There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to pull a perfectly smoked pork shoulder with a cutlery fork and a dull knife. When it comes to shredding large cuts of meat, you absolutely must have a sturdy, sharp pair of the best meat claws money can buy!
Lucky for you, the BBQ experts at Fire Food Chef have you totally covered! Along with the top reviews of the best smokers and grills, we conducted our own research to find the best brand of meat claws for shredding, pulling, handling.
Read the Best Meat Claws review below and discover which one is right for your barbecue!
Table of Contents
In a Hurry? This was our Winner:
Cave Tools Meat Claws - Stainless Steel Pulled Pork SHREDDERS
Why is it better?
98/100
our score
7
Research
QUERIES
314
REviews considered
35
hours researching
7
products compared
Last Updated: January 3, 2024
By William Clay: This article has been updated to reflect the most accurate information regarding meat claws available for those who are interested in taking their BBQing experience to the next level. The best 7 available have changed, and information has been added to assist individuals in finding the best BBQ meat claws currently available on the market.
Best Meat Claws Of 2024 Rankings
RANK | PICTURE | NAME | RATING | SHOPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
№1 |  | 98% |  | |
№2 |  | 96% |  | |
№3 |  | 94% |  | |
№4 |  | 90% |  | |
№5 |  | 87% |  | |
№6 |  | 84% |  | |
№7 |  | 80% |  |
7 Best Meat Claws Of 2024
For true blue pitmasters, presentation matters! It’s called pulled pork, not mangled, chewed up pork! A cutlery fork isn’t made for gently pulling or shredding meat. Even a steak knife can be difficult because the handle limits your dexterity, forcing you to tear at the meat instead of slicing.
Handling, carving, shredding and slicing - premium grade meat claw shredders are indispensable to avoid mangling your meat. The best brands offer stainless steel, BPA-free plastic (silicon or nylon), non-slip handles, and are dishwasher friendly. Meat claws are fairly easy to find and relatively inexpensive, but you can easily overpay for a product that chips, dullens, or wears out after only a few months.
1. Cave Tools Meat Claws - Stainless Steel Pulled Pork Shredders - TOP PICK OVERALL
Description:
Premium stainless steel meat claw and pulled pork shredder
Features
- 2 Meat Claws
- 6 Prongs each with extended knuckle gap
- Stainless Steel
- BPA-free Handle
- Dishwasher-safe
REVIEW RATING: 4.9 / 5 Stars
Awarded the prestigious ‘Best New Products’ Of 2024 by AmazingRibs.com, the Cave Tools Meat Claws is a stainless steel bbq meat rake and pulled pork shredder. Hold, slice, shred, or pull, these meat claws can shred through a large roast or turkey breast as easily as a hot knife through butter.
Cave Tools is one of the few brands that seems to truly embrace their customers as a community [1]. Their marketing is simple and direct, with messaging that appeals to anyone who’s serious about their BBQ utensils.
Used with a pair of quality bbq gloves, you’ll feel more like a giant grizzly bear with these meat claws in your hands as you quickly make short work of a large smoked brisket or pork shoulder. Each claw has 6 stainless steel blades, with gaps wide enough for your baby finger to fit. This breadth is much wider than a fork, making it ideal for quickly shredding a chicken breast or a 20lb turkey.
When you’re finished shredding, the Cave Tools Meat Claws can be thrown into your dishwasher or washed by hand with a sponge. Suitable for competition grilling or your average kitchen use, these stainless steel shredders won’t bend or warp the way plastic does.
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READ NEXT: Best Electric Smokers Of 2024
Description:
Ultra sharp nylon plastic bear claw and meat shredder
Features
- Dimensions: 12 x 6 x 1 inches
- 2 Meat Claws
- 6 Ultra Sharp Claws (per bear paw)
- FDA-Approved, BPA-Free Nylon
- Heat Resistant up to 475 degrees fahrenheit
- Dishwasher-safe
REVIEW RATING: 4.7 / 5 Stars
Few meat claw brands are as widely popular as the Original Bear Paws, and with good reason. These sturdy, reliable meat shredders are the perfect BBQ tool for shredding, cutting, pulling, lifting or handling heavy cuts of meat.
Shredded pork or chicken, these food-grade meat shredders offer a comfortable size grip wide enough for you to handle meat easily on the grill. Even on the high setting, the Original Bear Paws are heat resistant enough to withstand searing temperatures up to 475 degrees fahrenheit.
Used as a pair or individually, your prep work and shredding will take only seconds using these nylon plastic bear paws. After you’re finished pulling or shredding, these BPA-free meat claws can be washed by hand or in your dishwasher.
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Description:
Stainless Steel Meat Rakes
Features
- Dimensions: 9.5 x 4 x 1 inches
- 2 Meat Rakes
- Stainless Steel Prongs
- Dishwasher-safe
REVIEW RATING: 4.5 / 5 Stars
Ok, so you won’t feel like a wolverine, but the Cave Tools Stainless Steel BBQMeat Rakes won’t disappoint your shredding expectations! These stainless steel meat rakes compare favorably to the shredder claws reviewed earlier as our top pick.
Featured on such programs as The "Q" Review, BBQ Central Radio Station, Outdoor Cooking Channel, FOX, NBC, ABC, Cave Tools was established in 2005 and has quickly become a household name [2].
Six curved prongs on each rake gives you a lot more control of a large pot roast, or a twenty pound whole turkey. The stainless steel is food-grade quality and safe to use on both meat and produce.
Elongated handles also give you more leverage when you’re trying to handle meat straight off the grill or directly on it. The handles are half push tang with a custom mold inside which secures the metal in place and makes sure it doesn't get loose or fall out. There are also handy holes on the ends of the handles so you can hang them up safely instead of storing them in your kitchen drawer.
Overall, these bbq meat rakes make a great alternative to the bear claw design.
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ALSO: Best BBQ Gloves Reviews
Description:
Stainless Steel Bear Paw Shredders with Wooden Handles (waterproof)
Features:
- Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.5 x 2 inches
- 2 Bear Shredder Paws
- Stainless Steel Claws
- Wood Handles
- Dishwasher-safe
Review Rating: 4.5 / 5 Stars
You just might let out a primal grizzly growl after using these incredible bear claws! Stylish and highly effective at shredding, pulling, and handling meat, the Gastronomo Stainless Steel Bear Shredder Paws are the real deal!
The crafted, sturdy wooden handles on each bear claw are stylish, with ample space for getting a firm grip. There’s an extra layer of paint coat and they’re waterproof, so you can wash them repeatedly without them wearing out or falling apart.
Heat resistant up to 1112°F, you can use them right on the grill or in your kitchen. You’ll easily shred and pull pork, chicken, brisket, beef, and turkey with these bear shredder paws in much less time than it takes with flimsy cutlery. They’re admittedly pricier than our top pick, but certainly worth the investment.
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Description:
BPA-Free Plastic Meat Claws for shredding and pulling
Features:
- Dimensions: 6.2 x 4.8 x 1.5 inches
- 2 Meat Shredder Claws
- BPA-Free Plastic
- Dishwasher-safe
Review Rating: 4.3 / 5 Stars
At first glance these meat claws look a bit more like toys than high quality kitchen utensils. Once you slip them on and start shredding, though, you can’t help but feel a little giddy at how fun they are to use.
Yes, they’re made of plastic, but these are Cave Tools shredder claws. They’re BPA-free, heat resistant, and sharp! Whether you need to handle a ten pound Boston Butt or a twenty pound smoked turkey, the sturdy claws give you the control, dexterity and sharpness you need to work with confidence.
The one drawback mentioned by some reviewers is that the handles aren’t exactly non-slip. If your hands are wet or greasy, getting a firm grip will be more challenging.
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Description:
Stainless Steel Bear Shredder Paws with wooden handles for Shredding, Pulling, Handing, Lifting & Serving Pork, Turkey, Chicken, or Brisket
Features:
- Dimensions: 4.7 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
- 2 Meat Shredder Bear Claws
- Stainless Steel and Wood Construction
- Dishwasher-safe
Review Rating: 4.2 / 5 Stars
The 1EasyLife Stainless Steel Meat Forks with Wooden Handle are identical in many ways to the Gastronomo Bear Shredder Paws reviewed earlier.
Featuring the same wooden handle design and stylish stainless steel claws, these claws also feature a waterproof, painted wooden handle that offers a firm grip for handling unwieldy cuts of beef or big game.
The food grade stainless steel is 304 grade, so it’s safe to use with vegetables or meat, and dishwasher safe. The claws are solid, not hollow like some plastic meat claws on the market, so they’re really sturdy.
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Description:
BPA-free plastic meat claws for Shredding and Handling Pulled Pork, Chicken and Other Foods
Features:
- Dimensions: 6 x 5.9 x 1.5 inches
- 2 Meat Shredder Claws
- BPA Free Plastic (FDA Approved)
- Dishwasher-safe
Review Rating: 4.0 / Stars
Sharp, durable and food-grade safe, the Jasons Premium Meat Shredding Claws include a handy pouch for storing safely in your kitchen drawer. The pouch is also the reason they are priced slightly higher than the Original Bear Paws or the Cave Tools Pulled Pork Shredder Claws.
Jasons isn’t as popular a brand name like Cave Tools, but their meat shredding claws compare favorably in every way. Heat resistant, food-grade safe, and dishwasher friendly, these meat claws do exactly what they’re supposed to do.
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What Are Meat Claws Used For?
A set of premium meat claws, also known as meat shredders, bear claws, or pulled pork shredders, combines the benefits of several grilling utensils in one. They’re designed for handling large cuts of meat like a fork, and for shredding or pulling meat. Shaped like a rake or animal claw, they can quickly shred or pull meat with less hassle than ordinary cutlery.
Large roasts, chicken, turkey or ham can be unwieldy cuts of meat to handle. Removing them from a hot grill surface or frying pan can be awkward with just a fork. Even spatulas can bend under the weight of a thick angus steak, and a meat fork is a great for piercing, but not shredding or slicing.
Meat claws give you the versatility of a spatula, a fork, and a knife all in one. Instead of using a spatula, meat fork and a large, sharp meat knife, you can use a pair of meat claws to do the job of all three. That’s less cleanup for you and a much more efficient way of cooking!
What Cut Should You Use For Shredding Meat?
How do you know which is the best cut of meat for shredding [3]? Can you shred a chicken wing? Not all parts of an animal are suitable for pulled meat recipes. With the right cut of beef, pork, poultry or game bird, your pulled meat will be moist, flavorful, and shred easily.
Beef And Pork
Beef chuck, beef brisket, or pork shoulder are the best for shredding beef or pork. You’ll find endless recipes that call for either shredded beef or pulled pork. These are all fairly inexpensive cuts that you can get at any butcher or grocery.
Large cuts of beef and pork require ‘low and slow’ cooking over several hours for the best results. They take long, but once you put them in your grill or smoker and set the right temperature, they don’t need a lot of ‘babysitting’ or attention.
Chicken
For pulled or shredded chicken, use chicken thighs, which are more moist and flavorful than other parts of the chicken. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, if you prefer white meat.
References
[1] Cave Tools (Official Site)
[2] How We Built A $2M/Year Business Selling Barbecue Tools (StarterStory.com)
[3] How To Shred Meat (Better Homes & Gardens)