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Cooking Ahead for Thanksgiving

SciAggie
SciAggie Posts: 6,481
in EggHead Forum
My SIL is cooking a meal for our large family before Thanksgiving. She wants me to cook a couple of pork butts for tacos. I thought I would cook them tomorrow. 
Here’s the question for you:
Do I freeze them whole, then thaw, heat and pull them later. Or. Do I go ahead and pull them and vacuum seal?
I’ll vacuum seal either way and probably reheat with a SV bath. The question is when to pull. My thought is go ahead and pull it first.
What say you?
Coleman, Texas
Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
"Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                      YukonRon
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Comments

  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 37,829
    No SV here but I would pull when ready at the finish of the cook.  You get the immediate benefits of the cook and the reheat is much easier.  FWIW-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    @lousubcap That’s what I was thinking but it never hurts to poll those who have cooked more than me. Thanks for the feedback. 
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
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  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    Yes, pull it first. The rub, smoke, bark and remnant fat will coat the shreds, and become more fully blended while thawing. I usually put a little extra butter in the SV bags to compensate for the moisture lost during the pulling.
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    @gdenby Thanks
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 37,829
    @SciAggie - given you are in Texas I may have cooked more pork than you but not in anywhere near as great a setting.  You likely have me when it comes to beef although I do cook a good bit more of than than pork.  
    Can't believe your SIL wouldn't move the whole show to your outdoor operation and beg for paella.  
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    lousubcap said:
    @SciAggie - given you are in Texas I may have cooked more pork than you but not in anywhere near as great a setting.  You likely have me when it comes to beef although I do cook a good bit more of than than pork.  
    Can't believe your SIL wouldn't move the whole show to your outdoor operation and beg for paella.  
    It’s funny you mentioned paella. I ordered a 32” paella pan last week - building the cooker for it today. Friday after Thanksgiving it’s happening....
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
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