Preparing to cater my own baby shower


 
Before winter hits I will do about 25-30 lbs pounds of pork butts and vacuum seal them into about 1.5lb portions and freeze. To reheat I get a stock pot of water and bring it up to just under a boil and drop the thawed bag in there for about 10 minutes. The pork comes out just as juicy as the day I cooked them. Could be an option to do in advance to focus on the brisket.
 
Get all the side things together early. Like the sandwich bread and any sauces.

Do you have enough cookers/space to get it all done in a day?

Otherwise start earlier
 
Should I cook the pork butt to completion, then let them go in the fridge as-is? Or should I shred them and refrigerate?

How long can brisket sit wrapped in foil under towels in a cooler?
 
My preference would be to pull the pork as soon as it's cool enough. I'm sure others have different ideas.

I've held whole packer briskets for 6 hours in a picnic cooler. If you need more time, either warm the cooler with hot tap water (don't use boiling water, that'll warp the thermoformed interior,) maybe add a some bricks warmed in the oven that are wrapped in towels. You do want to keep the temp above 140 F. Once you load the cooler, DO NOT OPEN IT UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO SERVE. Every time it's opened, you're going to lose a lot of heat. Don't let anybody sneak a peek or a smell, duct tape it shut if you have to.
 
Blasphemy alert........

I've done 80 people company picnics and one wedding for 200+, for the wedding I was the non-pro cook, the bride's father, at my advise hire a pro caterer to cover about half the number of guests. I've found that when you pull the beef/pork of when it's ready to shred and slice it instead then food saver and freeze it, reheating in the microwave gives you pretty much the same results as pulling it as soon as it comes off the smoker. I made sure the venue had a room off the main area that had a bunch of microwaves...did pulled beef with lots of homemade BBQ, on the side of course, smoked salmon, smoked cheese

This way you can do some each weekend and freeze it, makes it so much easier
 
I agree with C Lewis trying to serve 120 people is a large task in my book thats a caterer as much as you want to do it and I don't think you have the firepower to do it either. Its a big day do you really want to stress on the food and brisket is expensive if something goes wrong your out a bit of money which could have gone to the caterer. Wow 120 people is basically a small wedding.

Good luck though
 
Brian B Atlanta said:
I agree with C Lewis trying to serve 120 people is a large task in my book thats a caterer as much as you want to do it and I don't think you have the firepower to do it either. Its a big day do you really want to stress on the food and brisket is expensive if something goes wrong your out a bit of money which could have gone to the caterer. Wow 120 people is basically a small wedding.

Good luck though
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I totally agree, I didn't get to see any of the wedding and the bride and bride's father were very good friends....something to think about
 
Tony-Chicago said:
Get your checkoff list out and start planning.
Do you have freezer space?
Fridge space?
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Yup, have a huge chest freezer that hasn't been used yet.

I'm thinking ill do the pork during the week. Maybe 5 or 6 pork butts, shred, and freeze.

I have exactly 2 weeks til the event, and the 4th of July is coming up. Should I buy the meat this week, or is it too soon?
 
JungWoo said:
Yup, have a huge chest freezer that hasn't been used yet.

I'm thinking ill do the pork during the week. Maybe 5 or 6 pork butts, shred, and freeze.

I have exactly 2 weeks til the event, and the 4th of July is coming up. Should I buy the meat this week, or is it too soon?
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I would turn on the chest freezer and get some things in it frozen. Maybe a few cases of bottled water for starters. You'll want some mass of frozen coldness in the freezer when you start adding things.

The bottled water can also be used as cooler chest chill packs.
 
DanHoo said:
I would turn on the chest freezer and get some things in it frozen. Maybe a few cases of bottled water for starters. You'll want some mass of frozen coldness in the freezer when you start adding things.

The bottled water can also be used as cooler chest chill packs.
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Is brisket and pork butt ok to freeze and then smoke later?
 
Ryan Burke said:
Before winter hits I will do about 25-30 lbs pounds of pork butts and vacuum seal them into about 1.5lb portions and freeze. To reheat I get a stock pot of water and bring it up to just under a boil and drop the thawed bag in there for about 10 minutes. The pork comes out just as juicy as the day I cooked them. Could be an option to do in advance to focus on the brisket.
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I'm off to Costco to pick up a vacuum sealer now! I'm gonna vacuum seal lots of pulled pork.

What's the best way to reheat? Sous vide? Will hot water be enough?
 
You can reheat brisket sous vide. Iirc 165 is the right temp.

Pulled pork the experts here will tell you. Plenty of ways to do it.

How many people again?
I always try for at least a pound per person. Course leftovers is all I get cause as the cook..
 
In 2019 we had a party for my wife 60 people. 4 briskets 4 pork butts and 100 drumsticks. Was too much food but I never want to run out when I have people over. 4 briskets at once in the WSM is a bit of a challenge to get the temp up with all that meat so give yourself extra time. I have 2 kettles so I had 2 butts in each. See my post from 2019 for pics
 
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