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Keeping pulled pork warm for 3 hours

Hi, folks!  It's been quite a while since I last posted here.  Lots of new names, but a fair number I still recognize as well.

I've got a question I could use help with.  I'm cooking pulled pork (on the Egg, of course!) for my coworkers.  We're having a staff meeting about 2 hours away from where I live.  I need to get there early and set up because I'm running the meeting.

If I didn't have anything else to do, I would just leave the pork unpulled, wrapped up in foil, and leave it in a cooler with blankets.  I know that setup can easily keep pork at a safe temperature for that many hours, because I've done it many times before.  However, I'm going to have stuff to do when I get there, and I don't think it will work well for me to be pulling pork when I need to be doing my setup.  

How else could I do this?  I think my options are:

1) Put the pulled pork in steam tray pans, cover with foil, and then put the covered pans in a cooler with blankets.
2) Put the pulled pork in Food Saver bags, and then wrap those up in blankets in the cooler.

The second option seems better, but can it stay warm enough that way?  I know I can boil the bags to heat them through, but I don't know that I'll have that option when I get to the meeting site.  Can I do that right before I stick them in the cooler?  Would they be likely to retain sufficient heat?

The steam tray pans look a little nicer, but I seem to have problems with drying out or even overcooking when I reheat that way.  Again, the Food Saver bags would be ideal, because I could just pour the contents into the steam tray pans.  

Come to think of it, I do have a steam tray I haven't used in a couple of years.  So that's something I could add to the mix.

Thoughts?  Sorry to be dense about all this...

Comments

  • Charlie tuna
    Charlie tuna Posts: 2,191
    I would not pull it ahead of time.  Transport it whole and have someone there pull it, it only takes ten minutes with a couple of forks.  That way the juices will be fresh and the pork will not dry out..
  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    I must be doing something wrong. I place the butt in an aluminum pan... It takes 60 seconds to get ready with a couple of forks.
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • Eggtuary
    Eggtuary Posts: 400
    I should have clarified.  I normally pull the pork, then mix in sauce and rub.  Plus, I like to take the time to go through and pull out bits of fat.  My wife and I used to compete, and now we just can't stand to serve anything that we don't give the same time and attention. It can turn into a pretty messy job.  The meeting is at our national headquarters, so we'll all be dressed nicer than we would normally be.
  • Eggtuary
    Eggtuary Posts: 400

    Another concern I have is that security is very tight at this headquarters.  So I'm not sure how they'd feel about me bringing big chunks of meat wrapped in foil, down in a cooler.  I'm thinking I'll have less security issues if I show them vacuum-sealed bags. 

  • Charlie tuna
    Charlie tuna Posts: 2,191
    I put the rub on the butt BEFORE i cook it, and the juices are inside the foil, so as i pull it the pulled pork is mixed directly back into the meat.  If it requires your, or your wife's personnel attention, i would bring a BBQ apron(a fancy one need be) and pull it myself.
  • Eggtuary
    Eggtuary Posts: 400

    Thanks, Charlie.  I apply rub before cooking, too.  But I like to add some after I've pulled it, as well.

  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    Could you shred it and then ftc it?
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    edited May 2013
    If you knew you had access to a place you could simmer water to heat the pork in the bags it would be easier.  I think I would just cook the pork ahead of time, refrigerate, transport in a cold cooler, and heat up on site.  

    If you need to heat the foodsaver bags ahead of time and keep them warm- perhaps heat them, add them to the cooler, then pour hot water in the cooler to cover them.  I wouldn't do boiling water...maybe 180 degrees or so.  

    Not sure if that might be too much of a pain- transporting a cooler full of liquid sloshing around :).  


    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

  • Mross
    Mross Posts: 338
    I have pulled pork way beforehand and put in steam trays. I always add a little water before reheating and never have a problem with dried out product.
    Duncan, SC
  • Do you have any fire bricks you could heat up and place in the bottom of the cooler?  That might help them stay warmer longer.

    Damascus, VA.  Friendliest town on the Appalachian Trail.

    LBGE Aug 2012, SBGE Feb 2014

  • Eggtuary
    Eggtuary Posts: 400

    Nope, I never did pick up any fire bricks.

    henapple -- What did you mean by "Could you shred it and then ftc it?"  I'm not sure what "ftc" stands for.

  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    Foil, towel, cooler. I think it would stay warm for 3 hours.
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • QDude
    QDude Posts: 1,052
    I have been able to FTC whole butts for 6 hours and still have the meat too hot to comfortably pull.

    Northern Colorado Egghead since 2012.

    XL BGE and a KBQ.