# Putting pork shoulder in a cooler with towels???



## thebigbutch (Aug 21, 2015)

Doing my first pork shoulder for a tailgate tomorrow at the Eagles preseason game ... Should be a nice day of boozing 

Put in in my smoker @11pm ... When it's all done do I need to put it in a cooler with towels???   What is the purpose of it?

I plan on ... Hope to ... Have it ready to come off around 8am 

Thanks for the help


----------



## dirtsailor2003 (Aug 21, 2015)

You can hold it for several hours at a safe temp if you put it in a cooler with towels. So if you pull it at 8am you can keep it warm to serve by 11 or so without having to reheat it.


----------



## cedar eater (Aug 21, 2015)

thebigbutch said:


> When it's all done do I need to put it in a cooler with towels??? What is the purpose of it?


The time in the cooler is called resting. The meat continues cooking after pulling the roast from the smoker. The towels and the cooler are insulation, to help keep the meat temp high while the colagen turns to gel. I rested butts in a cooler with towels for over five hours and the internal temp was still 160 when I got them out and pulled the pork. That was the best pulled pork I've made.


----------



## magnus (Aug 22, 2015)

Cedar Eater said:


> The time in the cooler is called resting. The meat continues cooking after pulling the roast from the smoker. The towels and the cooler are insulation, to help keep the meat temp high while the colagen turns to gel. I rested butts in a cooler with towels for over five hours and the internal temp was still 160 when I got them out and pulled the pork. That was the best pulled pork I've made.


Couldn't be explained better.


----------



## dcarch (Aug 22, 2015)

There is no need for the towel if the cooler is insulated.

dcarch


----------



## boykjo (Aug 22, 2015)

Did we forget to foil first.......that would be one messy towel and cooler


----------



## gditys (Aug 22, 2015)

Cedar Eater said:


> The time in the cooler is called resting. The meat continues cooking after pulling the roast from the smoker. The towels and the cooler are insulation, to help keep the meat temp high while the colagen turns to gel. I rested butts in a cooler with towels for over five hours and the internal temp was still 160 when I got them out and pulled the pork. That was the best pulled pork I've made.


+1


----------



## gditys (Aug 22, 2015)

boykjo said:


> Did we forget to foil first.......that would be one messy towel and cooler


yes true great point


----------



## cedar eater (Aug 22, 2015)

dcarch said:


> There is no need for the towel if the cooler is insulated.
> 
> dcarch


The towels are insurance against clowns who would walk up looking for a beer in the cooler. When they see the towels, they close the lid and try another cooler. Otherwise, when they see the foil wrapped butts, they touch them and make butt jokes. Please tell me that I'm not the only one who has seen clowns at a family reunion.

Oh, and another thing. There is no need for the cooler if enough towels are used.


----------

