Newbie question: what's the best way to pull meat?

[zblongladder]

I'm going to be fixing pulled lamb this weekend (I've got a boneless shoulder roast on the way), but I just realized something a bit silly: I'm not 100% sure how to pull the meat. I know BBQ companies will sell you those pulling claws, but are they really necessary? I once pulled a braised (not smoked) brisket with a pair of forks, which worked OK, but I'm not sure the resulting texture would've worked well on a sandwich. Do you just get gloves and go at it with your hands?

[BKYDBBQ]

Alot of people, including myself use white cotton gloves covered by a pair of disposable gloves.

These are the white gloves, alot of places carry them, Amazon, Harbor Freight etc:
Amazon Link - https://tinyurl.com/26mcx2mb

I also use the same combination whenever I am handling hot meats, moving them on the smoker, wrapping, etc.

I have tried the meat claws and just don't care for them.

[Skip]

It's what I do. Works great.

[fzxdoc]

Ditto this post, zblongladder . The best kitchen tools you have are your (double-gloved) hands, especially when pulling BBQ meats.

Kathryn

[Jessterr]

+6

[jerrybell]

I get gloves and go at it with my hands. I've used forks and the meat claws but neither we as effective as the hands. I also like using hands because I think it's easier to find fat chunks and gristle pieces that you don't want in the meat you're serving.

[snowswamp]

I use forks. As you mentioned it’s not great and I don’t want to get another one use item. Double gloving as mentioned seems like a great technique.

Side quest: Has anyone ever tried a stand mixer on low with a flat paddle? I saw it on ATK and never tried it. Seemed like it worked great (I know, magic of TV) and was curious.

[Purc]

Years ago, I saw a meat claw that fit into a standard electric drill bit and you used a 5 gallon food safe bucket to shred many pork butts.

[Draznnl]

On someone’s (don’t remember who) recommendation, I tried the mixer once. It didn’t work for me. I have a pair of the claws that I used to use until these folks converted me to hand pulling. I really do prefer the results by hand for the reasons others have already stated.

[J-Melt]

I did the stand mixer with flat paddle once when I was pulling a ton of pulled pork all at the same time. Saved me a ton of time and turned out pretty good.

[Purc]

I have pulled pork butts, chicken and beef chuck roasts with insulated food grade gloves and I have used large serving forks. Both work fine for me for sandwiches. Last week at a friends house I used a plastic meat shredder and once I got the hang of it, it did an ok job. I had to cut the chicken into small pieces first and then into the shredder. Seamed like double work. She got hers from Walmart. I have never used meat claws. I guess I have never felt the need for any thing other than my gloves or serving forks. I love lamb but I have never pulled it. I had pulled lamb at Interstellar BBQ in Austin, TX during a MeatUp and it was good.
As always, YMMV

Please post some pictures of your cook and lamb sandwiches.

[yakima]

I pulled a dead steer out of the feedlot. Used a pick-up and chain. Had a small problem when the leg pulled off the carcass. Leather gloves were mighty handy. Better practice: wrap chain around both legs. And it helps if the critter is not frozen to the ground.
Showing myself out.

[zblongladder]

OK, decided, financing a pickup truck for the cookout this weekend. 😂

[Draznnl]

Very good zblongladder you are showing a fine understanding of the Pit’s silent credo, always get the guy asking the question to take emost expensive option. 🤣🤣

[fzxdoc]

We'll let you know when you can come back. JK. 😄

Kathryn

[DavidNorcross]

I’m in the camp of cotton gloves with a pair of nitrile gloves over them. Works great .

[LA Pork Butt]

I didn’t care for using claws. My current method is to use a pair of cotton garden gloves for insulation covered by a pair of nitrile gloves. It gives me insulation for the hot pork butt and dexterity for pulling the meat and removing excess fat.

[Michael_in_TX]

Use cotton gloves under nitrile gloves. I've used every fancy Youtube-shown shredder, but nothing beats your hands. Touch is one of the strongest senses we humans have and you'll feel stuff that you probably don't want to eat and discard it. (Shredding chicken is where I finally swore off using anything but my hands forever.)

[jayjordan]

+1 on cotton gloves covered with food safe gloves.

[Mosca]

Avoid the claws.

I use my fingers, and kitchen gloves. They’re rubber or neoprene, lined with cotton. There are dozens of different brands on Amazon.

[CaptainMike]

I'm just glad that Panhead John hasn't chimed in yet...

[JCBBQ]

zblongladder 😆🤣😆

[Hulagn1971]

Panhead John is old skool. He goes gloveless and rawdogs it.

[Panhead John]

Y'all been peekin? 🥸

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

Really depends on the situation, and the desired end result.

Plenty of people here chop

Plenty pull by hand or with claws

Personally I prefer chopped, but I don't currently have the space for a chopping board (has walled sides to contain the mess) so any chopping isn't done at full speed and less efficiently to reduce the mess.

Hand pulling in my opinion is faster than claws and is a nice in between of texture between chopped and claws. When I hand pull I will use my bbq gloves and then come back with just nitrile gloves for a second pass once things have cooled down a little.

I have claws and I like them for grabbing meat to move. They shred fine but it's honestly a lot of work and most claws don't have a wrist brace so it can cause some issues if you're older. If you do get claws, make sure they are solid. A lot of the plasticy ones have nooks and crannies to save on material costs.

[zblongladder]

I gotta say, chopped BBQ is underappreciated these days. When I was growing up in Birmingham, AL, we had two kinds of BBQ pork: chopped and sliced. I was a teenager before I heard about this new kind, pulled, that was coming down from north AL. It really frustrates me when people treat "pulled pork" as synonymous with "BBQ pork", since chopped pork really deserves attention, too. (Sliced I'm kinda meh on, TBH.)

[Hulagn1971]

Ah, a true Eastern NC guy. Chop chop.

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

Hulagn1971 I've only lived here 14 years... I'm a west coast kid But I guess I'm a North Carolinian now... even my wife likes vinegar based BBQ now

[Dewesq55]

KitchenAid mixer with the dough hook. Paddle attachment also works and although not as well.

[fracmeister]

When I have had to pull a dozen butts in short order this is my go to.

[MarkN]

Since I first tried this method with the paddle attachment, it is what I always use. Next time I'll give the dough hook a try.

[DavidNorcross]

Somehow I knew this thread was going down another path.......