Big Smoke (for me) need advice

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chrisk

Newbie
Original poster
Jun 4, 2013
6
10
Mesa, AZ
I have been elected by wife to cook for a funeral this Saturday. the plan is to smoke (3) 8.5 lb picnics. We will be serving food around noon. I have a football game to coach at 8 am and the funeral is about an hour away. my plan is to put the meat on Friday afternoon and smoke for 6-8 hours then finish in the oven or maybe roaster???

the questions i have are:

After i smoke th emeat for 6-8 hours can i put it in a roaster or would the oven better? foil or no foil?

If i have my wife take the food at 8:30 am Saturday should it be shredded and ready to go or can it cook in the roaster for a couple more hours then we shred before service??

Thanks for the help

Chris
 
I would not partially cook meat then finish cooking later. . Too much time in the danger zone. I would cook and shred one day, then heat and sauce the day needed. Pulled pork reheats really well and IMO, often tastes better reheated.
 
I would not partially cook meat then finish cooking later. . Too much time in the danger zone. I would cook and shred one day, then heat and sauce the day needed. Pulled pork reheats really well and IMO, often tastes better reheated.
I guess I need to clarify. I was going to smoke for 6-8 hours then directly into oven or roaster to complete the cook. depending on how things go the meat might be done 3 hours before its time to eat. How should I keep the meat for that time? shred and leave in roaster very low temp? leave whole in roaster and let temps come down?

Thanks for the input.

Chris
 
I'll bet if you do the cook, leave them whole, wrap them in foil, then wrap them in a towel and place them in an ice chest, they will still be too hot to pull by hand with out gloves on three hrs later. If concerned you could put a Mav probe in one and ensure temps stay safe. But I'll bet they're still steaming when you unwrap them.

Once you pull them do you have a set up to keep the food warm? A set up with Sterno under disposable pans work great.
 
Last edited:
Thanks Bama. I will put the shredded meat in a 22 quart Roaster to keep hot.

Chris
 
I'll bet if you do the cook, leave them whole, wrap them in foil, then wrap them in a towel and place them in an ice chest, they will still be too hot to pull by hand with out gloves on three hrs later. If concerned you could put a Mav in one and ensure temps stay safe. but I'll be they're still steaming when you unwrap them.

Once you pull them do you have a set up to keep the food warm? A set up with Sterno under disposable pans work great.
I am with Bama on this one.  I'd leave 'em whole.  I have let butts rest for 3-4 hours in a 170° oven, uncovered (I LOVE bark), because they finished ahead of schedule.  Some people fear they will dry out, it just doesn't happen.  They have always remained juicy for me.  Although, pulled pork does reheat beautifully, there is still something about freshly pulled pork.  I think it is the bark and that beautiful, silky, rendered fat.
 
 
I am with Bama on this one.  I'd leave 'em whole.  I have let butts rest for 3-4 hours in a 170° oven, uncovered (I LOVE bark), because they finished ahead of schedule.  Some people fear they will dry out, it just doesn't happen.  They have always remained juicy for me.  Although, pulled pork does reheat beautifully, there is still something about freshly pulled pork.  I think it is the bark and that beautiful, silky, rendered fat.
Whole and wrapped it will be. Personally I like it alot better when fresh, but have been known to put down a couple of leftover sammies.
 
 
I am with Bama on this one.  I'd leave 'em whole.  I have let butts rest for 3-4 hours in a 170° oven, uncovered (I LOVE bark), because they finished ahead of schedule.  Some people fear they will dry out, it just doesn't happen.  They have always remained juicy for me.  Although, pulled pork does reheat beautifully, there is still something about freshly pulled pork.  I think it is the bark and that beautiful, silky, rendered fat.
I third this.  A 170 oven can hold Q for quite a while.  Mine never dries out. 
 
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