# Pork butts done early...Advice on keeping warm



## smokin pigskins (Aug 26, 2011)

Hey guys we've got a problem.  The pork butts got done a few hours earlier than anticipated, had some issues holding temps due to wind and decided to foil them which I believed contributed to this.  I was planning on keeping them wrapped in a cooler for 5-6 hours anyway which I have done before with no problems whatsoever.  Now I'm looking at 8-9 hours before serving and am not sure what to do.  If it were longer I'd cool em and reheat but this seams like a tweener time frame to me.  Can I hold them more efficiently in the oven at 170-175 or will I make it the whole time in the cooler?  Also how mushy is this meat going to turn out when I typically do not foil on the smoker at all, only when I'm resting it/holding temps in cooler, there's alot of liquid in the foil.  I'm turning to all of you for advice.  Thanks alot guys.


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## coma44 (Aug 26, 2011)

I would hold them wrapped up in the oven at 150-160 for 4 to 5 if you can.....maybe roll the heat back up to 185 for the last hour?...then into the cooler for the rest of the time.


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## terry colwell (Aug 26, 2011)

I think i would go the other way,, put them wrapped really well in the cooler stuffed withe blankets or towels so all the air space is gone, withe the thermometer cord hanging out so you could check it. I would watch it over the hours seen how much it drops and if it gets to low I would then pull them and pop them into the oven on low. To me it gives the meat and juices a chance to settle down and you can also see excactly how long the cooler will hold the meat to temp.. Plus i think this way has a better chance of moister meat. i might be of my rocker on this but thats how I would try it..


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## SmokinAl (Aug 26, 2011)

I'm with Terry on this one.

I've kept them in a cooler for 8 hours & they were still 160.

Like he said keep a probe in at least 1 of them & if they get down below 150 then put them in a 180 degree oven still wrapped in the foil.


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## scarbelly (Aug 26, 2011)

SmokinAl said:


> I'm with Terry on this one.
> 
> I've kept them in a cooler for 8 hours & they were still 160.
> 
> Like he said keep a probe in at least 1 of them & if they get down below 150 then put them in a 180 degree oven still wrapped in the foil.


I also have done this many times. The key is making sure to fill all the dead space in the cooler. I have even heard of guys wadding up newspaper to fill the dead space on the bottom.

Good luck.


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## roller (Aug 26, 2011)

I`m with the guys and the cooler. It will keep for a long time. Just wrap as many terry cloth towels as you can get around it and still fit in the cooler then fill up the air space...And it will also make it taste better....


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## smokin pigskins (Aug 29, 2011)

Thanks for the help fellas!  Wrapped em up tight in a couple coolers and the ones we didn't pull and serve initially were still at 165 twelve hours later!  I really intended on getting some Q-View up from this cook but everything ended up being a little more hectic than I had planned.  It was a beautiful site, however, to see 10 butts doing their thing on the Yoder, it was loaded up!  Thanks again for the help.


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