Question for pulled pork guru's

BigGreenGator

I'm fixing to pull the butts off the smoker after a 15 hour smoke ... I'm gonna leave them in the cooler for two hours then pull that would be approximately 1:00 eastern time ... My question is my folks / party won't start till 6:00 tonight 5 hours later ... Is there a determined time that you can leave butts in the cooler or do I need to refrigerate and warm back up just before the party 
thanks everyone  

Skiddymarker

Longest I’ve kept butts is just under 6 hours, double foiled in a good cooler with a couple of warm bricks for good measure. I like to pull right before serving as the results seem better to me than pulling and rewarming. 

Walt2015

I'd FTC for 5-6 hrs then pull out. Since you have multiple butts it should be easier to keep nice and hot in the cooler. They should still be almost too hot to handle without gloves. I'd let sit for about 30 on counter then pull for party

Walt2015

By the way, looks great. Sorry I forgot to rsvp but I'll be there, in vol orange of course

Brisket_Fanatic

If you double wrap the butts in foil, then wrap a couple of heavy towels around that and place them in a preheated cooler they should still be hot by party time. This way you pull them just before eating, otherwise I would think you could hold them in a 170 degree oven or so wrapped in foil until party time as well. If you dead set on pulling now and then reheating, the best way I have found is to seal them in vac bags and reheat in simmering water. I'm sure someone has held them in a cooler for 6+ hours that will be along shortly to explain. They look great by the way.

BigGreenGator

Brisket_Fanatic said:

If you double wrap the butts in foil, then wrap a couple of heavy towels around that and place them in a preheated cooler they should still be hot by party time. This way you pull them just before eating, otherwise I would think you could hold them in a 170 degree oven or so wrapped in foil until party time as well. If you dead set on pulling now and then reheating, the best way I have found is to seal them in vac bags and reheat in simmering water. I'm sure someone has held them in a cooler for 6+ hours that will be along shortly to explain. They look great by the way.

Thanks brisket ...I'm def not needing to pull I was just wondering if that would be the procedure since I would be done with the cook so far in advance ... I would have started them later but I wanted some cushion time In case needed  

GATraveller

You'll be good holding them for 6 hours in cooler.  And I've found that newspaper works as well (if not better) than towels.

shucker

Ive held butts overnight in a cooler.  Cooler was preheated with hot water for several hours.  I threw some towels in the dryer to heat them up and used the warm towels to wrap the butt with and for filler in the cooler. You'll be good to go as long as you start with a warm cooler. 

SmokeyPitt

I like foil, trash bags, towel, cooler so you have less chance of pork juice in the cooler. 

ryantt

GATraveller said:

You'll be good holding them for 6 hours in cooler.  And I've found that newspaper works as well (if not better) than towels.

Agree 6hrd is no problem.  If you warm your cooler first you can hold it even longer. 

johnkitchens

Don't pull now. Wait if you can and then pull before serving. They should keep fine in a cooler. They look very good. 

fljoemon

Pull .. Pull .. Pull .. just kidding .. I've kept it in a Coleman cooler after foiling/trash bag/towel for 6 hours and it was still piping hot when I took it out. No worries there .. the pork looks fantastic!

BigGreenGator

Wanna thank everyone for the great advise that's why I'm here so yeah I've FTC and now I have round two on 

johnkitchens

@BigGreenGator even though we root for different teams I am willing to overlook it. I think we should discuss this in person today. I am on the way! 

You are killing it.