My granddaddy always said the best part of a 12-hour smoke was the lunch you had the next day. Growing up in Memphis, our family pit was always running, but we didn’t just eat pulled pork on a plate with beans and white bread. Some of my favorite memories are of these Memphis Pulled Pork Wraps—one of the best pitmaster lunch ideas for using up leftover pulled pork recipes. I remember watching my daddy tuck cold-set pork and a heap of tangy slaw into Southern BBQ wraps so he could keep one hand on the pit dampers and the other on his sandwich.

That’s the soul of this recipe. If you don’t have leftovers ready, you can always make a batch of Crockpot Memphis-Style Pulled Pork to get started. It’s about respecting the meat you worked so hard to smoke by giving it a second life that’s just as good—maybe even better—than the first. We aren’t just “reheating” here; we’re doing a skillet refresh to bring back that moisture and a cast iron sear to give it a whole new texture.

The Magic of Reheating Pulled Pork

One of the biggest sins you can commit in BBQ is throwing perfectly good leftover pork into the microwave. It turns into a rubbery mess faster than you can say “low and slow.” To get that championship texture back, you need to master the art of reheating pulled pork with steam.

I like to use a splash of apple juice in a covered skillet. The natural sugars in the juice pair beautifully with the pork fat, and the steam gently coaxes the meat fibers to relax and soak up moisture. When you lift that lid and see the steam rise, you’ll know exactly what I mean. The smoke knows, and it’s about to wake back up.

The Secret Vinegar Coleslaw for Pork

Now, let’s talk about the crunch. In Memphis, we take our slaw seriously, and for a wrap like this, mayo has no seat at the table. You want a sharp, vinegar coleslaw for pork. Why? Because pulled pork is rich, fatty, and decadent. You need that vinegar tang to cut through the heavy rendered collagen and brighten up every bite.

The secret is keeping the slaw refrigerator-cold. When you bite into that wrap, you want what I call “thermal delight”—the contrast between the piping hot, succulent pork and the icy, crisp, acidic slaw. It’s a roller coaster for your taste buds.

Finishing with a “Bark”

The final step is where we bring it all home. By searing the finished wrap in a hot cast iron skillet, we’re creating a structural “bark” on the outside of the tortilla. It gives you that satisfying crunch that reminds you of the exterior of a well-smoked shoulder. If you love this technique, you should also try my Spicy Carnitas Wraps.

Just remember: keep the sear quick. You want the wrap crispy and the meat hot, but you want that slaw to stay cold and crunchy on the inside. Trust the process, and you’ll have a lunch that’s truly competition-worthy.

Serve these up with a cold glass of sweet tea and some kettle chips, and you’ll understand why we never let a scrap of pork go to waste in the Jones house. This is easily one of the Best Wraps in our family rotation. Now let’s get to it!