Pork Butt Cook on Sunday to Eat on Tuesday?


 
J

Jason D. Florida

TVWBB Member
Hello-

I'm planning on cooking an 8 pound pork butt on Sunday that won't be eaten until Tuesday evening. What do you guys recommend I do when the butt is finished? I usually take it off the smoker, wrap in foil, and put it in a cooler for a few hours.

My main question is, should I pull it immediately after I take it out of the cooler, or can I wait until Tuesday evening? If I wait until Tuesday, approximately how long will I need to reheat it for before it's will be ready to be pulled?

I ask this question because I cooked a butt a month ago and put it in the refrigerator after it was done. When I went to it eat, it was very tough and I couldn't pull. I smoked it until 200 degrees. I'm cooking for a crowd and don't want to disappoint.

Thanks,
Jason
 
As you discovered, it's going to be easier to pull it while it's still hot. Doing your usual rest is fine but you probably don't have to go that long if you don't want to. I've found the best way to reheat is to vacuum seal it and heat in boiling water. If that's not an option use some apple juice in a spray bottle to help keep it moist when you reheat.
 
Jason D. Florida said:
Hello-

I'm planning on cooking an 8 pound pork butt on Sunday that won't be eaten until Tuesday evening. What do you guys recommend I do when the butt is finished? I usually take it off the smoker, wrap in foil, and put it in a cooler for a few hours.

My main question is, should I pull it immediately after I take it out of the cooler, or can I wait until Tuesday evening? If I wait until Tuesday, approximately how long will I need to reheat it for before it's will be ready to be pulled?

I ask this question because I cooked a butt a month ago and put it in the refrigerator after it was done. When I went to it eat, it was very tough and I couldn't pull. I smoked it until 200 degrees. I'm cooking for a crowd and don't want to disappoint.

Thanks,
Jason
Click to expand...

I've done several pork butts that were bigger than what the family gathering could devour on cook day.

Left over pulled pork lasts up to a week in a good container in the fridge.

I've even taken some left overs to work after a Sunday cook and got the yummy head nods of approval.

I'd cook on Sunday, let it rest, pull it, then store it for Tuesday.
 
What I did last time worked so well, I'm going to do it again this time is to take the butt off the smoker and place it in a foil pan. That gets tightly covered with foil and when it has cooled some it goes in the the garage fridge. The garage fridge is a small "dorm" type fridge with the kids soda and my cider in it, so it it gets a little warm from the meat, no big deal.
I served mine the next day, so I took it out of the fridge after church ( 11ish ) and placed it in a cool oven 200-250ish just until it started to loosen and wasn't cold on the fingers when I pulled it. About 1/2 hour or so. Then the pulled pork went back in the foil pan with some finishing sauce and into the same oven until it hit at least 160 ( for food safety.)

For yours might wrap it in plastic once it has cooled in the cooler and then into the fridge. I think the longer time in the fridge needs a better "seal" than just foil. Perhaps not, depends on you and what else is in your fridge.
Actually thinking on it, you might want to get a could of BIG ziptop type bags ( 2 gallon size ) and double bag it so your fridge doesn't smell smokey goodness for the next month.
 
As mentioned, much easier to pull when warm than cold. Another thing, you mentioned that you cooked the earlier butt to 200*. That may not have been long enough. I find that I usually need to go a little higher, 205* or so, before tender and bone pulls out clean. As mentioned over and over on this site, each piece of meat is different, and 200* may or may not be sufficient.
 
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