Grinding pork AFTER its cooked?

Tricky

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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 . . . :razz:
 
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
 
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
 
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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.
 
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.
 
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.
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Cook it fully, then cool
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Pull into chunks, then grind through course plate. Turns out beautifully fluffy pizza and sausage roll meat.
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I've done it with hot links to put in chili too. Turned out amazing.
 
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.
 
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
 
I'd chop it up and throw a can of pork gravy on it, over rice , egg noodles, smashed potatoes....
 
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.
 
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 :thumb: (my wife is Mexican so I can say this definitively)


argh - didnt realize this was an old thread.
 
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