Do you know how to reheat BBQ pulled pork?
Cooking BBQ pulled pork perfectly, so it’s soft, tender, juicy, and flavorful, is no easy feat. It is a technique learned by trial and error. Even when you have mastered the art of preparing perfect pulled pork, cooking it is an uphill task on its own. You need to cook the pork shoulder for at least 4 to 5 hours to ensure the flavors are infused into the meat, and it’s soft and tender. This is why for most people, this is a dish that’s always cooked in big batches and then stored for future meals.
However, for many, reheating pulled pork without getting the meat dry out is a task of its own. But, not anymore. Keep reading to learn how to reheat BBQ pulled pork without losing the flavor and moistness of the meat.
3 Different Ways to Reheat BBQ Pulled Pork
Use these methods to reheat your leftover BBQ pulled pork and continue to enjoy flavorful and moist meat throughout the week:
1. In the Oven
Preheat the oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place the pork, whole or shredded, in an oven-safe dish. Now, you need some liquid to replenish lost moisture in the meat. The ideal choice for that is the pan drippings that were left behind when you initially cooked the meat (you should store them too if you plan to store pulled pork for later use). However, if you don’t have those meat drippings, you can ass some thick BBQ sauce, broth, apple juice, or apple cider vinegar.
Add a little amount of liquid of your choice and then cover the dish with a double layer of aluminum foil.
Place the dish on the middle rack of the oven and cook for about 20 to 30 minutes. If you are reheating the whole pork butt, insert a thermometer in the center. The internal temperature of the meat should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Now remove the foil and broil the meat for a few minutes. Enjoy!
2. In a Crock-Pot
This method of reheating pulled pork takes longer than the first one, but it is easier. All you have to do is to set your crock-pot to low heat or keep warm, add the meat to it along with a little amount of liquid of your choice and let the crock-pot do its magic.
Reheating BBQ pulled pork in a crock-pot can take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours. However, crock-pot does an excellent job of retaining the moisture of the meat.
Note:
If your meat is frozen, make sure to defrost it before adding it to the crock–pot.
3. In a Microwave Oven
This method of reheating pulled pork is least recommended by culinary experts because of health reasons. But, it is inarguably the quickest (if you have already defrosted the meat) and the most convenient method of reheating leftover pulled pork. Here’s how to reheat BBQ pulled pork in a microwave oven:
- Place your defrost BBQ pulled pork in a microwave-safe dish.
- Add a little amount of the liquid of your choice.
- Heat the meat on high for two minutes. Check the meat (preferably using a food thermometer) and heat for another 1 to 2 minutes if needed.
There you have it – three different ways to reheat leftover BBQ pulled pork. With these tried and tested techniques up your sleeve, now you won’t have to settle for dry and super chewy meat ever again.