Pork Butt in Cooler Overnight

drdeal

We are hosting a party tomorrow afternoon at 4 - I was thinking about making my butt this afternoon/tonight and putting in a cooler to hold temps until our party tomorrow? Does anyone know how long it can stay in the cooler before running in to any bacteria issues or anything like that? Thanks!

fishlessman

ive gone a little over 6 hours but the temp in the cooler is getting too low by then for safety issues.

bikesAndBBQ

For me, I don’t like to go much above 3-4 hours.  My cooler isn’t great.  It really depends on how long you are holding, how good your cooler is and you comfort level. If you plan on holding for a long time, I’d prewarm the cooler.  I think some people hold for 6-8 hours. 

fishlessman

you can also extend hours by changing out a pot of boiling water in there.  ive done it by adding crocks of beans

drdeal

Thanks for the input - not sure what my game plan is going to be. I'm thinking I will have approximately 12-14 hours from the time I would ideally like to take the butt off of the Egg until time to serve

Foghorn

The key is that the meat temp stays above 140.

With that said, if a sterile hunk of meat wrapped in foil drops to 135 that doesn't mean it is inedible.  I'd actually treat it the same.  

It always drops below 140 when you pull and serve it.  By restaurant standards you have 4 hours below the 140 mark to serve it.  If it comes out of the cooler below 140 I might shorten that timeframe and not leave it out as long before putting it away at the end of the meal.

lkapigian

If I need that long, I go in the oven @ its lowest setting then into the cooler the last few hours

Biggreenpharmacist

lkapigian said:

If I need that long, I go in the oven @ its lowest setting then into the cooler the last few hours

Yep. 

drdeal

@lkapigian and @Biggreenpharmacist do you still pull the butt around 190? and then just put in oven for a few hours then utilize the cooler?

Carolina Q

I don't like leaving it that long. I'd pull it, vac seal and refrigerate. When ready to serve, put the bags in a bath of ±160° water for 20-30 minutes.

bikesAndBBQ

At 12-14 hours I’d cook to completion and then pull it. Stick in the fridge and then warm up before serving using your preferred method. Pulled pork reheats very well  

Biggreenpharmacist

I put in cooler few hours and then put in oven at lowest setting so it doesnt continue to cook. Thats just how Ive done it and its worked fine. 

lkapigian

drdeal said:

@lkapigian and @Biggreenpharmacist do you still pull the butt around 190? and then just put in oven for a few hours then utilize the cooler?

I pull Butts about 200 if I was able to make it to say 10 AM I would go in the oven for a couple hours then the cooler--Other option since its 4 PM is just get up early and do it..I usually serve around 1 PM so I start the night before--that late would do it same day

jtcBoynton

If you are keeping it warm in the oven, why would you ever move it to a cooler to keep it warm? Just keep it in the oven until serving.

lkapigian

jtcBoynton said:

If you are keeping it warm in the oven, why would you ever move it to a cooler to keep it warm? Just keep it in the oven until serving.

 for transportation , if I was eating it @ home it would stay in the oven--So I'll dump boiling water in the cooler to warm it- move it to the cooler gives me time to where I am going and set up once there...u

Biggreenpharmacist

Seems like when Ive gone straight to oven it over cooks. I give it a few hours of no heat then into oven. Works for me. 

Foghorn

I like to use the oven only as much as I need to.  I feel like the moisture gets preserved better in the cooler.