can you shred turkey

Shredding Turkey for Tasty Meals: A How-To Guide

With its lean protein and versatility, cooked turkey makes a terrific addition to soups, salads, sandwiches, and more. While you can dice or chop turkey, shredding the meat creates delicious, stringy strands with lots of surface area to soak up flavors. But can you actually shred a turkey efficiently at home? The answer is a resounding yes! With the right techniques and tools, it’s easy to shred turkey for tacos, casseroles, barbecue, and any dish calling for pulled meat.

Choosing the Right Turkey for Shredding

You can shred a whole roasted turkey or just parts like breast, thighs, drumsticks, or wings. The optimal turkey for shredding will be:

• Fully cooked until well-done and the juices run clear Undercooked meat resists shredding,

• Allowed to rest after cooking so juices redistribute evenly

• Cooled somewhat after cooking so it’s easier to handle.

• Moist and tender with connective tissue fully broken down. Overcooked dry meat also resists shredding.

Turkey breast is a prime choice since it naturally cooks up tender and lean. Just avoid any with bones still in. Opt for boneless turkey breast roasted or smoked until very tender when pierced. Dark meat like thighs and legs works too, as the collagen melts into succulent strands. The cooked skin can also be shredded along with the meat for added moisture and flavor.

Chilling or partially freezing the cooked turkey for 30-60 minutes firms it up for better shredding. Just avoid fully frozen turkey, as that makes for a stringy, mushy texture when shredded.

Hand Shredding Turkey

No special equipment required! With your (clean) hands, you can simply pull cooked turkey into stringy strands. Here are some tips:

• Use forks to initially pull turkey chunks away from bones, if using bone-in pieces like breast or thighs. Discard bones.

• Pull the turkey meat into large chunks, discarding any excess fat or skin if desired.

• Using your fingers, break up and shred the turkey chunks into fine fibers pulling with the grain.

• Stop frequently to scrape shreds off your hands back into the bowl until turkey is fully shredded and strings apart easily.

Hand shredding gives you maximum control over the size of shreds. Just be sure to wear gloves or wash hands very well both before and after.

Shredding Turkey With Forks

Two forks can also do the trick for shredding. Simply:

• Hold a fork in each hand with the tongs facing down.

• Stab into the turkey meat with the left fork to hold it steady.

• Use the right fork to pull slices or chunks of turkey away, shredding it downward.

• Rotate and turn the turkey pieces for even shredding on all sides.

Dual forks shred turkey rapidly into the ideal thin, stringy texture for fillings and toppings. It just takes some practice controlling the turkey and pulling in the right direction with the forks.

Shredding Turkey With Kitchen Tools

Several standard kitchen tools can speed up turkey shredding without requiring special equipment:

• Electric mixer – Attach the paddle attachment and mix cooked turkey on low/medium speed to get finely shredded meat.

• Stand mixer – Use the paddle beater for pulled turkey. The bowl catches all the shreds neatly.

• Food processor – Pulse in batches for perfectly even shredding in seconds.

• Meat grinder – Grind turkey through the finest die for thin, stringy shreds.

• Potato masher – Mash and shred meat between grid holes.

• Wire whisk – Pull strands of turkey through the loops with a gentle lifting and turning motion.

Any appliance with blades or mesh grids makes swift work of shredding. Just avoid over-processing to a paste.

Power Tools Designed for Shredding

If you plan to shred turkey regularly, a tool designed specifically for shredding and pulling meats offers great convenience:

• Electric meat shredder – Rotating blades quickly shred meats hands-free.

• Stand mixer shredder attachment – Easily fits many stand mixer brands for power shredding.

• Claw meat puller – Grab and pull meats effortlessly into smooth shreds.

• Bear claws – These heavy duty meat shredding claws securely grip and tear meats.

• Twin blade meat shredder – Dual stainless steel blades mounted in a sturdy handle shred with a squeeze.

While pricier, these make child’s play of getting the ideal pulled turkey texture in large quantities.

Storing and Using Shredded Turkey

Properly stored, shredded turkey keeps for 3-4 days refrigerated or 2-3 months frozen. To maximize freshness:

• Let turkey cool before shredding to avoid excess moisture from condensation.

• Spread shredded turkey on a baking sheet before refrigerating so it doesn’t clump.

• Use freezer-safe containers or bags for long-term frozen storage.

• Avoid repeated thawing and refreezing shredded turkey.

Add shredded turkey to:

• Tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and other Mexican dishes

• Barbecue sandwiches with coleslaw

• Turkey salad with cranberries and pecans

• Hearty soups, chilis, and stews

• Casseroles and pot pies

• Pizza, wraps, and sandwiches

• Omelets, scrambles, and breakfast tacos

With the right turkey and a little elbow grease, you can easily shred meat for versatile meals. Dive into this tasty cooking technique to take your turkey dishes to the next level!