Cooking in Stages??

ksmyrl

Anyone ever cook in stages? I mean, cook a pork butt to half done or near done. Take it off, refrigerate, then put it back on for a few hours the next day? I ask because I volunteered to bring some pulled pork nachos to a friends birthday party. The time of party has now changed to 4 hrs earlier than previously planned. I will not be home until about 3 hrs before the party. I'm fine with a turbo butt, but that still isn't quite enough time. And...I'm just not comfortable leaving the house empty with the egg going. I'm sure it would be fine, but I don't even leave the house with the dryer running. Maybe I'm a little OCD...any advice?

Thanks a million.

johnkitchens

I would not start cooking it and take it off, refrigerate it and put it back on. That sounds like a recipe for food poisoning to me. 

I hope you can work it out. 

Hankyorke

Cook it, pull it then reheat. I think you're asking for trouble chilling it in the middle of a cook.

GATraveller

Cook it.  Let it rest.  Pull it.  Refrigerate.  Reheat for party.  

ksmyrl

Thanks for the replies and concerns. I should have clarified: I was thinking of cooking to 160 IT (safe for pork) and then pulling. But not getting it all the way to pulled pork temps. I know caterers do that with beef and chicken, but never heard it done with pork. Y'all are right, re-heating will be the easiest and safest. Thanks again.

LincolnPark_Egghead

@ksmyrl the pork butt won't pull at 160. The connective tissue will not have rendered at that temp. 

johnkitchens

At 160 you will have to slice it. 

pgprescott

Cook it to 200 then you can either pull/ shred the pork at that time and reheat it later, or reheat the whole butt later and continue the normal process. Too clever by half IMHO.

GATraveller

From my understanding he's asking if it would work if cooked to 160 IT - placed in fridge then returned back to egg for remainder of cook when time arrives.

BRush00

Maybe I'm missing something here but..

I think you're looking to:  Cook pork to 160, Refridgerate, then finish the cook to 205.  But..... Won't the Refrigerate part of that negate the initial cook?  Sure - the pork would be "done", but after the fridge it would be cold as a brick again, and you'd have to heat it from say ~40* - 205*....

How would that be any faster than taking the RAW pork out and cooking from ~40* - 205*?

Either way, I think everyone's got the right answer - cook, pull, fridge, reheat when ready to eat.  And heck, why wouldn't you just put the cold pulled pork on the nachos, then toss the whole shebang in the oven/egg for 20 minutes.  The pork will be hot, AND the cheese will melt.

Hotch

Cook it to 205, wrap it up tight saran wrap and foil. Then toss it in the fridge. Go to go for a few days, 2-3. Then unwrap, Egg at 350 till it comes to temp175-180. Take it off then pull. I have done this a few times.

shtgunal3

Cook and pull/shred and them vacuum seal. When ready to eat, drop bag and all in a big pot of boiling water. I've done this with pulled pork that has been frozen for 6 months and it tasted like it just came off the egg.

ksmyrl

@GATraveller
@BRush00
You are correct. That was my question. Cook to 160 then refrigerate, continue cook later. All great points and yes, now that I read it I guess it would take about as long to come back up to temp, duh. Sounds like there are a few good options here; that's why I love this place, always someone who's done it before and doesn't mind sharing. Thanks again.

GATraveller

De Nada.  Good luck and enjoy!!!