The Claw

[old sarge]

For those interested, woot has this offering for shredding meat.
https://home.woot.com/offers/meat-shredding-claws-with-wooden-handle?ref=w_cnt_lnd_cat_home_3_11

 

[OldeSmoker]

I have checked on these claws several times and they sold out and still show out of stock. Amazon has many other options similar to these starting at $9.99 a pair. I have some plastic claws but they are clumsy and need an upgrade.

 

[PulledPorkSandwich]

I have checked on these claws several times and they sold out and still show out of stock. Amazon has many other options similar to these starting at $9.99 a pair. I have some plastic claws but they are clumsy and need an upgrade.

I have a pair of plastic ones, too.  They don't seem to work very well but I'm not clear why these stainless steel ones would work any better.

 

[OldeSmoker]

I agree, I'm not sure if the stainless steel claws would do a better job than plastic. I have noticed on various Food Network and Cooking Channel shows featuring smoked meat, they typically don't use claws to shred. I've seen them just pull it with gloved hands and chop with a cleaver in each hand. Not sure what the best method is.

 

[Lonzinomaker]

I bought some thinking they would make pulling easier.  Gave up on them after the second time using them. Instead I found some really heavy duty carving forks (Wusthof knockoffs) and use them now.
The forks also make it easy to get the pork out of the smoker as they are strong enough to pick up the butt.

 

[lcdearman]

I've used my plastic ones and they worked, but I have resorted to just pulling small chunks out of my pork butt and then chopping it with a knife. I like the finer texture better than the more stringy results from just pulling.

 

[OldeSmoker]

I bought some thinking they would make pulling easier.  Gave up on them after the second time using them. Instead I found some really heavy duty carving forks (Wusthof knockoffs) and use them now.
The forks also make it easy to get the pork out of the smoker as they are strong enough to pick up the butt.

Thanks for chiming in Dave. There are a lot of products on the market that they make look good but do not perform well. It is frustrating to make a purchase and find out it doesn’t do the job very well. I like your idea to use the heavy duty carving forks for pulling and meat removal.

 

[OldeSmoker]

I've used my plastic ones and they worked, but I have resorted to just pulling small chunks out of my pork butt and then chopping it with a knife. I like the finer texture better than the more stringy results from just pulling.

I am with you Clay on the smaller pieces. It makes it easier to eat, especially on sandwiches. It would make it easier to eat for the grandkids as well. I think next time I smoke a butt I will slice it across the grain into half inch or so slices, and then pull it apart. That should keep the pieces smaller.