How to Make Dry Pork Moist Again (Save the Day at Your Cookout!)

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Who doesn’t love nicely cooked pork? There are so many delicious pork options: pork chops, pork loin, pork roast, and pulled pork, to name a few. However, even the greatest pitmaster can overcook pork.

Eating overcooked pork can be an unpleasant experience as it can be dry and hard to chew. Overcooking pork and wasting the meat can be frustrating, especially since it is the most expensive cut of pork.

Many people throw out overcooked meat, but it is still possible to save it and use it well. This article will explain how to add moisture to pork before you cook it to avoid overcooking, but if you need a quick, I will also show you how to add moisture to overcooked pork loin.

How To Avoid Overcooking Pork.

Wet brining the meat or using a simple marinade can help it stay moist while cooking. Here is a simple pork brine recipe you can try or use your favorite marinade recipe. These are both forms of tenderizing. Here are more ways to quickly tenderize the pork loin.

The marinade should contain an acidic liquid, like apple cider vinegar. This will help you avoid tough and dry pork.

It can be difficult to tell visually when the meat is done cooking. So aim for an internal meat temperature slightly below 145°F. The USDA recommends this, which can be checked with a meat thermometer.

How To Know When The Pork Is Overcooked.

Unlike chicken breast and other cuts, it may be hard to tell visually if the pork meat is overcooked. Another way to know is if the internal temperature of the pork is above 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pro-tip.
After cooking, the meat is done when it is golden brown on the outside and slightly pink on the inside.

Here Are Three Easy Ways To Fix or Prevent Overcooked Pork

1. Cooking the Pork in Broth.

Cooking the dry pork loin in broth can help bring it back to life and add moisture. Any type of broth, such as beef, chicken, or vegetable broth, can moisten the dry roast pork loin.

Follow these easy steps to help moisten the pork loin with broth.

Step 1.

Bring the pork loin to room temperature and cut it into thin slices.

Step 2.

Heat 2 cups of broth in a pan and add the pork slices. Then, cook the meat on one side for 2-3 minutes and on the other side for another 2-3 minutes.

Step 3.

Cover the pan with a lid, and cook the pork loin briefly on low heat until moist.

Step 4.

Remove the meat and add a bit of barbecue sauce. This step will also help moisten the pork loin.

2. Shredding the Pork.

Another way to moisten pork loin is by finely chopping the meat and turning it into pulled pork. Tossing it in the sauce can help the dry pork because the liquid from the sauce will rehydrate it. Barbecue sauce, adobo sauce, hoisin sauce, or any flavorful sauce you choose can be used.

If you plan on making pulled pork from scratch, make sure the internal temperature is 204°F before pulling it from the smoker.

3. Simmering the Pork in Liquid.

Simmering can help get moisture into the meat because the liquids can penetrate the meat. These liquids can be tomato sauce, gravy, or even water. If you use water for simmering, include some chicken stock cubes rub to add flavor to the meat.

Step 1.

Take out the overcooked pork loin while it is at room temperature and cut it into thin slices.

Step 2.

Heat the liquid in a pan for some minutes, then add the pork loin.

Step 3.

Cook the meat on both sides for about 3 minutes on low heat, basting it with a water-based baste.

 Cover the pan with a tight lid and let it simmer until moist. A gas/electric pressure cooker can also simmer the meat.

Our Favorite Ways to Use Pork

Now that the overcooked smoked pork loin is moist, you can use it differently. For example, it can be used in pho and ramen/noodle soups.

Some of our favorite ways to use leftover pork loin and pulled pork can be used as filling in pulled pork tacos, empanadas, dumplings, and pork sandwiches.

How To Fix Dry Pork Chops

To rehydrate dry pork chops, heat them in chicken stock or smother them in barbecue sauce. Alternatively, repurpose the meat by adding it to a soup, stew, or casserole.

How to Reheat the Pork.

As you can see, there are different ways to reheat leftover pork loin. In this resource, I outlined using an oven, a microwave, or a frying pan. The key is to be cautious while reheating the pork loin so it doesn’t dry again.

Smoke On!

Charlie

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