The best way to turn a smoked pork butt into spiced and shredded pulled pork is a set of claws.
No, we’re not saying you should enlist your pet cat to help prepare barbecue; we’re talking about meat claws. A popular tool among smoked-meat enthusiasts and competitive barbecue pitmasters, meat claws are a set of handheld, well, claws, that let you tear meat into pieces much more efficiently than two tiny forks. You can unleash your inner animal while you use the heatproof claws to manage your grill or smoker, move hot food from oven to carving board to table, and even do some unexpected tasks like toss salads.
Are meat claws an indispensable tool every kitchen needs? No. Are they an affordable indulgence that makes cooking a bit more fun? Absolutely.
Best Overall
Bear Paws Meat Shredder Claws
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- Lightweight but strong
- Dishwasher-safe
- Inexpensive
- Uncomfortable for larger hands
- Heat-proof only to 475 degrees
Developed in the early 1990s, the Original Bear Paws are quite possibly the first-ever meat claws, and they’re still a favorite of barbecue competitors and pros. They’re made from lightweight nylon that’s strong enough to carry some weight, with sharp enough points on the claws to hold a large item in place while you slice or shred. Each claw is formed as a single piece of plastic, with no crevices or crannies for food debris to hide in, and they’re dishwasher-safe for extra-simple cleanup.
The Original Bear Paws’ material is heat-resistant up to 475 degrees, which should be enough to handle most grilling or smoking situations. But be careful to keep them away from grill grates, direct flame, or hot coals, which can melt the nylon.
Dimensions: 12 x 6 x 1 inches | Weight: 2.7 ounces | Material: Nylon | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes
Best Budget
Cave Tools Meat Claws
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- Inexpensive
- Dishwasher-safe
- Sharp teeth
- Teeth are far apart
- Slippery surface
Cave Tools’ meat claws have a similar design to the Bear Paws above, but they’re cheaper—in terms of both price and quality. The teeth are nice and sharp for gripping and holding food in place, though they’re spaced a little further apart than their competition, which gives you long shreds versus a finer pulled pork-style texture.
This brand is the choice of Jonathan Hunt, longtime chef and Senior Product Developer for Amazon Fresh. “I like the rounded handle versus square edges for a better grip when doing more rigorous tasks,” he says. But he also uses them to toss salads and mix other delicate ingredients: “Ironically, the sharp claws make it easier to grab fluffy greens or fine vegetables and drop as needed on a plate.”
These claws are made of dishwasher-safe plastic (the Amazon listing says they’re metal, but it’s wrong), so cleanup is fairly easy. There are some seams and hollows in the shape where food bits can get stuck, however, so a good rinse could be a good idea before you throw them into your machine. Some reviewers also complain that the handle can get slippery when wet or greasy, which it’s likely to do around juicy smoked meats. They might not be the finest meat claws in the world, but for five bucks, it’s hard not to call the Cave Tools model a good deal.
Dimensions: 6.2 x 4.8 x 1.5 inches | Weight: 5.3 ounces | Material: Plastic | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes
Best High-Volume
Butcher BBQ Bear Claws
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- Inexpensive
- Durable
- Comfortable to hold
- Slippery surface
When Leslie Roark Scott, Pitmaster for Ubons in Yazoo City, Mississippi, needs to shred a lot of barbecue, she chooses these meat claws. “They are perfect for when we are pulling huge amounts of meat for festivals,” says the third-generation barbecue chef and multiple-time competition winner. “They make meat pulling the easy part!”
These inexpensive and simple tools are heavy-duty and comfortable to hold for a long time, with sharp-gripping claws spaced neither too wide nor too narrow. The smooth plastic material is dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup (they can only go on the top shelf, but that’s where you’d usually put meat claws anyway). A downside of the material is that it’s not the easiest to hold tightly, especially when your hands are slick with delicious barbecue juices. But you can solve that problem just like the pros: Put on a pair of food-safe disposable gloves for a better grip (and better kitchen sanitation, too).
Material: Plastic | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes
Best Metal
1Easylife Metal Meat Shredder Claws
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- Attractive design
- Sharp prongs
- High heat resistance
- Expensive
- Heavy
Metal meat claws can take much higher temperatures than plastic. This model’s stainless steel can handle up to 1,112 degrees, nearly hot enough to melt aluminum. That means you can use them to move meat around on the grill as well as to tend the burning coals underneath it. The tips of plastic claws sometimes get melted or misshapen when they get too close to the heat; that will never happen with steel.
Steel is also strong; the 1EasyLife’s sharp prongs can hold and lift a whole smoked turkey or other heavy cut of meat with ease. The thick wooden handles look nice, but they also serve a useful purpose for heat resistance, keeping your fingers away from the hot metal. Nonetheless, the claws are dishwasher-safe for quick and easy cleanup.
The big downside here is price: Metal claws are just generally more expensive than plastic, and 1EasyLife’s are on the higher end of the range. (Nonetheless, we’re not talking about a huge investment at just over 20 bucks.) They’re also somewhat heavier than plastic claws, so if you’re shredding a lot of meat they might tire you out faster.
Dimensions: 4.7 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches | Weight: 11.7 ounces | Materials: Stainless steel, wood | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes
Best Set
Grace Kitchenwares Premium BBQ Dream Set
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- Heavy-duty material
- Includes gloves and basting brush
- All items are dishwasher-safe
- Shape can trap bits of food
- Gloves are short
This affordable set gives you three important tools for the pitmaster’s arsenal: a pair of claws along with heat-proof silicone gloves and a basting brush. The meat claws have the same basic design as most others on this list, with six sharp talons and a comfortable handle, made of strong and dishwasher-safe plastic. They work very well for shredding and lifting, but there’s a hollow in the back side of the handle that can trap bits of food, even in the dishwasher. You might need to give that area a quick spray with the sink nozzle or a wipe with a sponge before you load it in the machine.
The rest of the set adds a lot of utility that makes it a great buy at its price. The gloves have five separate fingers to hold items more securely, with an extra-grippy texture on their entire surface. They’re 100 percent silicone, so you can rinse them inside and out, and even throw them in the dishwasher. One complaint, though, is that they’re short, only covering up to the wrists; you might end up with some singed arm hairs when reaching into the back of the grill. (Our favorite grill gloves mostly reach further up the arm.)
We have no issues with the silicone basting brush, a heat-proof tool that can apply sauces or glazes without leaving behind any hairs or bristles. Like the rest of the set, it’s fully dishwasher-safe and a breeze to clean. If you’re looking for one-stop shopping to get equipped for barbecue, this set is a great choice as a gift or to treat yourself.
Dimensions (Meat Claws): 4.5 x 4.3 x 0.5 inches | Materials: Plastic, silicone | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes
Final Verdict
The Original Bear Paws Meat Claws are our top choice because of their durable construction, ease of cleanup, versatility, and comfortable grip. If you’re looking for something that costs less than a Starbucks latte, $5 for a pair of Cave Tools Meal Claws is a steal.
What to Look for in Meat Claws
Material
Meat claws need to be strong, heat-resistant, and easy to clean thoroughly. That really leaves two options: metal or plastic. Dense and durable plastic materials like nylon are quite common for their low cost. You do need to pay attention to heat-resistance, though; if the tips of the claws get too hot, they can start to soften and bend, or even melt completely. Each brand’s material has a different temperature capacity, generally between 400 and 600 degrees. This is within the range you’ll encounter on a grill or over live fire, so you should be careful not to let plastic claws touch hot grates, flames, or hot coals.
Metal claws—usually made of stainless steel—can handle temperatures well above those used to cook food, so you’ll never have to worry about them melting. You can even use metal claws to move hot coals around and stoke the fire. They’re also able to better hold a sharp edge, which is good for holding onto food but does require more care while cleaning to avoid cuts. Metal claws are somewhat more expensive than plastic, and heavier, though no models are all that incredibly costly or heavy.
Handles and Tines
When attacking tasks like shredding Hawaiian-style kalua pork, you want something comfortable and easy to grip. The shape and material of the handle both affect this—something perfectly round and perfectly smooth might clean really well in the dishwasher, but it’ll also be slippery to hold. The size of the handles matters, too: Some models don’t have a lot of space between the handle and the tines, which could be uncomfortable for a user with larger hands.
As far as tines, what matters is how far apart they’re spaced. Closer-together tines create finer shreds, whereas wider-set ones cut thicker pieces. The latter style cuts down on the work needed to shred large cuts, though the former is best to get a perfectly uniform texture.
Ease of cleaning
Using meat claws is a messy undertaking—anything cooked until it’s shreddably tender will leave lots of fat and juices on your tools, carving board, and probably countertop. Thankfully, most models are dishwasher-safe. However, shape matters: The dishwasher might not get to seams and hollow areas where bits of food can get stuck, and you’ll have to pre-rinse. Make sure to check the instructions or packaging about dishwasher procedures, as some claws should only go on the top shelf.
It’s also a snap to throw claws in a basin of hot, soapy water to wash by hand. Just be careful with the sharp points and edges, especially on metal claws.
FAQs
How do you use meat claws to shred meat?
The procedure is pretty similar to the way you’d use a pair of forks, just on a larger scale. Stick one claw into the meat to hold it steady, then use the other in a “scratching” kind of motion to pull off shreds of meat. Once the meat is mostly broken down, you can use both claws to pull apart any chunks that remain. It’s best to shred while the meat is still hot, as fat and protein will firm up at cooler temperatures. (The meat should break apart quite easily; if you need a lot of effort, it may not be cooked enough.)
What else can you use meat claws for?
Meat claws are a great way to lift and move hot, heavy food items, like taking a whole turkey or roast out of the oven, off the grill, or out of the slow cooker. You can use just one claw to steady something like a smoked brisket or a glazed ham while you slice it with a carving knife. Meat claws don’t have to be used only with meat, either: They’re excellent for tossing salad with dressing or pasta with sauce.
You can also take meat claws out of the kitchen: Jonathan Hunt says the sharp and evenly spaced tines are “great for weeding small beds and planters or loosening soil. I’ll be planting tulip bulbs in February with them!” (It’s probably a good idea to have separate sets of meat claws for cooking and gardening, however.)
One online reviewer even says he loves using his meat claws as back scratchers!
How do you shred meat without meat claws?
Meat claws are essentially large, specialized forks, and you can use any pair of forks to do the same thing in much the same way. Use one fork to hold the meat in place, and pull it apart with the other. You can also just use your hands: Barry Sorkin, Owner of Chicago’s Smoque BBQ, likes to wear white cotton gloves with a pair of nitrile gloves over them when he’s doing large-scale shredding. “Claws don’t allow you to feel bone or cartilage fragments that may have been missed,” he says.
To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best meat claws on the market, evaluating their key features—like ease of use, material, and price—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources.
