Holding Butts in Cooler


 
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Patrick Sullivan

TVWBB Fan
I did my first overnite Butt smoke last night. Everything went off without a hitch...the smell in my backyard is to die for. The internal temp is 170-175 now. It appears it will be done a little early (I estimate around noon). We'll be eating dinner around 5:00pm. Can I hold the Butt in a cooler for 5 hours safely?
 
I have held butts for 6 hours or so and they were still too hot to pull. If you insulate the inside of the cooler all the way to the top, you should be OK. I use an old blanket and towells.
 
You can also pre-heat your cooler. First bring the cooler in to get it at room temperature - Then use hot hot water and let it sit in there a while, dumb it, pre-heat your towels in the microwave (if you have empty spray bottle, give them a spritz) Dump water out of cooler, quickly put in wrapped butts close and do not open until your ready to eat.
 
I wont pull a porbutt off the smoker unless it gets a few hours in the cooler first. I pull my butts @ 195-200 internal, then double wrap in foil with some rub, and then wrap in a towel, and toss them in a cooler.

Those couple hours in the cooler really make the pork easy to pull.

good luck
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jim Quinn:
Those couple hours in the cooler really make the pork easy to pull.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Not only that, they give the pitmaster time to prepare for the rest of the meal. I store a lot of my pulled pork, but nothing beats the dinner we have when we pull the meat. It takes time to get the slaw and beans and everything else ready. You can rest them for 5 hours if you prep the cooler as suggested. Then pull together a great BBQ!
 
I've had a 9lber rest in the cooler for nearly 10 hours and tasted like it JUST was taken off the WSM.
You're good.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jerry N.:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jim Quinn:
Those couple hours in the cooler really make the pork easy to pull.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Not only that, they give the pitmaster time to prepare for the rest of the meal. I store a lot of my pulled pork, but nothing beats the dinner we have when we pull the meat. It takes time to get the slaw and beans and everything else ready. You can rest them for 5 hours if you prep the cooler as suggested. Then pull together a great BBQ! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

great point... since butts vary on time to smoke, its nice to have that window.
 
All above are great tips and make for great pulled pork
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As a variation...after letting the butts rest ...I pull 'em, re-season, & hold in gallon size zip-locks wrapped in a beach towel..while table & guests & all else are ready... mix and transfer to an oven-warmed serving bowl
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Thanks for the replies. I took the Butt off at about 11:00am at 190 internal. Wrapped it in two layers of foil and into the cooler wrapped in towels. We ate dinner at 5:30 and the meat was very warm when I took it out of the cooler. It was very tender and pulled very easily. I was a little concerned about doing the overnight smoke, but it went off without a hitch.
 
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