Grinding pork AFTER its cooked?

Tricky · 01-10-2018, 03:07 PM

When I made sausage recently I carved a big chunk of the pork butt off as a chunk and threw it on my smoker for pulled pork. Unfortunately while I was making my sausage, I didn't see that my pellet cooker ran out of pellets until the cooker had been off for a little while.

Meat was plenty cooked, so I sliced it as a pork roast and tried chopping some for sandwiches. But my wife and kids didn't really like it that much so its sitting in a tupperware container in my fridge.

In order to try to come up with something they would eat, I'm wondering about running the cooked pork meat through my food grinder on the course plate and then just reheating it with some spices as taco meat. I can't see why this wouldn't work -- the grinder will certainly grind cooked meat too, right? I assume I just get it good and cold just like I would with raw meat? Or maybe its firm enough to grind as is (I think that was the reason they didn't like it in the first place!).

After typing this, it seems like a dumb question . . .

Jrogers84 · 01-10-2018, 03:15 PM

I feel like it would ruin the texture but I do not speak from experience. I cut up pork loin into thin strips for tacos

BobBrisket · 01-10-2018, 03:37 PM

a guess here. I would think you may need to add some liquid to the cooked pork to get it through the grinder. Don't know how well cooked/drier textured meat would go through and then come out. Seems it would bind up in the grinder.

That said, I think your best bet would be to just chop it up with a cleaver or large knife till you get a finer/smaller consistency then maybe shallow fry and brown it up in a skillet with some taters, etc and make a hash with it. Could still be used in tacos or even a burrito filling. I normally do this with leftover brisket, pork, grilled chuck steaks, or even chicken. Sometimes I will even incorporate into a soup or stew will soften it up again.

Bob

WareZdaBeef · 01-10-2018, 04:42 PM

Why not braise it or put it into a crock pot for 8 hours with some pork stock (if you have any) or chicken stock till it pulls, then make pulled pork tacos. You can even add your taco spices to the braising liquid while its cooking.

wihint · 01-10-2018, 05:25 PM

I have pulsed cooked pork in a food processor before, added a little oil and water to prevent clumping and then reseasoned it. Quick one second pulses are the key when you start out.

Free Mr. Tony · 01-10-2018, 06:11 PM

I do it for pizza sausage, but the meat is already ground sausage. I think you would be fine though. For pizza I make sausage into a meatloaf like patty.

Cook it fully, then cool

Pull into chunks, then grind through course plate. Turns out beautifully fluffy pizza and sausage roll meat.

I've done it with hot links to put in chili too. Turned out amazing.

Joshw · 01-10-2018, 08:08 PM

You can grind cooked meat, no problem. Some sausage recipes, actually call for ground cooked meat. Boudin, is the one that comes to mind. I have also made a potato sausage, that calls for cooked meat, just can't think of the name.

bbq_king · 01-10-2018, 11:11 PM

Just make sure to season it again after you grind it...only a callous master licks his own wounds.

Titch · 01-10-2018, 11:23 PM

I grind lamb after its cooked all the time, suggest you go for it,can't be too different,
Mix some butter and oil in a pan and flash fry it

gcs · 01-11-2018, 08:32 AM

I'd chop it up and throw a can of pork gravy on it, over rice , egg noodles, smashed potatoes....

thirdeye · 01-11-2018, 11:02 AM

I know you can grind chilled ham and leftover chicken to make a spread for sandwiches. Mayo, onion, celery are typical adders to add moistness.

chingador · 04-03-2020, 07:45 AM

A restaurant down in Kemah (south of Houston, down on Galveston Bay), T-Bone Toms (was featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives) does a stuffed jalapeno appetizer. They run smoked brisket through a meat grinder, then stuff it in a whole jalapeno, bread then fry. I have had it several times and it is awesome. The texture is very good. Just like finely chopped meat.

sudsandswine · 04-03-2020, 08:10 AM

I'd just chop/pull it, pan sear it for a little extra flavor, then throw it in a soft corn tortilla. Only gringos make tacos out of ground beef or pork

(my wife is Mexican so I can say this definitively)

argh - didnt realize this was an old thread.

01-10-2018, 03:07 PM	#1
Tricky is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 12-06-10 Location: Ventura County, CA	Grinding pork AFTER its cooked? When I made sausage recently I carved a big chunk of the pork butt off as a chunk and threw it on my smoker for pulled pork. Unfortunately while I was making my sausage, I didn't see that my pellet cooker ran out of pellets until the cooker had been off for a little while. Meat was plenty cooked, so I sliced it as a pork roast and tried chopping some for sandwiches. But my wife and kids didn't really like it that much so its sitting in a tupperware container in my fridge. In order to try to come up with something they would eat, I'm wondering about running the cooked pork meat through my food grinder on the course plate and then just reheating it with some spices as taco meat. I can't see why this wouldn't work -- the grinder will certainly grind cooked meat too, right? I assume I just get it good and cold just like I would with raw meat? Or maybe its firm enough to grind as is (I think that was the reason they didn't like it in the first place!). After typing this, it seems like a dumb question . . . __________________ Rec Tec with bull horns -- UDS (Big Blue) -- 2 Weber kettles -- Weber gasser -- DCS outdoor stainless built-in nat. gasser with smoker box and rotisserie -- Dutch ovens a-plenty -- bright yellow can't-lose-me Thermapen

01-10-2018, 03:37 PM	#3
BobBrisket Moderator Join Date: 12-11-07 Location: El Paso, TX Name/Nickname : Bob	Just..... a guess here. I would think you may need to add some liquid to the cooked pork to get it through the grinder. Don't know how well cooked/drier textured meat would go through and then come out. Seems it would bind up in the grinder. That said, I think your best bet would be to just chop it up with a cleaver or large knife till you get a finer/smaller consistency then maybe shallow fry and brown it up in a skillet with some taters, etc and make a hash with it. Could still be used in tacos or even a burrito filling. I normally do this with leftover brisket, pork, grilled chuck steaks, or even chicken. Sometimes I will even incorporate into a soup or stew will soften it up again. Bob __________________ PBC-Courtesy of Poobah, 22.5 Weber Kettles-A, K, DR Stamped, 18.5 Weber Bar-B-Kettle Black and Red, Weber 18.5 Smokey Joe Platinum, Weber Genesis Silver, Lil' Chief Smoker, Discada Set Up,OKJ Highland Offset. BobBrisket Jr.-MUDS, WSJ Silver My BEST Compliment....."You're a good cooker, Dad!"--My Son :) Miss You, Marty and Bull! RIP Last edited by BobBrisket; 01-10-2018 at 03:42 PM..

01-10-2018, 05:25 PM	#5
wihint is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-14-13 Location: Phoenix AZ	I have pulsed cooked pork in a food processor before, added a little oil and water to prevent clumping and then reseasoned it. Quick one second pulses are the key when you start out. __________________ Please call me Bill, William is only when I am in trouble Weber 22, Weber 22 OTG, Weber 16 and Kamado

01-10-2018, 11:23 PM	#9
Titch somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 11-17-12 Location: South East Victoria Australia Name/Nickname : Titch :-)	I grind lamb after its cooked all the time, suggest you go for it,can't be too different, Mix some butter and oil in a pan and flash fry it __________________ Some people are like a Slinky-not really good for anything, but still , you can't help smiling when you shove them down the stairs.:becky:

01-11-2018, 11:02 AM	#11
thirdeye somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-14-06 Location: At home on the range in Wyoming	I know you can grind chilled ham and leftover chicken to make a spread for sandwiches. Mayo, onion, celery are typical adders to add moistness. __________________ ~thirdeye~ I Play With Fire and Smoke *Barbecuist ~ Charcuterist ~ KCBS Master Judge & CTC* Big Green Eggs, Big Drum Smokers, Big Chiefs, Weber Smokey Joe "Custom Tall Boy" Oil Patch Horizontal, SnS Deluxe Kettle Visit my Cookin' Site by clicking HERE Barbecue is not rocket surgery “The problem with quotes on the Internet is that it's hard to verify their authenticity” ~ Abraham Lincoln

01-10-2018, 03:15 PM	#2
Jrogers84 is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 04-27-16 Location: Middle Michigan	I feel like it would ruin the texture but I do not speak from experience. I cut up pork loin into thin strips for tacos

01-10-2018, 04:42 PM	#4
WareZdaBeef is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 02-25-12 Location: PA	Why not braise it or put it into a crock pot for 8 hours with some pork stock (if you have any) or chicken stock till it pulls, then make pulled pork tacos. You can even add your taco spices to the braising liquid while its cooking.

01-10-2018, 06:11 PM	#6
Free Mr. Tony is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-30-15 Location: Fort Wayne, in	I do it for pizza sausage, but the meat is already ground sausage. I think you would be fine though. For pizza I make sausage into a meatloaf like patty. Cook it fully, then cool Pull into chunks, then grind through course plate. Turns out beautifully fluffy pizza and sausage roll meat. I've done it with hot links to put in chili too. Turned out amazing.

01-10-2018, 08:08 PM	#7
Joshw Babbling Farker Join Date: 09-25-17 Location: Oklahoma	You can grind cooked meat, no problem. Some sausage recipes, actually call for ground cooked meat. Boudin, is the one that comes to mind. I have also made a potato sausage, that calls for cooked meat, just can't think of the name.

01-10-2018, 11:11 PM	#8
bbq_king Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 01-08-18 Location: Triple Village, AK Name/Nickname : bbq_king	Just make sure to season it again after you grind it...only a callous master licks his own wounds.

01-11-2018, 08:32 AM	#10
gcs is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 08-14-13 Location: NY	I'd chop it up and throw a can of pork gravy on it, over rice , egg noodles, smashed potatoes....

04-03-2020, 07:45 AM	#12
chingador is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 10-18-06 Location: Houston, TX	A restaurant down in Kemah (south of Houston, down on Galveston Bay), T-Bone Toms (was featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives) does a stuffed jalapeno appetizer. They run smoked brisket through a meat grinder, then stuff it in a whole jalapeno, bread then fry. I have had it several times and it is awesome. The texture is very good. Just like finely chopped meat. __________________ ______________________________________________ Rec Tec 590 Stampede, Primo Oval XL, Weber 26" Kettle with Gabby Grills Santa Maria attachment. Lonestargrillz 42" pellet grill on order.

04-03-2020, 08:10 AM	#13
sudsandswine Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 06-23-12 Location: Kansas City	I'd just chop/pull it, pan sear it for a little extra flavor, then throw it in a soft corn tortilla. Only gringos make tacos out of ground beef or pork (my wife is Mexican so I can say this definitively) argh - didnt realize this was an old thread. __________________ Shirley Fab 250g trailer \| Primo XL kamado \| [COLOR="Red"]Red[/COLOR] Weber Limited Edition kettle + 26” kettle \| Clonesaker PDS (pretty drum smoker)