One of the beautiful adventures of cooking pulled pork is the leftovers.
However, the one problem with pulled pork leftovers is how to reheat it without completely drying it out.
For Christmas this year, we had a taco bar, and we include pulled pork.
We made it on Christmas Eve so that it would be ready for Christmas morning.
We had a ton of friends coming to our house for brunch, and we didn’t want the meat to be cold or dry.
Our go-to method for reheating pulled pork was the slow cooker.
While there are quite a few different ways to reheat the pork, we will focus on 3 of the most common methods today.
1. Use the original drippings
If you cooked the pulled pork yourself, it is a great idea to keep the drippings and juice from the cooking process. The best approach is to reserve a medium size container of this in the fridge for later.
You will add the drippings to the pork during the reheating process.
2. Use apple juice
Apple juice is a secret tip that I have learned over the years from many BBQ experts. If you have apple juice around, add it to your meat before reheating.
The juice tenderizes the meat as it heats up.
3. Use a beer
Beer is a wonder ingredient in the kitchen. Beer is fantastic at adding moisture to the meat, and it can add a layer of subtle flavor as well.
I prefer a dark beer for this, but a light beer works just as well. A darker beer will add a touch more depth to the flavor than a lighter beer will.
4. Use a root beer
Root beer is a great way to add moisture back to meat as you reheat it. It is a lesser-known ingredient, but the flavor and bubbles do the trick. Just be careful not to oversaturate the meat when using this method.
While the taste of the root beer should mostly evaporate out during the reheating process, it can still be quiet fragrant.
5. Use water
If you don’t have any of the ingredients mentioned above, don’t be shy about using water to reheat your pulled pork. Just add in the water, but don’t let the meat swim in it. Water can dilute the fantastic flavor that is in the meat.
Remember that your goal is to keep the meat moist during the reheating process and not to change the taste.
How to reheat pulled pork in a slow cooker
Reheating pulled pork in a slow cooker is our preferred method, but it does take time. If you choose this method, you will need to plan and give yourself about 4 hours for the process.
The good news is that this is an excellent method for reheating shredded pork if you want to set it and forget. You can set it up and walk away for a while without worrying about the meat drying out or overcooking.
What you need:
- Crock-Pot (Slow cooker)
- Liquid / Sauce
- Pulled Pork
- Slotted spoon
- Meat thermometer
Steps:
- Place the pulled pork in the slow cooker.
- Add your chosen liquid to the cooker. Add about two parts sauce to 4 parts meats. (This is an imperfect art, so just use your mind’s eye to get the ratio right. It should be too juicy than too dry.)
- Set the temperature to low and cook for 2 hours.
- Remove some of the pulled pork from the crockpot and check the temperature. It should be 145 degrees. If it isn’t the put it back in the crockpot to cook longer.
- Check every 45 minutes until the meat has reached the desired temperature.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the slow cooker and place on a serving plate.
- Serve and enjoy!
How to reheat pulled pork in a microwave
Some BBQ enthusiasts will tell you that reheating meat in the microwave is sacrilegious. I get it. It isn’t the best method for reheating any food.
However, those of us that live in the real world with real jobs and actual laundry sometimes resort to the fastest manner possible for getting food on the table.
If you find yourself in this situation, don’t feel shame about it. We all know that cooking food in the microwave just isn’t the same as reheating it in the oven, grill or crockpot.
However, there are a few things that you can do to reheat your pulled pork in the microwave without destroying it.
What you need:
- Liquid / Sauce
- Pulled Pork
- Slotted spoon
- Microwave safe container (glass is best)
- Paper towel
- Meat thermometer
Steps:
- Add pulled pork to container.
- Add in liquid or drippings (Create a ratio of 1 part liquid to 4 parts pork.)
- Cover the container with the paper towel.
- Heat on medium temperature for 1 minute and 30 seconds.
- Stir.
- Check temperature. It should be 145 degrees.
- Continue heating in 45-second intervals until the desired temperature is reached.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the slow cooker and place on a serving plate.
- Serve and enjoy!
How to reheat pulled pork in the oven
Reheating pulled pork in the oven is my second favorite option. If you about 45 minutes, then I highly recommend this option instead of the microwave.
What you need:
- Liquid / Sauce
- Pulled Pork
- Baking pan with sides
- Aluminum foil
- Slotted Spoon
- Meat thermometer
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
- Spread the pulled pork around in the pan. Then pour the liquid or drippings over the top.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil.
- Place in preheated oven and heat up for 30 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and carefully fold back the foil. BE CAREFUL OF STEAM.
- Check the temperature of the meat. It should be 145 degrees.
- If the desired temperature has is not reached, cover the pan and place it back in the oven. Check every 15 minutes until the meat is ready.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the slow cooker and place on a serving plate.
- Serve and enjoy!
While there are several different methods for reheating pulled pork, such as doing it on a grill, these three options are the ones that we use the most. The critical factor is to try and keep the meat moist during the reheating process.
Pulled pork is pretty forgiving meat for reheating. You just need to keep a few essential tips in mind.
First, use some type of liquid for the meat to reabsorb during the reheating process. Also, make sure that it gets to at least 145 degrees during the reheating process. If you do these to
Other reheat articles that you may like:
- How To Reheat Ribs
- How To Reheat Fried Chicken Without Drying It!
- How To Reheat Tamales In 15 Minutes (3 Easy Ways)
How to Reheat Pulled Pork
How to reheat pulled pork and keep it juicy. We often reheat our pulled pork in the oven.
Ingredients
- Liquid / Sauce
- Pulled Pork
- Baking pan with sides
- Aluminum foil
- Slotted Spoon
- Meat thermometer
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
- Spread the pulled pork around in the pan. Then pour the liquid or drippings over the top.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil.
- Place in preheated oven and heat up for 30 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and carefully fold back the foil. BE CAREFUL OF STEAM.
- Check the temperature of the meat. It should be 145 degrees.
- If the desired temperature has is not reached, cover the pan and place it back in the oven. Check every 15 minutes until the meat is ready.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the slow cooker and place on a serving plate.
- Serve and enjoy!