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Advice please: Pulled beef and pork butt

troutman
troutman Posts: 498
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I'm trying something for the first time and could use some advice. I'm hosting a small company gathering at my house on Friday and need to cook in advance. I started the pulled beef today (Tuesday) and plan to finish it and refrigerate tonight. I'll start two pork butts tomorrow and finish them Thursday.

I've never cooked a lot of food in advance, and could use some advice on the best methods. For the beef, I could:

1) Cook it (I'm using Clay Q's method) completely, then re-heat the sauced/pulled beef in the crock pot on Friday
2) Cook it but don't pull it, refrigerate it tonight, then pull it and put back on the large Friday with sauce for a couple of hours of heavy smoke in DO, then serve
3) Cook and pull it, then refrigerate it, then sauce it and smoke it in DO on Friday

Here is the prep, with DP Raising the Steaks and Redeye Express, plus a little onion flakes:

Chuck_Roast001.jpg

Onto the Egg at 250, with the bacon:
Chuck_Roast002.jpg

I plan to pull the pork butts and food-saver them on Thursday, refrigerate overnight, then re-heated in boiling water.

I'll be doing some tri-tips on the small on Friday, so the large BGE should be available for whatever is needed for the beef or pork.

Any comments, guidance, or better suggestions from those of you that have done this before will be much appreciated. I'll post photos during the week of the progress for us food-porn addicts. Thanks for reading.

Comments

  • AZRP
    AZRP Posts: 10,116
    Hey Scott, Clay's beef is fabulous but it is a long cook. It comes out very moist, I would be inclined to pull it hot, sauce it, then refrigerate. That is basically what my leftovers were and they were good. You are right on with the butt. -RP
  • ledmond
    ledmond Posts: 88
    I have done about 20 or so butt portion hams and the best ones have been the ones I pulled and refridgerated overnite. For some reason the tastes multiplies. I do wrap in foil and put in a cooler for a couple of hours before pulling. It is awesome. I always keep my sauce on the side, but that is just me (kids). Good luck.
  • vidalia1
    vidalia1 Posts: 7,092
    I agree with Randy. That is what I did when I served 100 co-workers at Christmas.
  • CBBQ
    CBBQ Posts: 610
    I use a modified version of Clay Q's pulled beef for my business. As AZRP said it's a lot longer cook than you would think so I tend to cook a bunch of it at one time. After it's done I cut the roast in sections so it cools faster. I wrap each chunk and freeze or refridge it. When it's time to use it I cut it into 1-2" thick slices and put it in with the sauce. It falls apart pretty quick. The reason I do it this way is that it doesn't lend itself to drying out or freezer burn if it's not pulled. I sauce at the final cook because I prefer the taste of meat with sauce on it as opposed to meat that taste like sauce because it has been soaking/marinating in it. That's just my likes.
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,668
    either way with the beef, i would probably cool it and finish it later in the sauce, it will fall apart with a quick braise. when i do brisket i slice it for the first day and braise in sauce in a skillet day two and it falls apart in no time
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • I am in this camp also. Pretty much what I did with one of my chucks a couple of weeks ago!
    Was wonderful.
  • Memphistide
    Memphistide Posts: 207
    I am different from most, but I take if off the Egg, wrap it and let it sit for 3-4 hours. I put the wrapped butt in the fridge and pull it out about 2 hrs before serving time. I put the still-wrapped butt in the oven at 225 w/ my meat thermometer in the boneless part of the pork. When the meat gets to 90 deg or more, open, pull and serve. This has Always been good for me. DO NOT change the wrap as you need the juices and fat that are chilled in there to maintain your moisture when you reheat.
  • Big'un
    Big'un Posts: 5,909
    Yep! What Randy said.
  • troutman
    troutman Posts: 498
    Thanks to everyone for helping me out. I'm going to stick with it tonight until it is done, pulled, sauced, and smoked again. It may be a late night, as this chunk-a-chuck is still only at 150 degrees after 8 hours. I'll put the final product in the frig in tupperware and then re-heat on Friday.

    I couldn't see all that smoke going to waste today so I added some beef ribs for tonights dinner. Here's a pic early on:

    Beef_ribs_mar23.jpg

    You folks with all the knowledge are much appreciated for taking the time to help. I'll be Carnivore-ing those ribs tonight.