Pork barbecue is one of the most popular foods in the world. Every region has its style of cooking pulled pork. Pitmasters and burger companies love it.
Suppose you have some guests coming tomorrow. You don’t want to keep them waiting. This happens to me quite often as it takes a lot of time. I’ve seen people smoke at for around 3 to 15 hours. In this case, I prefer cooking in advance.
Though cooking too much of it seems easy. Reheating that pulled pork is a hell of a task. In this article, I will show you some ways of doing it right.
BASICS OF REHEATING PULLED PORK
SAVE THE MOISTURE OF THE PULLED PORK
The first thing you want to avoid is dry meat. For pulled pork, it’s a common issue. The solution is quite easy. You just have to add liquids while reheating. Most pitmasters prefer apple juice. As the natural enzymes make the meat tender. You can use the drippings too. It is also used by many.
Adding apple juice or drippings keeps the meat moist. It also adds a sweet and smoky flavor. People also use apple cider vinegar, corn syrup, butter, even wine. You can use any of this as per your choice.
STORE THE DRIPPINGS
Storing the drippings is very easy. Follow these steps
- Pour the drippings in a container
- After cooling down put them in the freezer for like 40 minutes
- Open the container and scrape off the top layer of fat
- Store the fat and drippings separately in the refrigerator
You can store the drippings for about seven days in the fridge. It can be frozen too. Don’t use the fat while reheating pulled pork. You can use it while cooking other things like carrots, onions, potatoes, and greens.
STORING THE PULLED PORK
Storing the pulled pork is an essential part too. If you don’t store it, the right bacteria might grow. You don’t want food poisoning. To avoid these, use sealed bags. Most chefs and pitmasters prefer it. If you’re not going to, use it today, don’t pull it. Keep it whole. If you’re saving for tomorrow, you can keep it in the refrigerator. Otherwise, use the freezer. You can thaw it for 24 hours in the fridge.
List of 5 Methods : How to Reheat Pulled Pork
1. The oven method
The oven method is the best out there. Most chefs prefer it. If you have the equipment available. Such as a steam pan or cooling rack placed in a deep pan, you’ll get the best results. A standard baking pan filled with liquids will work too. Follow these steps, and you’ll be good to go.
- Preheat the oven to 240 degrees Fahrenheit
- Place the shredded pork or the whole butt in a baking dish. Add the drippings or apple juice or anything of your choice to preserve the moisture.
- Make sure the liquid is below the dish and now cover it with foil
- Heat in your oven for 30 minutes. When the internal temperature of it reaches 165 degrees, Fahrenheit crack opens the foil. Let it sit for a few minutes to make it crunchy.
- If you stored the butt whole, its time for shredding, use a good pair of heat-proof gloves, and shred with your hands.
2. THE GRILL METHOD
Reheating in the grill should never be done directly. You should use indirect heat or two-zone cooking.
- To create a two-zone cooking area turn off one burner and set the other to high
- While using the charcoal grill, keep the charcoal on one side. The idea is to create a hot zone
- Bring the hot zone to a specific heat so that the indirect heat side of your grill is 230 degrees Fahrenheit
- Wrap the meat in two layers of foil. Add about a quarter cup of juice for the moisture
- Also, coat the meat with liquids before wrapping the foil
- Place the meat in the cold zone of the grill
- Wait until the internal temperature of the meat comes near degrees Fahrenheit
- Open the wrap. Put the pork in the hot zone to give it a crisp
- Your work is done. Remove it from the grill and add the remaining juice.
3. The microwave method
I know it sounds unhealthy. Radiating the atoms of the meat to make it warm. Still, smoked meat can be reheated in the microwave if done right. Follow these steps
- Firstly retain the juices as I said earlier
- Put the pork in a microwave-proof container
- Set the power to medium
- Cover it and cook until the temperature of the meat reaches 165. Don’t heat it more than 2 minutes at a time
- Whenever you notice drying out, add a splash of the juices
4. The crockpot method
If you don’t have that much time. This crockpot method is for you. It’s easy and convenient in the same way. Follow these steps
- Place the pulled pot in the slow cooker
- Put the drippings or your preferred liquid
- Set your pot to low heat
- Reheat about three to four hours
- Check the temperature before serving. The internal temperature of the meat should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit
- Remove it from the crockpot and serve
5. Vacuum sealing and boiling method (sous vide)
We always try not to boil meat to reheat it. But this method works perfectly and also keeps the smoky flavor intact. It’s called the sous-vide style. For this method, a vacuum sealer and vacuum seals bags are compulsory. The steps are as follows
- Mix the juices with the meat and seal them with the vacuum sealer
- And save it in the fridge for 24 hours
- Boil water in a pot on the stove or crockpot in high
- Turn off your stove. Place the meat in water for 40 minutes or until the temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit
- Now you’re good to go
This method is considered best and widely used by chefs. It keeps the meat quality level at its peak. The reasons are
- A sealed bag keeps the other refrigerator smells away
- It preserves the pork better
- It holds the moisture inside the bag. Thus moisture doesn’t get lost while cooking or in the fridge
- Keeps the smoky flavor intact
- It doesn’t break down the meat
Can You Reheat Pulled Pork Again And Again?
You can reheat pulled pork as many times as you want, as long as you’re using the proper methods. Steps must be taken to avoid the bacterial attack.
If you have leftovers after reheating, store them with the same precautions you did earlier. The pork should never be kept open more than two hours after reheating. Seal them within this time.
Pulled pork is one of my favorite dishes. I cook it with great efforts; that’s why I always cook it in significant amounts.
I like the leftovers to be of the best quality. These are my secrets to doing it right. If you follow to the word, I can assure you soon you’ll become a pro in doing this.
I suggest you try every method at least once and decide which works best for you. I hope that now you don’t have to worry about pork leftovers ever again.
I hope you’ll try these methods and also learn how to reheat pulled pork.
