Pulled Pork for a party... Need some advice!

[worktogthr]

Hey everyone,

My nieces communion is this Sunday and my sister in law asked me to smoke some pulled pork for the party. Now I am one of the no foil, no finishing sauce kind of guys when it comes to pulled pork. Usually it's just rub, smoke, rest, pull and eat. Problem is... I only have time for the smoke Friday. I am going to have to pull it and put it in a foil pan to be reheated Sunday. Thing that scares me is that I will be at the church while the food is getting reheated and transferred to sternos (chafing dishes or whatever you call them haha)to keep warm.

What do you all think is my best plan of action for ensuring a moist final product under the circumstances? Adding a finishing sauce to reheat it with? Adding bbq sauce, thinned with apple juice to the pan? I know pork butt has a lot of fat but just putting it in there by itself seems like it will dry out once reheated.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[casmurf]

add a little apple juice to reheat and you will  be fine.

 

[atomicsmoke]

I foiled mine and bagged the pulled meat with juices collected while foiled. Re-heated in the slow cooker. Very moist without the need of finishing sauce.

 

[pineywoods]

A little apple juice will work as would a finishing sauce. Personally I usually go with the finishing sauce this one 

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/49892/finishing-sauce-for-pulled-pork

 

[duffman]

I did the same thing you are doing for my Father in-laws Birthday a few years ago. I just added a little apple juice to the bottom of the warmer and stired a few times while it was heating up. Everyone seemed to love it.

 

[ibbones]

I did that this last weekend.  I smoked two 8.5 pound Butts and pulled one, the other I wrapped in foil and threw it into the fridge.  This was on Thursday.  Saturday I took the one that was still whole and reheated it in the oven for a couple hours then pulled and served.  Came out really good.

 

[bruno994]

The above mentioned finishing sauce is worth the effort for sure, but atomicsmoke hit the nail on the head, if you bag it up with the juices from the cook, this will insure the moisture to remain in the meat.  Another idea, if possible, is what ibbones suggested, if the butts can be reheated and reach the 160 IT for serving, I would leave them whole and pull and place into the serving pans fresh.  If you have to pull them ahead of time though, then a finishing sauce or at the very least the juices need to be mixed in with the meat.  Ziplocks or vac seal bags work way better than foil pans, just drop them in boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes, open, serve and you have hot, fresh, moist meat!

 

[jpittssr]

I have used a pan for smoking butts with apple juice in the pan during the smoke. I reserve the pan juice and drippings to pour over when served.
It works for me.

 

[worktogthr]

Thanks everyone for all of the suggestions.  What seems to work best for my circumstances might be a combo of all that you have shared.  I might smoke it without foiling, with a foil pan right below it to catch the drippings, let it rest and then pull it in that same pan to reserve the drippings, and then add a little finishing sauce or apple juice and some bbq sauce, stick it in the fridge and pray it turns out ok.

 

[jpittssr]

Sounds like a plan.
I use pans for everything I cook. No grease drippings in my smoker, easy clean up. I learned that from Myron Mixon, the self proclaimed king of all pitmssters.
If you don't think so, just ask him.;)

 

[bubba in texas]

ibbones,

I'm smoking a 7 pound butt when I get off at 1 today.  I'm expecting it should be ready if no long stall around 10 pm.  When you pulled the whole butt, did you wrap it and immediately put it in the refrigerator or did you wrap it in the foil and towels and let rest before refrigerating?

 

[worktogthr]

I am going to let it rest and pull it before I put it in the fridge.

 

[yotzee]

Sometimes you have to adapt and overcome.  Use the finishing sauce.  It will heat up nicely and taste delish.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Definitely pull it before you put it in the fridge. Since it sounds like you are going to use your drippings, be sure and de-fat them prior to adding them back into the meat. Put the drippings in the fridge or freezer to get the fat to firm up and scrap off. The pan that you are going to use to catch the drippings will need to have some liquid in it to start or you'll run the risk of a grease fire (don't ask me how I know this)

 

[worktogthr]

Well here it is all ready to go.

image.jpg

• worktogthr
• May 2, 2014

It was an 8 lb. picnic that I cut in half (sort of ) for more bark and to shorten the cook. Went hot and fast, about 300 for about for hours until it hit 203. Let it rest for a while and pulled it. Really tender and tasty but I couldn't eat too much because I swore off fattier meats for a little while. Until Memorial Day weekend. Gonna add some apple juice to it and heat it at my place Sunday morning and then bring in there warm so they can pop it right In a chaffing dish. Thanks again for all of your help!

 

[duffman]

Good Job! Everyone will love it!

 

[worktogthr]

Thanks all, for the help. It tasted pretty good but of course nothing like fresh off the smoker, I got a lot of compliments about the smokey taste. A lot of people were telling me they never had "real" pulled pork, only crock pot style so that was cool.

 

[yotzee]

I shiver when people brag about making pulled pork in a crock pot