Another reheating pulled pork question


 
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Pat McCreight

TVWBB Pro
I am comfortable making pulled pork a day or two ahead of time and reheating in an oven.

I have a different situation coming up that I need to prepare for. We are having our two babies baptized and I'm preparing a pulled pork lunch afterwards at our house. Considering I'll be leaving for the church at 9:30 and probably won't get back until ~ 12, I think I have two options:

1) reheat at 12 as I normally do and supply easy appetizers while everything heats up

2) place meat and some thinned sauce in a couple of crockpots BEFORE going to church.

Option 2 is preferred from a stress stand point, but can I safely put the meat in the crock on low or high for 3 hours? Will it dry out if I don't have the ability to stir it up at all?

I don't cook in crock pots ever, so I don't know if low or high would work, or how long they can go. Figure the meat would be going in cold from the fridge, as I'll do the smoking a day or two in advance.

Anybody warmed meat unattended for this long?

I will probably be cooking 4 8# butts, which I know is overkill. But 2 won't be enough and leftovers are always good. I think I'll reheat around 1/3 # cooked weight per person and just freeze the rest.
 
Pat,

I would start the heating when I got home by using several foil pans. Add the PP to them, followed by a little apple juice, water or chicken stock to create a good steam environment. Allow the guests to add sauce as they like when they make their sammies. Seal them well with foil. Then put them in the oven at 450. Since the meat isn't frozen, it shouldn't take very long. There will be a lot of socializing going on right when you get home so that will give you an opportunity to get the meat started. To avoid the stress factor, put the meat and juice in the pans the night before and all you have to do is turn on the oven. A few snacks will help tide the group over as well.
 
Pat,
Have you considered starting your cook relatively early on Saturday? Maybe start around 4:00 on Saturday, figure 16 hours to cook, pull them from the WSM Sunday morning around 8:00, foil and store in a cooler until Sunday lunch. Butts will continue to warm for quite a while. I have foiled for 4 hours with very little temp. drop.
With 4 butts, figure in extra time than a normal one to two butt cook. You'll probably hear better advice on time estimates from the folks here, but I'd rather figure for a longer cook so you can still go to church. I did six a couple of months ago that cooked for 16 hours and I didn't let them "rest" before I pulled them.
You can remove the butts, foil, and warm in the oven also. I have been successful with this route before. Haven't tried the crock pot (yet).
 
Thanks guys -

Paul, that sounds like a pretty good idea. By putting the pork in 3 or so half-steam pans they will cook faster than in 1 large roasting pan. Is 450 too hot? I normally reheat around 300.

I plan to make a vinegar/tomato sauce and a mustard sauce and letting the guests sauce the sandwiches themselves.

Donny, While I like your thinking, there are just too many things that can go wrong in which the SWMBO will be none too pleased. With twins, it's already hectic getting them places. I don't want to complicate the morning any more than necessary, so I'm cooking the day ahead. That way I can do all the resting, pulling, prepping without worry.

Thanks
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Is 450 too hot? I normally reheat around 300. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I don't thinks so. You're not cooking, just trying to bring the meat up to serving temp; 120ish. You can bring the temp down to 400, but a higher temp will get you there sooner. As long as you've added adequate liquid (juice, stock, etc.) you should be fine. Also, keep in mind that when you drop in 3 pans, your oven temp is going to drop down for a while. A stir or 2 through the process wouldn't hurt. Make sure the foil is tightly sealed so as not to evaporate too much of the liquid.
 
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