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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.
Getting the Timing Right for Shredding Refrigerated Pulled Pork
Pulled pork is a beloved staple of barbecue, known for its fall-apart tender shreds of juicy, flavorful pork. While traditional recipes call for shredding the pork right after cooking, many pitmasters now prefer to refrigerate the pork first before pulling and shredding. So can you wait to shred pulled pork after refrigerating it?
The answer is a resounding yes! Allowing the pork to rest and chill in the fridge before shredding has some major benefits. Read on to learn why you should refrain from shredding hot, fresh off the smoker pork and how refrigerating before shredding results in better texture and flavor.
Why Refrigerate Before Shredding?
There are a few reasons why refrigerating cooked pork overnight before shredding is advisable:
- Allows fat to solidify
During cooking, the fat in the pork melts and bastes the meat. When fresh out of the cooker, the fat is still liquefied from the heat. Refrigerating lets the warm fat congeal into soft, spreadable goodness throughout the shredded meat.
- Easier shredding
Ever tried shredding piping hot pork straight from the smoker? It tends to clump into chunks and big globs of meat rather than light, fluffy shreds. The cooled pork fibers separate easier for shredding once chilled.
- Better moisture distribution
Moisture equalizes throughout the pork as it cools. Leaving it in one piece prevents dryness. Shredding right away can lead to drier exterior meat.
- Intensified flavor
The spices and smoke flavors have more time to permeate and amplify in the meat. Just a day of refrigeration enhances the flavors significantly.
- Food safety
Refrigerating quickly after cooking helps prevent bacteria growth in the 40-140°F “danger zone” temperature range. Safe handling prevents foodborne illnesses.
- Convenience
You can cook the pork ahead of time at your leisure, then simply reheat and shred it right before serving. This makes low-stress entertaining and meal prepping easier.
How Long Can Shredded Pork Last Refrigerated?
When stored properly in the fridge, shredded barbecue pork will keep fresh for 5-7 days. To maximize fridge life:
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Chill the cooked pork down to 40°F or below within 2 hours of coming off the grill or smoker.
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Place the pork in an airtight container or resealable plastic freezer bag. Removing air helps prevent freezer burn.
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Use shredded pork within 5 days for the best quality. It remains safe up to 7 days but may suffer slight drying.
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For longer storage, freeze shredded pork for 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge before using.
Tips for Moist, Tender Shredded Pork
Achieving fall-apart tender, juicy pulled pork requires attention both during cooking and refrigeration:
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Use a fatty cut like shoulder or butt. Choose bone-in for added moisture during cooking.
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Rub the meat with salt, sugar, spices – they aid moisture retention.
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Maintain perfect 225-250°F low and slow cooking temp.
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Wrap at stall point to power through and reach 205°F internal temp.
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Let pork rest wrapped for 1-2 hours before refrigerating.
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Save defatted drippings to mix back into shredded pork.
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Add reserved defatted drippings or moist cider vinegar mop when reheating to serving temp.
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Don’t over-shred into tiny bits – keep some chunky texture.
Now Let’s Get Shredding!
The next time you cook up a tasty pork shoulder or butt for pulled pork, resist the urge to shred it immediately. Instead, let it rest then chill it overnight in the fridge. When ready to serve, all you need to do is:
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Remove chilled pork from fridge, unwrap.
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Place pork on a cutting board, still intact.
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Use two forks to shred meat into long tender strands.
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Chop only if very large chunks remain.
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Toss shredded pork with reserved defatted pan juices.
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optionally, mix in your favorite barbecue sauce.
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Heat shredded pork gently until warm and ready to serve!
Refrigerating before shredding allows you to relax while the pork transforms into the succulent, mouthwatering dish everyone knows and loves. Now go enjoy the delicious pulled pork you’ve waited for – it will be well worth it!
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.
Can I Reheat A Whole Pork Butt For Pulled Pork? – How To Reheat Smoked Pulled Pork | Reheating BBQ
FAQ
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