You can absolutely use pulled pork the following day if you properly heat it up. However, it is not that simple. A few measures must be taken in order to avoid the loss of excess moisture from it.
If you pull pork the day after you make it, it will still be delicious.
Since it will stay stored in the fridge until it’s time to serve, it’s a convenient snack for friends and family. So, can you pull pork the next day? Absolutely! Will you have the perfect pulled pork? No.
Pulled pork is delicious and easy to prepare. However, it is not meant to be eaten cold.
If you had pulled it the night before and let it come to room temperature and then refrigerated it overnight, you would not be able to consume it the next day.
The reason for this is that pulled pork does not undergo the same cooking technique as that done for steak.
Pork is low in fat and therefore dries out easily when heated.
It comes out much more tender because it has been slow cooked for hours and cannot be reheated without drying it out even further.
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Can You Pull Pork the Next Day?
If you reheat the meat thoroughly and cook it in the oven for a while, you will be able to pull it off again the next day.
Because the fat has re-solidified and the juices have run back into the meat, it will be more moist than the day before.
However, this does not mean you can expect it to be as tender as it was on the first day you made it.
In fact, if you’re not going to serve it right away after reheating it, then it is best to place it in the freezer instead and thaw it out before heating it up later.
How Long Does It Take To Smoke Pork Butt?
When the smoker is heated to the proper temperature, it takes about 4 hours to smoke a 5-pound piece of smoked bacon.
It may take a little longer or not depending on the size of the smoker and the thickness of the meat.
A full pork butt will need at least 12 hours to smoke well. So, you cannot simply take it out of the smoker after four hours and then expect to be able to pull it out the next night for dinner.
If you purchase a 6-pound cut, it will take at least another hour and a half for it to reach the desired internal temperature of 160°F (the temperature at which it is safe to eat), so you will need at least 14 hours to cook it properly.
Do You Have To Shred Pork Right Away?
It’s not necessary to shred your pulled pork right away.
In fact, if you extract the leftover juice from the meat and set it aside before shredding the meat, it will taste better because the sauce will have soaked into the meat while it cooled in the refrigerator overnight.
If you want to plan ahead or if the meat is already shredded and you want to keep it in an airtight container or freezer bag until dinner time, you should leave it out of the refrigerator for about three hours before refrigerating it again so that the flavors can infuse.
Make the mistake of shredding it too soon and the moisture will be absorbed by the sauce and the meat will dry out as it waits in the refrigerator to be reheated later on.
Of course, if you want to shred the pork and have it ready as soon as possible, you can do that too, but it may not taste as good as it would if you let the flavors soak into the meat overnight first.
Can You Shred Pork After It Cools?
Yes, you may shred your pulled pork after it is cool to the touch, but it is best to refrigerate it for several hours first to allow the flavors to soak in before heating it up again later.
This, however, will not provide the same effects since most of the flavor will be absorbed into cooking the juices out of the meat during the refrigerating process.
However, there are certain things that can be done to keep the pork moist and tasty while reheating it later.
If shredding the pork after it has cooled is not an option for you, you can wrap it in aluminum foil and place it in a slow cooker along with a few slices of onion and some barbecue sauce to keep it moist and tasty while warming it up later on.
The muscle fibers are simpler to digest than other types of muscle meat like beef or chicken.
But once heat has broken down the muscle fibers, it’s harder for the body to take them all in.
How To Pull Pork The Next Day
If you have more than 8 hours to smoke your pork and you still cannot eat it right away, here are some tips to reheat it successfully the next day.
The whole pork butt is wrapped in foil and placed in an oven preheated to about 350°F for about two hours or until the center of the roast reaches a temperature of about 165°F.
Set the oven temperature to broil and set the rack so that the top of the roast is about four inches from the heat source.
Place the pork in a preheated pan covered with aluminum foil and heat for about five minutes on each side, or until brown spots appear on the top and sides of the roast.
Depending on the extent of browning you want to achieve, you can either keep the oven on broil or turn the oven off and leave it inside for a few minutes longer.
When the pig is chilled, the juices get thick and tend to separate from one another, forming an unattractive-looking layer at the top of the meat.
Can You Reheat Pulled Pork?
When given the option, keep the fat cap on during the cooking process, as it will keep the meat moist and tender during rewarming later.
However, if you’ve already pulled the pork or have removed the fat cap completely during cooking, you can add a little butter or oil on top of the cold cut to prevent drying of the meat when heated later on.
How to Reheat Pulled Pork the Next Day?
- If you want to heat up the leftover pulled pork from the night before, put it in a slow cooker with a mixture of chicken broth and water. This will keep the juices from drying out when you heat it up later.
- To create a moist atmosphere, just add about two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into the mixture as well.
- Set the oven temperature to about 225°F and place the pulled pork in the oven for about one hour.
- Check on the pulled pork. Stir the contents every now and then to prevent the burning of the liquid on top and add water if necessary.
Also Read: Why Does Cryovac Pork Smell Bad?
Final Words
After cooking pulled pork, it’s important to keep it in a sealed container in the fridge until serving time.
If it’s properly stored, you can pull pork the next day without any problems. However, pork without moisture will dry out very quickly.
So you should keep the pork in a sealed container with liquid such as marinade or barbecue sauce. If you are reheating leftovers, make sure to reheat them thoroughly.
Also, remember that different cuts of pork require different reheating methods. Finally, remember that pork is safe to eat up to 4 days after cooking.
So you can keep your pulled pork in the fridge for up to 4 days.
