Easiest Way to Make Shredded Meat for Cafe Rio Salads or Pulled Meat Sandwiches

I have a homecoming for Princess Four coming up as she is returning home from Japan soon.

I also had bunko at my house tonight and had 12 women for dinner so I figured I would start making the meal for Princess Fours homecoming dinner as I had to be in the kitchen all day anyway. 

I have found the easiest and least stressful way to make shredded turkey for Café Rio salads is to purchase a pre cooked and seasoned frozen Norbest Turkey breast. They come in all sizes so it is easy to get a larger one and I love it as it is so easy to make. I shared a little about this in a post about making the Café Rio salads but I didn't make a video so I made one today to show you how I make it.

I fill a crock pot with water, turn the crock pot on the slowest cook and put the frozen turkey breast in the pot. I set the timer for 2 hours and walk away. In two hours, I dump out the water, refill the crock pot and rinse it and then drain it again and then put fresh water in and set the timer for two hours. 

You can repeat this as many times as you want depending on how seasoned you like the meat. I personally am taking out the extra sodium and any sulfides in the meat and just keep rinsing it every few hours. 

About an hour or so before we want to eat, I rinse the entire thing and then take a couple forks or a fork and a knife and I start pulling the meat apart. Since is was slow cooked, it is moist and falls apart with minimal effort. I then let it all get nice and juicy in the water for an hour and then serve. 

If you are going to freeze the mixture, let it cool to warm and then put it in freezer containers that won't allow freezer burn. I don't know how long it will last in the freezer but I have left it for a month or so without any issues. 

I take it out the night before we need it, put it in the oven to heat or when it is thawed enough, just heat the amount needed. If you want to freeze it into usable proportions for salads at lunch, I would allow it to cool completely and then put it into freezer bags of the right size and then put all the freezer bags into a Tupperware or another freezer safe container to keep them contained and protect them from freezer burn. This way you just take out the one bag, take it to work, it is thawed by lunch, heat it in the microwave and you can use it to make burritos or the salads etc. 

One of my favorite ways to use the turkey is to make cheese quesadillas using some tabasco sauce on the inside and putting this shredded turkey on top of that and then shredded cheese and toast both sides. Princess Five likes it with a little ranch dressing thrown in there as well. Once the turkey or other meat is stored in this way, it is ready to use in all sorts of things. I broke down lots of this at Princess One's home when I was there when she had her baby and froze it into smaller meal sized containers for them to use. 

Really, there isn't much to do other than rinsing it a few times. I get compliments on it all the time and I enjoy it with the fresh dressing I make. Check out that recipe here.... 

You can do this with any type of meat but if it isn't pre-seasoned, just add your favorite spices and don't rinse and drain it. Make sure it always has enough fluid to cover the meat so it doesn't get dry. Turn it a few times and after about ten hours, it will fall apart and is ready to use.

Have a Blessed Day!