Food - Drink
How Long Should You Rest Meat For Pulled Pork?
By HALDAN KIRSCH
Making a batch of pulled pork can be a true labor of love, with some advanced recipes calling for 15 to 20 hours of cooking the meat in the smoker. While cooks who want a quicker solution can cook their pork in the oven, slow cooker, or Instant Pot, one thing you can’t skip is letting your pulled pork rest before shredding it.
There are many debates about how long pulled pork should rest, but The Meat Smoking Guy recommends only shredding the meat right before it’s served, so that the freshly-cooked meat has time to lock in all its juices and flavor. Many outlets recommend 45 minutes of rest for a six to eight-pound piece of pork, or 15 minutes at the very least.
If you’re prepping your pulled pork for a later event, you can let it sit for up to two hours after cooking, or up to five hours if it’s wrapped and stored in an insulated container. While you can refrigerate the meat to be warmed up later, don't shred the pork while it's cold, since heat helps hold the collagen and fat together for easier cutting.
