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Can You Eat Pulled Pork Cold? Safe To Eat Or Avoid?

Norah Clark
Pulled pork on a board

Norah Clark

Norah Clark, Editor of Boyd Hampers! Norah is a food writer with over a decade of experience in hospitality as a pastry chef, sous chef, and barista; former chef at the Savoy Hotel, Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons and Plaza Hotel.

You can eat pulled pork cold if your pulled pork is cooked to the right temperature.

Pulled pork is among the most delicious meals you could include on your menu. First, pulled pork can be spread out to serve many meals and more guests at a lower cost.

You’re not getting it if you’re not using pulled pork at least once a week. It’s a versatile and delicious meat that can make many diverse meals.

It’s possible to use pulled pork in various dishes, and then freeze or refrigerate them to take them out days (or months later).

Continue reading for all the inside information and important information about eating pulled pork cold.

Can You Eat Pulled Pork Cold?

Pulled pork is an everyday barbeque animal (have you ever had the pleasure of trying Thai barbecue?) and is a popular choice across the US to feed large numbers for catering events and having parties or celebrations all throughout the year.

Here are some of the many ways to use pulled pork:

  1. Pulled pork sandwich
  2. A garnish (delicious on baked potatoes)
  3. Burritos
  4. Casseroles
  5. On its own (maybe together with some BBQ sauce)
  6. Make it into a meat substitute for your salad
  7. Pork and beans
  8. Egg rolls
  9. Pizza topping

The pork has been shredded, so you can use it in any recipe that calls for the shredded meat.

You can substitute other shredded meat with pulled pork.

Eating Cold Pulled Pork

Are you prepared for this moment? One of the best ways to eat leftover pulled pork is to consume it cold. Include it in sandwiches or salads.

You can grab a handful and enjoy it straight out of the fridge or serve it with a side dish and add some BBQ sauce.

Cold doesn’t mean raw. It is not advisable to eat raw pork since it could cause you to become very sick.

If you’re looking for something quick and easy, pull it out of the refrigerator and put aside cooking or reheating. Eat and enjoy!

We want to go over the cold storage methods to ensure you know the process and possible problems they could pose.

How Is Pulled Pork Made?

There are many methods to prepare pulled pork. The three most popular methods to make pulled pork are the smoker, oven, or crockpot. The crockpot is ideal for this type of food.

The fundamental idea behind pulled pork is that it is cooked at low temperatures for longer. It is cooked slowly to extract all the flavor and make it easy to cut into pieces.

We’re not going into the details of the various methods in this article; however, we would like to provide you with a general understanding of the procedure for making pulled pork.

We’ll return to the basics and give you smoking instructions for making pulled pork. We’ve chosen to share this recipe because it’s the most common style of cooking traditional pulled pork.

  1. You’ll need an ox shoulder of pork, sometimes called pork butt.
  2. Prepare your meat using a rub or seasoning mix of your preference. Do not overdo the process. Pork is salty, and an easy rub can make a huge difference to the pulled meat you prepare.
  3. Heat your smoker to 250 degrees. If you use an outdoor smoker, apple or hickory is the most effective.
  4. The cooking time will differ based on the thickness of your pork. The most common rule is to cook for 2 hours for each pound of meat. But you might be able to reduce the cooking time for larger cuts.
  5. After heating the meat to 145 degrees, you are ready to wrap it in foil, which can reduce the total cooking time. The pork can be cooked at a safe temperature of 165 degrees.
  6. The ideal temperature to cook at is around 195 degrees. A temperature of 201 degrees gives you pulled pork that breaks up that melts when you bite it. You can pick which you like.
  7. This pork then gets processed into pulled pork.

Refrigerating Pulled Pork

Here are the steps to refrigerating.

  1. Put it in storage bags or airtight containers. 
  2. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
  3. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.

 

Freezing Pulled Pork

  1. Let the pulled pork cool down to the temperature of the room.
  2. Then, place the pulled pork in freezer bags or sealed containers for storage.
  3. Leave at room temperature since the pork will expand slightly in the freezer.
  4. Label and date.
  5. Keep the pulled pork in the freezer for up to 6 months.

If you’re ready to serve the pulled pork, just put it in the fridge the night before, and give the meat time to thaw.

You can heat it according to your liking.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you know if pulled pork is spoiled?

The best way to determine the freshness of the cooked pork is to sniff it. If your pulled meat has no scent or you only detect the flavorings of the pork, then it’s still delicious. If the smell is unpleasant or strong, you must dispose of it.

How can I reheat pulled pork?

The best method of reheating pulled pork is to reheat it in the microwave for around two minutes. Put the pulled pork in a pan in an oven set at 325 ° for around 20 minutes.

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