Quick food safety question

firewife

Fire Starter

Original poster

Jul 30, 2014

38

11

Redding, CA

• Sep 9, 2014

• #1

How long can I rest a pulled pork without refrigerating it before it becomes a safety hazard not to be refrigerated?  

I'm smoking a butt for some friends who had a baby a couple days ago and of course the finicky pig appears to be finishing about two hours early.  So I had planned for it to be done at 3 and bring to them at 4 but it's going to be done around 1 so if they don't eat it until dinner then it would have rested in foil for about 3-4 hours.  I hate to refrigerate it only for them to heat it up a short time later.

Thanks!

 

sqwib

Smoking Guru

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Sep 25, 2007

5,962

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Philadelphia

• Sep 9, 2014

• #2

You should be fine if you wrap in heavy foil, then towels and place in a cooler straight out of the oven in a warm spot, Not next to an AC Vent for example.

You can pull it right before you get there, the key is to keep it above 140° and should not be a problem.

I have gone two hours + on Butts/Picnics and it was too hot to pull by hand.

 

Last edited: Sep 9, 2014

brooksy

Master of the Pit

Mar 17, 2014

1,195

49

Hawthorne, fl

• Sep 9, 2014

• #3

SQWIB said:

You should be fine if you wrap in heavy foil, then towels and place in a cooler straight out of the oven in a warm spot, Not next to an AC Vent for example.
You can pull it right before you get there, the key is to keep it above 140° and should not be a problem.
I have gone two hours + on Butts/Picnics and it was too hot to pull by hand.

Click to expand...

Second that! Wrapping and putting in a cooler works very well.

 

Bearcarver

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Group Lead

Sep 12, 2009

45,279

18,182

Macungie, PA

• Sep 9, 2014

• #4

No Problem!!

My Son did the same as SQWIB mentioned above for 6 hours, and he said it was still almost too hot to touch.

Bear

 

oldschoolbbq

Legendary Pitmaster

OTBS Member

Jul 16, 2008

9,359

205

NW Ohio - outside Toledo

• Sep 10, 2014

• #5

Easy as Squib says . . .

Have fun and . . .

 

wade

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SMF Premier Member

Apr 12, 2013

3,863

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Kent, UK

• Sep 10, 2014

• #6

Yes - I will "third" that.

Ensure that it stays above 140 F (60 C) for the 2-3 hours resting and to be absolutely sure you should reheat to 165 F (74 C) just before serving.

 

chef jimmyj

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★ Lifetime Premier ★

May 12, 2011

22,172

7,150

• Sep 10, 2014

• #7

Going from smoker to cooler, wrapped in foil and blankets, will get you 5-6 hours of hold time above 140°F. Since there is no possible way it could get contaminated, there is no need to reheat unless it got too cool to eat and enjoy. Even if as you were wrapping it you Coughed and Sneezed on it and the Dog took a bite...There is no need to worry about contamination as all those bacteria are landing on a 180°- 200°+ meat surface. NOTHING could survive that. This is what makes the cooler technique so nice from a safety stand point...JJ

 

venture

Smoking Guru

OTBS Member

Aug 1, 2008

6,948

73

Central California

• Sep 10, 2014

• #8

Wow?

I could definitely have done with the dog bite remark?

For the love of all that is good, cut a piece off for the dam dog!  You know you love him!

Other than that, you have the straight word from the experts.

Smoke on!

Good luck and good smoking.

 

firewife

Fire Starter

Original poster

Thread starter

Jul 30, 2014

38

11

Redding, CA

• Sep 11, 2014

• #9

LOL...  My dog licks his own butt and would be happy to eat a whole block of cheese.  He is not worthy of 14 hour smoked pork butt!!!

 

venture

Smoking Guru

OTBS Member

Aug 1, 2008

6,948

73

Central California

• Sep 11, 2014

• #10

If you don't give that dog a slice of meat?

I wish you one year of missing socks!

Good luck and good smoking.