How do you store leftover pulled pork?????


 
S

Seth Boardman

TVWBB Fan
So I get my pork shoulders from my local grocery store and they are usually around the 8 pound mark. This is totally fine if I'm feeding a lot of people but some times my wife and I want some but don't know how to store what we don't eat in the first few days. I asked them if they could cut it in half through the bone but they didn't have a way to do it. Anyone have any experience with freezing and reheating? How do I go about reheating it? I have a vacuum sealer so I'm guessing that is probably the best way to freeze it. Can I just microwave it or is there a better way of heating it without it getting weird? How do you guys dod it?
 
I like to smoke extra when doing pulled pork. I’ll even load up the WSM and have a lot left over. We vacuum seal it in meal size packets. You probably know this, but it seals better if you refrigerate it first. No liquid to compromise your seal that way.

To warm it up if I have the time I’ll boil the bag or put the pork in a covered container in an oven set at 200-250. I like to add a bit of apple juice to the container to keep the pork moist. if I’m rushed I’ll microwave it still adding some liquid. I also like to sprinkle a bit of rub on the pork to sharpen the flavor a little.
 
What Tye said. I vacuum seal in 1 to 1.5 pound increments. Typically I cool it to room temp then refrigerate over night. Then I chunk it it to large pieces and try and add an even amount of the gelatin goodness in each portion. Reheating I bring water to a boil drop the pork in as soon as the water boils I shut it off. Leave in the hot water for 10-15 minutes. Slice or pull and enjoy.
 
I vacuum seal it, too. To reheat I usually wrap it in foil with a little bit of eastern NC bbq "dip", and put it in my toaster oven at around 250.
 
Yep,with a smoker a vacuum sealer is a must. it's nice to always have BBQ in the freezer.
And I agree with the above. My favorite way to warm something after it has thawed is wrap in foil and warm in the oven at 250 with BBQ sauce, or apple juice. Anything to moisten it up a little
 
I have found I enjoy my bbq leftovers more than on cook day. After being in the smoke all day and pretty boozed up I just dont enjoy it as much. Food saver, reheat sous vide and enjoy. One of my favorites is when my wife makes bao with leftover pulled pork. Yum!
 
I don’t have a vacuum sealer (note to self: Get one.). I freeze pulled pork in portion sizes in ziploc bags. To reheat, I put a couple of servings in a covered sauce pan, add a little bit of chicken stock and reheat on low just enough to heat it - not cook it. My current fave sauce is Franklin Pork Sauce. Like Tye and Gary P, I enjoy it more reheated than when fresh out of the smoker.
Jeff
 
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I always have lots of leftovers so I vacuum seal or put the meat in freezer paper if its not going to be stored long, I like having a variety of meat to pull out of the freezer during the week for a quick easy meal when I dont have the time to grill something
 
I too find that pulled pork vacuum sealed out of the freezer and warmed in the bag in boiling water is as good or better than the day of. I personally think most all the grilled and smoked meats do very well out of the freezer and smoked pork ribs leftover pulled off the bone and frozen for adding in BBQ beans another day makes perfect.
 
I also vacuum seal leftover pulled pork in 1lb portions. If I'm firing up the WSM, I usually will do minimun two butts. You can fit these together in a large foil pan. After refrigerating it's easy to cut chunks the size you need. Then after sealing you can flatten out the package for easy compact storage in the freezer. After thawing I reheat in the microwave.
 
GaryP said:
I have found I enjoy my bbq leftovers more than on cook day. After being in the smoke all day and pretty boozed up I just dont enjoy it as much. Food saver, reheat sous vide and enjoy. One of my favorites is when my wife makes bao with leftover pulled pork. Yum!
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Glad I’m not the only one.
 
I do the vacuum seal, freeze, reheat in the bag in boiling water method. One thing to realize about freezing pulled pork. I’d doesn’t get any better with age so freeze it the next day. If you leave it in the fridge and it dries out and then you freeze it, don’t expect it to be any better when you thaw it out and reheat it. Of course if you’re going to just drown it in sauce, it might not matter. My point is, freeze it soon. The sooner the better.
 
Jerry N. said:
I do the vacuum seal, freeze, reheat in the bag in boiling water method. One thing to realize about freezing pulled pork. I’d doesn’t get any better with age so freeze it the next day. If you leave it in the fridge and it dries out and then you freeze it, don’t expect it to be any better when you thaw it out and reheat it. Of course if you’re going to just drown it in sauce, it might not matter. My point is, freeze it soon. The sooner the better.
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This!
We do the same and I usually stick the pork in vacuum bags, after we've eaten. I've tried re-heating methods, and this work the best. It tastes like it just came off of the smoker.
 
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