Smoke Now/Serve Later Questions

[roltyde]

In three weeks I'll be leaving for a week long golf trip with 15 of my buddies. The destination is about a 10 hour drive. I plan on smoking two butts and four chickens on Saturday, drive Sunday, and serve the meat Monday evening.

Here's what I thought I'd do:

Saturday: Do the smoking. Pull the pork and quarter the whole-smoked chickens. Put them in aluminum pans and after the meat has cooled, cover tightly and refrigerate.
Sunday: Place the refrigerated meat in a large cooler on top of bags of ice for the ten hour drive. Upon arrival put the pans in the refrigerator.
Monday: Heat the covered pans at about 350 degrees until it's hot and ready to serve.

Would you pull the pork after smoking on Saturday, or carry the whole butts with me, heat them on Monday, and then pull?

I'm open to any suggestions on what and what not to do.

Thanks!

 

[rbranstner]

I would pull the pork while it is hot then reheat it once you get there. If you have a vacuum sealer I would seal the pulled pork then warm it up in the bags with boiling water. I do it all the time like that. If you don't have a vacuum sealer then just put it in a ziplock bag and warm it up in a pot on the stove or a crock pot. Your plan for the chickens sounds fine to me.

 

[roltyde]

Thanks! I always use freezer ziplocs to freeze my meat at home but hadn't thought about bags and boiling water for this.

 

[patntamsbeef]

Love the Baggie/reheat ideas!

I am also a fan of Buttering prior to reheating

Pat

 

[chefrob]

what he said.............

 

[corn cob]

Hot butts pull easier without question..That being said when I cook butts...always two, or three...I cool, wrap and freeze one or two of them Whole...not pulled. The more surface exposed to the cold the more it dries out in the process. Whether that same principle would apply to pulled meat, and refrigerated for 36-48 hours I"m not sure. Maybe a little?...Re-heated whole butts will pull...just not as easy. ~~~~ We report you decide!

Have Fun!

 

[roltyde]

Thanks! I use freezer ziplocs at home to freeze leftovers but hadn't thought about using them for this. Besides, it'll be easier to carry in a cooler in bags instead of the aluminum pans.