Making pulled pork in advance, best method?

GuinnessGuy

I am looking to take a 10lb butt down to some out-of-town friends this weekend. I will be smoking it on Wed and leaving Thur. First question: should I "pull it" an hour after coming off the egg like normal, or should I refrigerate it as one solid piece and first pull it when I reheat it later? And then when I go to serve it on Saturday, how should I reheat it? I'm assuming in an oven. But should it be wrapped in tin foil? Temp? Time?

Any advice would be great!

Thanks,
Jeff

Little Steven

Jeff,

Your best bet is to cook it, pull it and vacuum seal. Some add coke to the vacuum bags. Reheat in simmering water.

Steve

fishlessman

i do what little steven suggested, ill also suggest cooking two butts, one for the freezer so you dont have to cook next time. i i cook an extra one every time just to have some

rumpunch

I'm a newbie to the BGE. (My wife surprised me with the Egg for my birthday a few weeks ago. Didn't know much about the egg until I got it) I did my first pork butt last week ago to take to our cabin at the lake last weekend. I smoked two butts (15 hours) until the temp hit 195. I wrapped each in foil for about 1 hour and then shredded the pork while it was still hot.

I like the idea of adding some liquid (coke sounds interesting). I added quite a bit of water when we warmed the pulled pork for sandwiches on Sunday. Tasted great but needed added moisture (or lots of bbq sauce).

Hope this is helpful. This forum seems really helpful for those of us "just getting our BBQ legs".

Stickbender

how much coke or anything should you add, say per cup of pulled pork that is vacuum sealed ahead of time?

GuinnessGuy

Thanks for the response. Unfortunately I don't have access to a vacuum sealer. Would big ziplock freezer bags work? Or would I be better off with tupperware? On the reheat, are you guys saying that you drop the sealed plastic pack into the water or that you open the pack and put the meat directly into the water?

Little Steven

GuinnessGuy,

No definitely in the bag. I guess freezer bags would be ok but I don't know. You could reheat in freezer bags in the microwave. You really need a vacuum sealer.

Steve

Rib Fan

I do what Steven does except I add a the spicy vinegar sause to add moisture and flavour on the re-heat.

Wayne

fishlessman

for what your doing, you could just put it in baggies already pulled.refridgerate. heat in a foil pan covered in the oven, a half can of real coke poured over it when reheating works fine or mix coke and low sodium chicken stock and use that and it will be a little less sweet. you can also rehreat in a crock pot. dont try reheating in boiling water with the baggies, they melt

Judy Mayberry

I don't measure...just till it's moist and juicy after you mix it in.

Judy
San Diego

pithound

When you say real coke, you just mean Coca Cola from the can? Here in Texas real coke would have natural sugar, not fructose, wondering if that makes a difference?

Judy Mayberry

I use real Coke for that--never drink it myself, but I found a 6-pack of little squatty real Coke cans, smaller than the regular size. You could use a 2-liter bottle, and even if it goes flat you can use it; bubbles don't matter.

Judy

reelgem

If you don't have a vaccuum sealer they sell those sealers where they have the plastic bags and saran wrap in the grocery store. They're good if you need something cheap and quick. I wouldn't put regular baggies in the hot water. There are chemicals that leach out of those bags when heated and in addition they may melt. If you do get vaccumm seal bags and reheat in water don't let the water temp get above 160 or you'll be cookin the meat instead of warming it. I had a party last weekend and had to reheat 16lbs of pulled pork and I used big disposable aluminum pans and poured some BBQ sauce thinned out with aujus or you can use chicken or beef broth or stock to thin. I warmed in the oven a 200 oven. Be sure to cover the pan with foil to avoid drying out the meat.

reelgem

Vaccum seal without the liquid. Add the liquid when reheating.