Smoked pulled pork is a delicious dish that takes hours to make but is well worth it in the flavor and taste it develops during the process. When you spend such a long time making a slow-smoked dish, you want it to taste good for days to come. Pulled pork has to be cooked in such large quantities, you are sure to have leftovers.
So, whether you have smoked pulled pork ahead of time for an event or you just finished it up for dinner, it is important to know how to also reheat it properly. You can reheat smoked pulled pork in the microwave, oven, or crockpot. Steaming or vacuum sealing and boiling are also good methods for reheating smoked pulled pork.
For most of these methods, you will want to hold onto the leftover drippings from when you originally smoke your pulled pork. This liquid can be added back in during reheating to create moisture in your dish.
Different Devices For Reheating Smoked Pulled Pork
By Microwave
As the easiest way to reheat smoked pulled pork, this method is also the most likely to dry it out. Yet, if you do it properly, microwaving smoked pulled pork is a quick way to warm up your favorite meal.
Follow these steps:
- Get out the original juices you retained from cooking your pulled pork the first time. Remove the layer of fat on the top before using.
- Add the juices back to the meat and return the pulled pork to the fridge.
- Let it sit overnight and remove the next day for reheating. You can add some BBQ sauce or apple juice at this time, but not too much.
- Put your pork in the microwave and heat it for one to two minutes at a time until it reaches a temperature of 165 degrees.
In The Oven
This can be a better method of reheating pulled pork if you have a large quantity to warm up. Again, you will want to add the remaining juices to your pork and store it in the refrigerator overnight. Then, you will:
- Pour in some BBQ sauce or apple juice, mix it all up, and put your smoked pulled pork in a large dish.
- Turn your oven to 250 degrees and let it preheat. When it reaches the right temperature, put your pork in the oven for 30 minutes until it reaches 165 degrees internally.
Using a Crockpot
If you have plenty of time to reheat your smoked pulled pork but don’t necessarily want to watch over it, using a crockpot is a good alternative.
Simply put the meat in your crockpot and set it to High if you want it done quicker or Low if you want it to warm slowly. Let it warm until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
When reheating smoked pulled pork in a crockpot, you can always keep an eye on it to see if it needs more liquid as it cooks. You should never put pulled pork in the crockpot while you leave the house or work, as it could scorch easily.
Methods For Reheating Smoked Pulled Pork
Aside from your conventional kitchen devices that can be used to reheat smoked pulled pork, you can also try some methods that are known to maintain its flavoring better.
Using Steam
Once again, be sure to add your drippings to your pulled pork before steaming. You can also add apple juice, BBQ sauce, or your liquid of choice.
Put your smoked pulled pork in a steam basket and place it atop a boiling pot of apple juice. After steaming for 30 minutes or to an internal temperature of 165 degrees, remove the pulled pork and let cool.
With this reheating method, you are more likely to experience a more flavorful and moist pulled pork.
Vacuum Sealing and Boiling
After you have finished smoking your meat the first time, try to put some of the drippings back in it right away. Then, seal the pork with a vacuum sealer to the refrigerator or freeze.
When you want to reheat your smoked pulled pork, simply defrost it or pull it out of the fridge. Bring water to a boil in a pot on the stove, turn off the burner, and put the meat in the water for 30 minutes to warm.
When the pork has reached a temperature of 165 degrees you can remove it, open the bag, add your favorite sauces, and enjoy!
Of all methods, this one is the most preferred. Not only does vacuum sealing preserve your meat longer, but it keeps other flavors out, locks in the smoky flavor, and doesn’t break down your meat during the reheating process.
Although you can reheat food more than once, we wouldn’t suggest it with smoked items.
Overall, reheating smoked pulled pork is a fairly simple process once you know your options. Feel free to evaluate these methods and use the one that works best for your time frame and available kitchen equipment.
