Pulled Pork Carnitas - Need Some Guidance

[illini40]

Hi All

I have been asked to smoke some pork butts for pulled pork carnitas. Hoping for some input on some questions below:

- How many people would a 7lb boneless Coscto butt feed?
- I am planning to smoke tomorrow, vacuum seal, freeze, and the eat about a week and a half later. Anything to consider doing this method?
- I plan to let the butts rest, then pull, and then vacuum seal with some of the juices left in. Will that work?
- How is it best to reheat pulled pork vacuum sealed?
- For the carnitas flavor, I plan to add some fajita seasoning as part of the rub as well as add some citrus juices when wrapping. Does that sound like a good plan?

Thank you!
Ross

 

[TomKnollRFV]

7 pounds pre trim? I'd say 5 or 6. <I estimate you lose a 1/3 of the meat etc when you smoke it as moisture etc is gone>.

 

[noboundaries]

The folks with restaurant experience will chime in. A 7 lb boneless butt will shrink to about 4 lbs once smoked. A third of a lb per person would fill two flour tortillas, or three corn tortillas, so 3 people per pound.

Since Costco packs two boneless pork butts in each vacuum pac, that's like 25 people.

Your process is fine. Reheating? Personally, I run vacuumed packs of PP under hot water until the contents can be removed. Then I reheat contents in a slow cooker, or a covered Dutch oven on the stovetop, or in a covered pan in the oven at 250F, or in the microwave.

 

[JCAP]

I’ve never vacuumed sealed them since, well I’d be eating it right away!, but I would probably do the crockpot reheat. That’s always worked well for me. You could always sous vide it if possible or put the packs into a pot of boiling water. Many ways will work and still make great food.

 

[chilerelleno]

7lb boneless Butt, figure after cooking it'll be 5lbs.
You can figure either 1/4 or 1/2lb per person, so 10-20 people or split the difference and call it 15.
Depends on the crowd you're feeding, guys, gals, hungry teenagers, lil'ol ladies?

Your plans to cook and store is fine.
You can reheat by simmering in bag, microwaving in bag or putting it into a crockpot.

Here is how I'd season for a PP resembling carnitas in flavor.
Dry brine the pork for 4-6 hours.
Then marinate for 2-4 hours in
3 parts Sour Orange juice, 1 part lime juice, keep rinds in marinade.
3-5 cloves of garlic, 2-3 Bay leaves, salt and cumin.
To mimic Sour Oranges for this or other Mexican recipes such as Carne asada or Puerco pibil, just mix 1:1 orange and grapefruit juices.
Now add your rub and smoke.
And yes, do wrap and wrap early, you're going for a Carnitas so no well defined bark.
I might even suggest finishing by searing the Butt in a skillet.

You do know that you could make real Carnitas with very little extra effort? Just a big pot and lots of lard or vegetable oil.

 

[illini40]

Thank you everyone for the input. I plan to smoke the butts tomorrow. I’ll keep you posted.

 

[Rafter H BBQ]

You have some great responses, only thing I'll add is after I vac seal I really like the sous vide for warming it back up. You set the temp and the reheating does not go above that temp. Just my two cents!

 

[Rafter H BBQ]

I’ve never vacuumed sealed them since, well I’d be eating it right away!, but I would probably do the crockpot reheat. That’s always worked well for me. You could always sous vide it if possible or put the packs into a pot of boiling water. Many ways will work and still make great food.

Sorry, you mentioned SV first and I missed that.

 

[MNholla]

So how'd the smoke go?