Easy Ways to Shred Cooked Meat in Seconds

I don’t know if other people do this. But sometimes when I’m eating fried chicken, bone-in pork chops, or just any meat dish that was cooked and served with their bones, I take it upon myself to shred the meat into smaller bits and pieces. For me, I prefer using my hands. It helps me feel more in control with getting all the meat off the bone. 

For you, you might prefer using two forks to shred meat you want to add to the big batch of lugaw you’re making or for that chicken pastil recipe you’ve been dying to try for some time now. 

Both are completely acceptable methods, so long as it works for you. But there are other, much easier methods that will save you all the time you’d spend shredding it yourself.

1. Use a stand mixer

Whether you’re trying to shred cooked chicken, pork, or beef, the best way to shred any cooked meat within seconds is to use a stand mixer. 

For this to work, you must remove any bones, cartilage, and skin before placing your cooked meat inside the mixing bowl. It doesn’t have to be piping hot, but doing this while it is still warm and tender will make it easier to break down, giving you the best results. 

Next, make sure your stand mixer has the paddle attachment. This trick will not work as well if you use a whisk paddle. 

Once everything is set up, let your stand mixer run at a low speed. All you need is around 15 to 20 seconds! How long or how short you do this will entirely depend on how shredded you need your cooked meat to be. 

But what if I don’t have a stand mixer?

This is probably a question a lot of you are asking. Before resorting back to the manual ways, there are two methods worth suggesting that will still bring you shredded meat in record time. 

2. Use a hand mixer 

If you are a frequent baker, then chances are you own a hand mixer. The procedure for shredding meat using this is basically the same. 

Get a big, deep, and sturdy bowl or anything similar to the bowls that come with stand mixers. Make sure your cooked meat is still warm and has no bones, skin, and cartilage. After putting the meat into your bowl, press down on the meat using the beaters a few times to loosen it before turning on your hand mixer at its lowest speed setting. 

This should also shred your meat in seconds!

3. Use a ziplock bag

If you have neither of these kitchen appliances, there is one more thing you can try. 

Get a ziplock bag that is big enough to fit whatever cooked meat you want to shred. What makes this method useful in its own right is the fact that you don’t need to remove the bones or skin beforehand for it to work. 

After placing your cooked meat into the ziplock bag, close it tightly and massage the meat through the bag until all the meat falls off the bones. Just make sure the meat isn’t too hot when doing this so that you can still touch the bag. 

A lot of kitchen tips are usually about explaining how to do this technique properly in a way that is approachable and easier to understand. They are meant to feel like you’re leveling up your kitchen skills one way or another. 

Regardless of whichever method ends up working best for you, learning tips like these are great ways to level up your skills in such a way that frees you from tedious food prep that is characteristic of a beginner home cook. 

Laura Mendoza Writer

Laura admits that she is a slow eater. She prefers to take her time with the food she likes to eat and the stories she wishes to write. Having graduated with a Creative Writing degree, she comes from a background in writing fiction and poetry. Because of this, she has set herself on a creative mission to explore and delve into what other modes and channels exist for stories and narratives to be told, expressed, and shared with others. For Laura, food as a medium is an exciting proposition. Behind every dish, every ingredient, and every cooking technique, there lies a history worth discussing, a human being worth listening to, a lived experience worth gleaning from. As a means to satiate her appetite for learning about and understanding new and known things, she aims to be the kind of food writer who is approachable, reliable, and personable to readers.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a stand mixer?

A stand mixer is a heavy duty kitchen appliance. It’s a stationary electric mixer that, depending on which attachments you use, can mix, whisk, whip, or knead. It also comes with a mixing bowl that can be attached or detached.

Laura Mendoza Writer

Laura admits that she is a slow eater. She prefers to take her time with the food she likes to eat and the stories she wishes to write. Having graduated with a Creative Writing degree, she comes from a background in writing fiction and poetry. Because of this, she has set herself on a creative mission to explore and delve into what other modes and channels exist for stories and narratives to be told, expressed, and shared with others. For Laura, food as a medium is an exciting proposition. Behind every dish, every ingredient, and every cooking technique, there lies a history worth discussing, a human being worth listening to, a lived experience worth gleaning from. As a means to satiate her appetite for learning about and understanding new and known things, she aims to be the kind of food writer who is approachable, reliable, and personable to readers.

See Full Bio

What is a hand mixer?

A hand mixer is a portable electric kitchen appliance. It usually comes with one or two removable metal beaters that are used to beat, whip, or mix ingredients.

Laura Mendoza Writer

Laura admits that she is a slow eater. She prefers to take her time with the food she likes to eat and the stories she wishes to write. Having graduated with a Creative Writing degree, she comes from a background in writing fiction and poetry. Because of this, she has set herself on a creative mission to explore and delve into what other modes and channels exist for stories and narratives to be told, expressed, and shared with others. For Laura, food as a medium is an exciting proposition. Behind every dish, every ingredient, and every cooking technique, there lies a history worth discussing, a human being worth listening to, a lived experience worth gleaning from. As a means to satiate her appetite for learning about and understanding new and known things, she aims to be the kind of food writer who is approachable, reliable, and personable to readers.

See Full Bio

What’s the difference between a stand mixer and a hand mixer?

While they have similar or overlapping use cases, such as being used to beat, whip, or mix ingredients, and both have detachable parts, they are two different kitchen appliances. A stand mixer is stationary and hands-free while a hand mixer is portable. The former usually comes with a specialized metal bowl that can be detached if needed while the latter does not. Overall, the stand mixer is more of a heavy-duty appliance while the hand mixer is more compact and budget-friendly.

Laura Mendoza Writer

Laura admits that she is a slow eater. She prefers to take her time with the food she likes to eat and the stories she wishes to write. Having graduated with a Creative Writing degree, she comes from a background in writing fiction and poetry. Because of this, she has set herself on a creative mission to explore and delve into what other modes and channels exist for stories and narratives to be told, expressed, and shared with others. For Laura, food as a medium is an exciting proposition. Behind every dish, every ingredient, and every cooking technique, there lies a history worth discussing, a human being worth listening to, a lived experience worth gleaning from. As a means to satiate her appetite for learning about and understanding new and known things, she aims to be the kind of food writer who is approachable, reliable, and personable to readers.

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Why does the cooked meat need to be warm before shredding?

It’s best to shred cooked meat while it’s still warm so the meat is still tender and can easily fall apart and fall off the bone.

Laura Mendoza Writer

Laura admits that she is a slow eater. She prefers to take her time with the food she likes to eat and the stories she wishes to write. Having graduated with a Creative Writing degree, she comes from a background in writing fiction and poetry. Because of this, she has set herself on a creative mission to explore and delve into what other modes and channels exist for stories and narratives to be told, expressed, and shared with others. For Laura, food as a medium is an exciting proposition. Behind every dish, every ingredient, and every cooking technique, there lies a history worth discussing, a human being worth listening to, a lived experience worth gleaning from. As a means to satiate her appetite for learning about and understanding new and known things, she aims to be the kind of food writer who is approachable, reliable, and personable to readers.

See Full Bio

How do you shred meat using a ziplock bag?

While it’s still hot, place the meat into the ziplock bag and massage it through the bag until the meat tears off the bone and shreds accordingly.

Laura Mendoza Writer

Laura admits that she is a slow eater. She prefers to take her time with the food she likes to eat and the stories she wishes to write. Having graduated with a Creative Writing degree, she comes from a background in writing fiction and poetry. Because of this, she has set herself on a creative mission to explore and delve into what other modes and channels exist for stories and narratives to be told, expressed, and shared with others. For Laura, food as a medium is an exciting proposition. Behind every dish, every ingredient, and every cooking technique, there lies a history worth discussing, a human being worth listening to, a lived experience worth gleaning from. As a means to satiate her appetite for learning about and understanding new and known things, she aims to be the kind of food writer who is approachable, reliable, and personable to readers.

See Full Bio