# Smoking butts for 300.  OK to freeze in advance?



## mudshark (Apr 30, 2015)

Peeps.... I'm feeding 300 homeless folks BBQ in early June.  I have a Stump's Baby and have done up to nine butts in one smoke, but figure I need about 24 for this task.  I've heard about people smoking butts and freezing them whole when done, then thawing and pulling.  Has anyone done this?  Was it good?  How did you thaw?  Any other suggestions would be helpful.


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## griff (Apr 30, 2015)

I've never frozen whole but I freeze pulled pork often.  It reheats well.


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## mudshark (Apr 30, 2015)

Thanks Griff! When you thaw, do you do it in the fridge over a few days or let it sit at room temp?  Two schools of thought there...


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## bear55 (Apr 30, 2015)

I have never frozen a whole smoked butt.  I have, however, frozen pulled pork using my vacuum sealer.  The machine works really well and the pork reheats nicely.

Richard


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## griff (Apr 30, 2015)

I thaw it in the fridge.  I reheat it in a large covered aluminum pan with a little sauce in a warm oven.


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## ob 1 (Apr 30, 2015)

I've had a similar issue and came up with this plan for a Fire Dept BBQ.  Similar to Richard's comment above;

Smoke all your butts ahead, save the juice and put it in equal bags.  Pull the pork and put into 5-7lb vacuum seal bags with the zip locked juice bags.

On serve day take your big stock/turkey pot and bring water to a boil.  Place the bag(s) into the boiling water to gently / evenly bring the pulled pork up to temp.  Serve onto the slider or regular bun and you're all set.

I did this for a BBQ event for a local VFD.  As a former fire fighter I was asked and couldn't resist.  Served 380 dinners with all the fixings.  And had a great smoker to pull all this off....

Hope this helps.

O'Brian


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## kenafein (Apr 30, 2015)

Very kind of you.  Do you have a food handler's license?  You often hear stories on the news when people try to feed the homeless and the local goverent stops them for liability reasons.  Are you working with an organization that is handling all that?

I can confirm that pulled pork reheats well.  My wife and I used to eat leftovers for months after a cook.


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## ajbert (Apr 30, 2015)

I agree with the boil in bag for reheating.  That's what I've been doing for a while now and the PP comes out just as good as when you serve it after a smoke.  I also put the juices in with the meat before vac sealing it up but hold off on the finishing sauce until it is reheated.


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## thomas phillips (May 1, 2015)

First of all, let me say, Big Salute for feeding the homeless!!!!!!!!!! Good on ya man and much respect.

yeah cook it up and freeze it pulled, reheat in a crockpot (crockpots)

this world needs more people like you in it!


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## ob 1 (May 1, 2015)

I have a truck food license (had this for several years as a sideline) but recommend you check local laws as they REALLY differ not only from state to state, but county/city to county/city....

To clarify - I use a finishing sauce when pulling (plenty online here so do a search and see what fits your fancy).  The au juice from the PP is great to put back into once heated up.  Hence I put a snack bag of sauce into the freezer vacuum pack as it sets nicely on the the bottom of the freezer bag as you heat it up in boiling water.

Kudo's on what you are doing as we need more like this to help the less fortunate.  I know I do this for a local Sr home giving back to the community...

Good luck.


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