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Butts done faster than expected...now what???

Unknown
Unknown
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Just finished an overnight cook, 3 butts, average size 9 pounds. I expected this to take around 18 hours. I was wrong. Butts hit 200 degrees (triple checked) at 10:30 this morning after cooking 13.5 hours. I removed them, double foiled them, wrapped them in towels, and now they are tightly packed in a cooler. Party does not start for around 9 hours. How long can they stay in the cooler? Any suggestions? Thanks.
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Comments

  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    New to Que,
    at least 5 hours.[p]if you had any fire bricks that are still warm, you can add them in (wrapped).[p]best thing if you can do it is to stick the probe into one of the butts and keep tabs on it that way.[p]you have four hours of 'safe' time even after it goes under 140. but it should take a few hours before it drops under 140
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
    stike,[p]So, 140 is the lowest I should let it go? Assuming I have only 4 hours, what do I do? Pull it after 4 hours and then put it in zip lock bags, refrigerate and heat later when ready to serve? When do I add the bbq sauce? Can I just place a zip lock bag in boiling water and reheat it that way? Sorry for all the questions, I just don't want to screw this up.
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  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
    New to Que,[p]Boy, one minute the 'ol Egg won't come up to temp, then it turns around and spits out some food 3 or 4 hours early. LOL After hour 8, I will ramp down my pit temp when I see them cooking too fast.[p]The Naked Whiz has a chart on his site which confirms that holding in a cooler works for 4 or 5 hours. I have held butts many times for that long. With 3 in there they will share heat. Adding some hot bricks like stike mentioned is good too. [p]Your other choice is pulling them and cooling the meat down, then reheating later, but it's much better to show off and pull them in front of guests. You can always go back into a 180° oven with them once they fall to 150° and get the internal back up, then move back to the cooler.[p]
    ~thirdeye~

    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
    thirdeye,[p]Thanks again for your advice. Yeah once I got that egg going it really did the job quicker than expected. Totally agree, pulling the pork in front of the crowd is half the fun. I will try your last technique, hopefully I don't dry them out too much.
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  • AZRP
    AZRP Posts: 10,116
    New to Que,
    I would do what Thirdeye suggested and keep watch on the temps, if they get to 150, put them in a 180 degree oven. Remember, you have 4 hours between 40 and 140, so it won't hurt a thing if they sit foiled on the counter for a couple hours to cool down before pulling them. -RP
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  • dblR
    dblR Posts: 75
    New to Que,[p]You can put them wrapped in your oven at 190* for a long time. That is a way of holding them and not worry about the 140* worry. After a while you can then put in your cooler with towels for several hours.[p]Another thing I have done is after a few hours in the cooler you can go ahead and pull or shred and put in the new double lined freezer bags and put in freezer. When I go to reheat or defrost I leave in the bags with them half open and heat them on defrost mode (even if just refridgerated) for a small amout of time. I mix it often to reheat even. 45seconds; mix; 45 seconds; mix; so on until heated. By leaving in the bags it will trap the moisture of your butts in the bags.
    you will have moist hot butts! That just sounds funny.[p]I have also heard some people reheat with real Coca-Cola poured in. Not sure if in a pan or in the bags.[p]My method will allow you to serve your sauce either way you want to. On the side or mixed just before you serve.[p]dblR
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    New to Que,
    no.[p]when it gets to 140, you still have 4 hours
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • Jeeves
    Jeeves Posts: 461
    stike,[p]what is all this about the 140° 'safe time' What after it goes below 140°?[p]How long will refrigerated PULLED keep?[p]TIA,[p]Jeeves
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    Jeeves,
    hour hours between 40 and 140 degrees is a rule of thumb for safe food handling.[p]

    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    should read "four hours" between 40-140. ...not
    "hour hours" [p]haha

    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • Jeeves
    Jeeves Posts: 461
    stike,[p]ok - I was just wondering if it was a flag that if it went below 40 degrees, to trash or something, like a dairy product.
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