Pulled pork resting question

[surfer_e]

Hey I am having some of relatives from my wife's side come and visit. Being that they are from the NORTH and know nothing about BBQ I am planning to smoke up some shoulders ribs and fattys.

I am not sure when they are arriving, so I wanted to have the shoulders done by noon tomorrow. So how long can they rest before you pull them? Can I let then rest for a few hours till like 4? Or would that be BAD? All the Q will be dinner for all arriving so i wanted to wait to pull it until they arrive.

What you think?

Carry on

 

[pineywoods]

I've held butts and briskets six hours and they were still to hot to touch so as long as you have a decent cooler you should be fine

 

[packplantpath]

Hot to the touch isn't a very good indicator.

Things feel too hot to handle at 120 or so, but if meat gets that low the nasties can start to grow. As long as the meat temp doesn't get below 150 I'd feel ok with it. Some say 120, but I don't risk it.

 

[cinnamonkc]

The official range from the FDA has 40 to 140 as the danger zone. You want to make sure it stays above 140

 

[Dutch]

If you need to, place the butts in a 200* oven. Remember to add the meat drippings back into the pulled pork.

 

[burtess]

I have wrapped pork butt tightly in foil, then a towel, and placed in a small cooler (another towel on top to take up air space) and rested for 5 hours and the meat was still "scalding" when pulled. I could not keep my hands on the meat for more than a couple of seconds without enough pain to pull back, this is wearing nitrile gloves as well.

The attached graph is from http://www.accuratebuilding.com/serv...ing_graph.html and shows some data for 2nd degree burns via hot water. I would think if it is seriously too hot to handle, then you have kept it in the safety zone.



Burt

 

[twistertail]

Just leave the thermo in it and run the wire out the lid so you dont have to open the lid and you can check the temp any time you want. I did one last week that sat for about 3 hours and I just left the thermo in the meat ran the wire out the top of the cooler and put the lid on. It was right at 190 when I took it out. Like TexasHunter said though it could get a little mushy. Mine was a little so I think next time if I'm going to have one rest that long I will take it out at 195 instead of 205. I watched the temp and after it was in the cooler it went up to 209. It was still good but a little mushy.