste the pork while reheating which keeps everything juicy and moist.
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Extra smoky flavor: Juices capture the smoky flavors from wood or charcoal when cooking outdoors.
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Gelatin for richness: Juices contain gelatin from the collagen giving incredible richness.
If keeping juices, spoon into a fat separator and refrigerate to use for another recipe. Or, leave them in the pulled pork mixing in as you shred and serve.
Key Considerations
There are a few important things to keep in mind as you decide whether or not to drain those pork juices:
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Cook method – Juices expelled will differ if cooking in a slow cooker, oven, grill, etc. Oven and grill pork often needs juices, while slow cooker may produce more than needed.
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Serving style – Sandwiches and tacos do well with drained meat. Using juices for braises calls for keeping them.
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Personal taste – Some people love the rich, fatty mouthfeel of juices while others find it unappealing. Cooking preferences play a role.
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Quantity of juices – A small amount can provide huge flavor, while too much may be overwhelming. Drain only excess juices.
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End use – Juices can be used to make an additional side dish or sauce rather than letting them go to waste.
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Moisture level – Be sure to leave enough moisture in the pork or it may end up dry and tough after draining.
Tips for Draining Juices
When opting to drain juices, employ these tips for best results:
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Use a fat separator to retain the fatty liquid and drain only thinner juices. The fat provides more flavor.
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Drain juices just before pulling pork – don’t drain early in cooking. This retains moisture.
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Leave a small amount (around 1⁄4 cup per pound of pork) of juices to keep pork moisturized.
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Blot pork with paper towels after draining to soak up surface moisture.
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Save drained juices to add back later if pork seems dry. Or use juices for soups, stews, beans, etc.
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Don’t discard the flavorful fatty juices – use them to make an incredible gravy.
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Chill juices so fat solidifies and is easier to remove if you only want the liquid.
Making it Work Both Ways
You don’t have to choose strictly between draining or keeping the juices. With a few tweaks, you can reap the benefits of both approaches:
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Drain only half the juices – this concentrates the pork flavor while still retaining moisture.
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Drain juices for sandwiches to prevent soggy buns, but keep juices for dinners.
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Drain most juices, then add back a few tablespoons as you pull pork to moisten.
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Save juices to use for basting when reheating leftover pulled pork to keep it tender.
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Make a sauce using the juices so the porky flavor isn’t lost by draining.
The choice between draining or not draining pulled pork juices ultimately comes down to your taste preferences and how you intend to use the pork. Following a few guidelines will help keep your pulled pork moist and full of flavor whichever route you choose. Don’t be afraid to experiment to find your perfect moisture level.
How to Reheat Pulled Pork
As I said before, I get a lot of questions about how to reheat pulled pork so that it doesn’t get dry or taste like it was cooked yesterday, even though it wasn’t. It will taste even better and more juicy than the day before if you follow this simple step:
If you can, reheat this on the smoker. If not, it will still work fine in the oven or even on the stove top or grill.
Place the meat into foil pans or even large cast iron skillets like I did.
If you have reserved juices then pour that evenly over the top of the pulled pork. Since I use these juices when I serve the meat for the first time, there isn’t much left when it’s time to reheat. No problem!.
Add a stick of butter to the top of the meat.
Because I didn’t have enough butter for the whole picture, I had to use half a stick on each pan. That was enough but in my opinion, a whole stick is best.
During the reheating process, the butter will melt and juice up the meat.
For more juice, put butter on top of the meat. Then, sprinkle more seasoning on top of the meat. I dont measure this but rather do it to taste. Add a good sprinkle then taste it. You can easily add more if needed right before you serve it up.
During cooking, I used Jeff’s original rub, which is a great mix of sweet and spicy without going too far in either direction.
During the reheat, I prefer to use Jeffs Texas style rub instead of the original rub. It tastes a little better because it has a little more salt than the original.
Set the smoker to 225°F (107°C), or if you need to get things done quickly, go as high as 275°F (135°C). Cover and heat again for 30 to 60 minutes, or until the butter melts and the meat is hot all the way through.
If you have a pellet smoker, set it to the smoke setting so that the reheating gives you the most smoke flavor. Cover the meat and heat it up again for 60 to 90 minutes, or until the butter melts and the meat is hot all the way through.
Put it back in the oven at 275°F (135°C) with the foil on top and heat it for about 30 minutes, or until the butter melts and the meat is hot all the way through.
Stir the meat well after it’s done cooking to mix in the butter, extra seasoning, and smoke (if you used a smoker).
Call dinner and enjoy watching everyone dig in!
I do this all the time, and I can tell you that it tastes just as good as the first time it came off the smoker. Some people even say it tastes better, and I don’t disagree.
Let me know how it goes in the comments below if you give it a try.
Traeger Apple Juice Brined Pulled Pork
FAQ
Do you keep the juice in pulled pork?
Are you supposed to drain pulled pork?
Should pulled pork be submerged in liquid?
Should pork be covered with liquid in a slow cooker?
What to do with leftover pulled pork juice?
Let’s take a look at what to do with leftover pulled pork juice when the barbecue is over. The juices left behind by smoked pork butt or shoulder can bring a multitude of dishes to life. They make superb additions to sauces, soups, stews, chili, and bean cooking liquid. You can even use them to add moisture to mashed potatoes or leftover rice.
What kind of juice do you use for pulled pork?
Pork – The most common cut of meat used for pulled pork is a pork shoulder or also known as a Boston Butt Pork Roast. Liquid – I like to use pineapple juice. If you don’t have this on hand you can use apple juice or even a light lager beer. If you don’t have any of those options on hand water always works but just does not provide as much flavor.
Can I use pulled pork juice instead of butter?
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Note that if you have leftover pork fat as well as juice, you can substitute this for the butter. Serve the gravy over mashed potatoes or grilled pork chops. You probably add a splash or two of liquid to your mashed potatoes. Why not use pulled pork juice instead of milk or cream?
How do you make pulled pork taste better?
Sugar – A little bit of brown sugar goes a long way to bring out the flavors in pork. Apple juice – Apple and pork goes together like peanut butter and jelly. If you have apple cider available, that would be awesome too. Salt – Everything’s better with a little salt. How do you make pulled pork? (Step-by-step)