Smoking and serving large amount of pulled pork

[Bill Clapsaddle]

I have the 22 inch Weber Bullet and would like to smoke about 12 shoulders, and then reheat and serve Pulled Pork at a Sportsman Club event. Is this possible? How many shoulders at a time can I smoke on the 22 inch? I want to cook them ahead of time and the reheat and serve (this is my biggest concern)
Any help on this would be appreciated.

Thanks

Bill Clapsaddle

 

[DarylB]

Boston Butts or whole shoulders? I think I have done as many as 8 butts at once but if I remember right, that was a bit much. I have done 6 a bunch of times and that is more manageable. Plus that works with your 12. Whole shoulders would be different. I doubt you could do more than 4 at a time.

As far as reheating is concerned, I would cook them and go ahead and pull them and put them in vacuum sealed bags and get them in ice or the freezer to get them cooled down as quickly as possible. You could actually freeze them at this point or put them in the fridge or just keep them in a cooler of ice. You are basically just trying to keep them from staying in the danger zone (40 - 140 degrees) too long. Pork is usually pretty safe but no sense taking a chance. Then when you are ready to serve, you can reheat by putting the bags in a pot of water and heating on the stove. No one will ever know the difference.

 

[Bill Clapsaddle]

I buy the 2 pack shoulders from Sams. They they weigh about 8 lbs. They call them shoulders maybe they are butts. The most I have cooked is 3 all on the top rack. I am thinking I can put 3 on bottom rack and cook 6 at once. Does that take any longer to smoke when you have more butts? I will need large amounts ready to serve at once. They will be standing in line to eat, Drink beer etc. It is a fund raising project. There will be other types of sandwiches served and the pulled pork will just be served until it is gone. Could you put in large aluminum pans in an oven to warm and serve or would it dry up? I may be over my head on this.

Bill

 

[DarylB]

Sounds like pork butt to me and yes, 3 per rack will work. It will likely take a bit longer primarily because that much cold meat will bring the temp down at the beginning. You can heat it in pans but do risk drying it. You can always add some liquid I guess. If you have the ability to put in bags, it is much faster to heat up and you dont lose moisture.

Others may have input but that is my experience.

 

[Jon K]

I have started with 60 lbs. of pork butt on a 22.5 wsm and it worked fine. After I pulled the butts, I put them in vacuum seal bags with some finishing sauce (in my case some apple juice.bbq sauce and a little of the rub).
When I was ready to serve it, I put the bags in a pot of simmering water and whn they were hot I poured them into chafing dishes and covered 2/3 of the dish with aluminum foil which lept the pork very warm. Good luck with your plans.

 

[K Kruger]

I would cook them and go ahead and pull them and put them in vacuum sealed bags and get them in ice or the freezer to get them cooled down as quickly as possible.

Freezers don't usually cool quickly enough. They are not designed for cooling. They are designed for keeping already frozen food frozen, or freezing already cool foods.

I completely agree that getting the meat cooled as quickly as possible is of utmost importance.

Handling the meat can transfer pathogenic bacteria (even if gloved). A particular Staphylococcus bacterium (found in the environment and on skin - 30% of people are estimated as natural carriers) can be nasty. These bacteria are often responsible for illnesses stemming from cooked foods. They require warmth and time to outgrow to a particular point at which they produce a heat-stable toxin (a toxin not affected by typical reheating temperatures).

Pull the pork while still hot or warm and either place shallowly in pre-chilled metal pans, placing the pans in the fridge, once cool, to chill; or place the pulled meat in Ziploc or FoodSaver bags - do not pack the meat tightly - then plunge into a large pot of ice water, submerging the meat but keeping the top of the bag open (to release heat) and above the ice/water level (so as not to get water in the bags).

If using the first method, transfer the chilled meat from the pans in the fridge to fridge containers or bags and fridge or freeze as desired. If using the second suggestion, press the air out of the bags (or use your vac-sealer), seal and fridge or freeze.