Holding,or storing Pulled Pork for a lunchen the next day or even 2 days.


 
K

Kevin L (NKY)

TVWBB Diamond Member
We are having hit and miss weather so I am working smoking a Pork Should 8#. And I want to serve about noon on Sunday at a fellowship lunch. So Sunday morning perp is limited.
My question is if I smoke it on Friday or Saturday depending on weather calling for more rain, how do I hold it for the lunch? Do I just leave it in the cooler un shredded, or shred mix in sauce and rub bag and reheat in a slower cooker that morning?
Thank you ahead for all or any replies. This is a special day and a special meal.
 
I pre cook pork buts all the time. I separate ‘chunks’, vacuum seal, and refrigerate or freeze them. When I need the meat I place how ever many chunks I need for the group size I’ll be serving into a pot and add some chicken stock. I bring it to a simmer and continue until the stock completely evaporates. By then the pork shreds beautifully, it’s moist, and absolutely delicious.
 
What Dwain says is best, at least leave sections fairly large pieces and ziplock pressing as much air out as possible the freeze. Reheat in a pot of hot water and let it heat fully before removing and shredding.
 
Ok ,thanks Dawian, and Tim those are great peices of info, now say I smoke late Saturday afternoon and put the shoulder into a cooler wrapped in towels, I need to be at church for Bible study at 0900. If the butt is still kind of warm what steps then?
 
Hi Kevin. I'm no expert and hopefully they will be able to get back to you on your follow-up question but here's a concern that I would worry about: if you start your cook Saturday afternoon your shoulder will finish many hours ahead of your 12PM Sunday lunch. It would finish so far ahead of time that, in my mind, it could cool down and remain exposed at an unsafe keeping temperature (the danger zone) for an extended amount of time.

I've never shredded a shoulder after a reheat but I know Dwain and TFL would not steer you wrong. If I were doing this cook I'd rest it on the countertop for a span of time, shred it, refrigerate it, and then reheat it nearer to your serving time. I'm making an assumption that you intend to serve the entire shoulder, in which case I would not think that portioning it in chunks is necessary for this cook. I would still apply the same refrigeration approach if I waited to shred it until after the reheat.

Best of luck on your cook and I hope you have an enjoyable fellowship lunch!
 
BFletcher is correct. I would not hold it in a cooler for that long for fear of the danger zone. I would treat the cook and the reheat as two completely separate events. 1) Cook the meat and store it. 2) Reheat and serve it. If your study is at 0900 and you’ll serve at noon, consider a crock pot set on low to reheat while you are in your study.

My rule of thumb for the Danger Zone is between 40°F and 140°F for 4 hours. Keep food below 40°F or above 140°F and you won’t have any problems. Limit the times between 40°F and 140°F to less than 4 hrs. (Far less IMO).
 
Last edited:
Thank you guys for the input. I really wanted someone to talk me out of holding it in a cooler as another freind told me to do.
I will cook, cool, shred and store in the fridge till early morning. As Dwain said put in crockpot to reheat and serve.
Now we will have a safe and tasty pot luck lunch.
 
When you put it in the crock pot I recommend some liquid. I use Chx Stock but Veg Stock, a thin BBQ sauce, etc would do.

Here’s to a great meal for your group!
 
Dwain Pannell said:
When you put it in the crock pot I recommend some liquid. I use Chx Stock but Veg Stock, a thin BBQ sauce, etc would do.

Here’s to a great meal for your group!
Click to expand...

That is a good idea,as it will be in the pot for about three hours and that will keep it moist.
I am feeling very good about lunch Tomorrow.
And much better about not following the guys advice about keeping it in the cooler. I must make sure I do not eat over at his place......

This is why I love this site. Good info small egos
No dumb questions as all are important.
 
Dwain Pannell said:
Well, how did it go?
Click to expand...

I got up at 630am added some chicken stock and some apple cider vinegar then tossed while reheating. Well to get to the real story I bought Kings Hawaiian Rolls to make sliders there was about 6.5 # and I brought home about a cup .
They all liked that I did not use BBQ sauce and let the meat flavor come through. I had BBQ sauce if you wanted but only a couple used it.
They liked it in sliders ,and just plied on the plate.
So the ladies told I did good so I am happy.
Thanks again for all your help.
 
Good that it worked out very well!

Note: The danger zone's top temp is 130, not 140 as is commonly thought.

It is the meats' surfaces where one should be most concerned in terms of pathogen growth when one is cooking intact cuts (roasts that are 'intact', not injected, cut or probed) - ground meat, sausage, roasts that are not intact, poultry, are a different matter. Were you cooking to a low internal finish temp,as you might with, say, pork loin or sausage, there might be a time limit if cooking at low temps, but this would depend on cooktemps and finish internals. Intact roasts (like butts and briskets) are cooked to internal temps that pretty much guarantee pasteurization. This would be the case with your proposed scenario. When the plan is to cook ahead for future serving the issue is then to cool relatively quickly. While an intact roast like a butt cooked to typical high temps will be pasteurized and thus not an immediate concern in terms of pathogens, care should be taken to cool quickly enough so as not to increase the concern. Breaking down the butt to manageable chunks can work as can pulling the entire butt. Choice is yours. After resting a reasonable period for juice redistribution, chunk or shred and allow to cool to room temp before packaging for storage.

By far, illnesses caused by food borne pathogens--when you're talking barbecue--are due to contamination that occurs after cooking.
 
K Kruger said:
Good that it worked out very well!

Note: The danger zone's top temp is 130, not 140 as is commonly thought.

It is the meats' surfaces where one should be most concerned in terms of pathogen growth when one is cooking intact cuts (roasts that are 'intact', not injected, cut or probed) - ground meat, sausage, roasts that are not intact, poultry, are a different matter. Were you cooking to a low internal finish temp,as you might with, say, pork loin or sausage, there might be a time limit if cooking at low temps, but this would depend on cooktemps and finish internals. Intact roasts (like butts and briskets) are cooked to internal temps that pretty much guarantee pasteurization. This would be the case with your proposed scenario. When the plan is to cook ahead for future serving the issue is then to cool relatively quickly. While an intact roast like a butt cooked to typical high temps will be pasteurized and thus not an immediate concern in terms of pathogens, care should be taken to cool quickly enough so as not to increase the concern. Breaking down the butt to manageable chunks can work as can pulling the entire butt. Choice is yours. After resting a reasonable period for juice redistribution, chunk or shred and allow to cool to room temp before packaging for storage.

By far, illnesses caused by food borne pathogens--when you're talking barbecue--are due to contamination that occurs after cooking.
Click to expand...

Thank you Kevin,
This is great info,and you are so right that most problems stem from after the cook.
As my wife found out while eating and chicken and bacon sandwich at a big fast food chain, it took them 40 minutes to make her meal and gave a free dinner coupon for her wait but after spending 3 hours in Urgent Care she is not liking the idea of ordering any more food from them.
As you and others stated I took extra steps to make sure I was going to harm anyone but with yours and others advice that was possible.
Good to hear from you again. Take care.
Kevin
 
Just passing through... :) I wasn't trying to correct you per se, Dwain, just adding a little info. The 140˚ top end is the FDA's dumbed down number they've been using for YEARS - they still do - because they assume that virtually NO home cooks have a decent thermometer. Oh well.

A few tenths of a degree over 130˚ is the actual top end. Years ago, scientists at FSIS (the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA) pushed for the top temp to be 130˚ because it is true and honest. The FDA originally wouldn't budge but after some time a compromise of 135˚ was reached. That decision notwithstanding, the FDA maintained the 140˚ top for CONSUMER info but for food service (the FDA's Food Code - the source for the rules and laws for nearly every state, county and municipality in the USA) it has been 135˚ for many, many years.

Just a bit of info I thought you might find interesting.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top