Best way to keep a pork shoulder warm before pulling?

[lakedawgs]

HI
I am smoking a 9# shoulder for pulled pork. It will likely be done 6-9 hours before pulling. What is the best way to keep it warm? As usual, I plan to pull at about 198 degrees and wrap in foil and towels and then put in a small cooler. I am just worried that will not stay warm for that long. I was thinking about leaving in the cooler and an hour or two before pulling putting the foil-wrapped shoulder in a 175-200 degree oven to bring the temp back up.
Thoughts on this? Any other suggestions?

Thanks
Matt

 

[TomKnollRFV]

Hi Matt!

Personally, I'd actually pull the pork and then keep it in a crockpot to keep it warm if possible with some apple juice or finishing sauce of your choice. <I've reheated pulled pork with Angry Orchard Ginger hard cider and people liked that alot and it gave me a nice few bottles of my fav bevvie to enjoy over the weekend to boot>

Unless you can't pull it when it's done and then reheat, this is the best method. Otherwise, you will need to reheat it whole, I'd wrap it in tinfoil and use an oven on about 170-200f to reheat...but I've always just pulled and reheated it after pulling with extra liquid.

Maybe some one else can chime in :)

 

[pa42phigh]

I’m with holly I’ve had butts stay above 140 for six or more hours in a cooler.. I like to also preheat the cooler with hot water and heat the towels in the dryer..
safety hint don’t use the wife’s good towels it doesn’t go over well..

 

[gmc2003]

HI
I am smoking a 9# shoulder for pulled pork. It will likely be done 6-9 hours before pulling. What is the best way to keep it warm? As usual, I plan to pull at about 198 degrees and wrap in foil and towels and then put in a small cooler. I am just worried that will not stay warm for that long. I was thinking about leaving in the cooler and an hour or two before pulling putting the foil-wrapped shoulder in a 175-200 degree oven to bring the temp back up.
Thoughts on this? Any other suggestions?

Thanks
Matt

Sounds like a solid plan to me. Just make sure it's done to pulling temps. 198* may not be enough. Your only planning on resting it in the cooler for a couple of hours - so that shouldn't be an issue with pulling. The oven will work so will a crock pot for reheating. Just make sure you add a little juice(not allot is needed) to keep it moist. If you add to much it may get mushy. Good luck and enjoy.

Chris

 

[woodysmoke]

lunch box cooler works good to keep it in and it will stay good and warm for several hours.

 

[hb99]

I smoke butts to 207F, wrap them up in 5-6 old towels and pull with 2-5 hours.

 

[lovethemeats]

I've left it in a cooler and also had no problems with keeping warm and pulling later. Like they say above. Preheat the cooler. Pack it tight with towels and such to take up air space. You'll be ok.

 

[lakedawgs]

Thanks for the replies,
I pulled the shoulder and wrapped in foil and towels, then put in a cooler, at 8:45 in the morning. At 4:00pm I unwrapped and started shredding. The meat was still very hot. Was able to pull by hand, meat was almost too hot to do without using bear claws.