- Place the cooked meat on a large cutting board. Use a large knife to cut the meat into large pieces.
- Insert two forks into a piece of meat and pull in opposite directions to get long, thin shreds. Repeat with remaining meat.
How long should a Boston butt rest before shredding?
The minimum time that you should rest a pork butt is about 15 minutes. Keep in mind that the internal temperature of your pork butt will continue to climb as it rests. You may see as much as a 10-degree rise from when you remove the roast to when you shred it.
How do you shred cooked pork?
0:140:54Quick Tip: How To Shred Meat - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt's nice and moist and tender. So I'm just going to go ahead and separate it a little bit. You knowMoreIt's nice and moist and tender. So I'm just going to go ahead and separate it a little bit. You know you could cut it with a knife people can do it however they really like to do it.
Can you shred a pork shoulder roast?
Shredding the Meat When the pork shoulder is cool enough to handle, use two forks or your fingers to shred the meat apart into small pieces. Remove any bones and large pieces of fat. For a more moist and flavored pulled pork, mix some of the cooking liquid back into the meat.
Why isn't my pork shoulder shredding?
When pulled pork isn't shredding, it could be because the meat didn't cook long enough. Cooking it too long, or attempting to rush the process by cranking up the heat, are two other common culprits. It's also important to use a reliable method for shredding the meat.
Is it best to shred pork hot or cold?
Shredding Hot (or Warm) Once the protein chills, it condenses, making it difficult to pull the muscle fibers apart to achieve a fine shred. The hotter the protein (or the closer it is to having just been removed from the cook cycle), the easier it will shred and produce the hand-pulled look you are after.
Can you overcook pulled pork?
In a word, yes. If pork shoulder or pork butt is allowed to cook past 210 degrees or so, the meat will begin to dry out. This will affect the quality of your pulled pork, even if you smother the meat in barbecue sauce before serving it.
What is the difference between a pork shoulder and Boston butt?
Both come from the shoulder of the pig, but pork butt is higher on the foreleg, while pork shoulder is farther down. As relatively tough and fatty cuts, both benefit from long, slow cooking methods such as roasting, stewing, and braising.
What is the secret to tender pulled pork?
Cooking the pork low and very slow is the secret to the juiciest and most tender pulled pork. Serve the pork as is or feel free to stir in your favorite barbecue or other sauces at the end of cooking.
Can you use pork butt for pulled pork?
Pork butt is an ideal choice for barbecue pulled pork, but it also lends itself to braising and stewing, which tenderizes the meat and melts the fat. Use pork butt in any recipe where you're looking for fall-apart-tender meat and a rich, porky flavor, such as pulled pork, carnitas or stew.
Why did my pork butt come out tough?
Pork butts, unlike many cuts of meat, are packed full of fat, connective tissue, and collagen which make the meat tough. It isn't until your pork butt reaches an internal temperature of 160° F that these three things start to break down and turn into gelatin.
How do you fix a tough Boston butt?
There's a few ways to quickly fix pulled pork that turned out too dry.Turn to a sauce! ... Let the pork rest in a closed container. ... Serve with toppings on a buttered bun or by itself with great sides. ... Shred the meat even more to make chewing easier.More items...•
Do you flip a Boston butt when smoking?
Once you begin the cooking process, just leave the pork alone and let the heat do all the magic. I don't even prefer flipping it or turning it size wise while it is cooking. Flipping it will damage that beautiful crust that will be forming on the outer surface of the meat.
Can you shred pork after it cools?
You can pull pork the day after cooking it as long as you reheat the meat first. Cold pork won't pull apart as easily, because the fat has re-solidified and the collagen has firmed up. In fact, if you're not serving it right away, it's preferable to leave the meat whole, then reheat and shred it the next day.
Can you shred cooked pork loin?
The low temperature and slow, long cooking process also make the oven pork loin meat easy to shred as it tenderizes over the hours.
Can you shred leftover pork chops?
If the pork is not to rare, it will be easy to shred especially if you have a food processor with a shedding blade but if not, a box shredder should do the trick. Now you can find all sorts of ways to use the shredded pork in some of your favorite dishes.
When should you shred pulled pork?
Cook the pork for 5-6 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 195 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the meat from the slow cooker and let it rest for 20 minutes before shredding it using one of the methods listed below.