Pulled pork, how to keep it warm?

sbishop · Dec 15, 2012

Hi guys,

i've got a party tonight around 8pm and i'm bringing pulled pork sliders. I was wonderig how i can keep the meat warm until then? It went in the smoker at 6:30am, out of smoking and into oven at 10:30am (internal temp was at 140 - I had to go to town so i couldn't stay around and watch the smoker)...right now it's at 198, i'm going to pulled out of the oven here in a few minutes when it hits 205.

i'll place it in wrapped towl then into a cooler for few hours....how long can i leave it in the cooler? we are eating at 8pm but i have to leave by 6pm....should i do up the pork and warm it up?

Thanks for any info!

kathrynn · Dec 15, 2012

I have kept mine in a cooler...wrapped in several towels for about 2+ hours. I was surprised at how much steam hit my glasses when I opened the cooler. Just make sure the temps stay warm...and it doesn't get below the 140 degrees mark...others will let you know if I am mistaken on this.

davidhef88 · Dec 15, 2012

I've had them in the cooler for 5 hours and were still almost too hot to handle.

nc cue · Dec 15, 2012

Let it cool down, shred it and then put it in your oven on the lowest setting it'll go. The cooler method also works, but I like to shred ASAP because it allows me to test* the meat sooner.

*Gorge myself under the pretense of making sure the meat is done

sbishop · Dec 15, 2012

i'm going to gamble and let it ride in the cooler until its time...approx 3 1/2hrs from now.....shred it when we are ready!

Thanks for the help...will report back!

davidhef88 · Dec 15, 2012

You will be fine. I would do it the same way.

dward51 · Dec 15, 2012

If the event is later the same day, use a cooler. More insulation is better (ie, the 5 day type coolers, yeti's etc...)

If you use a cooler, as soon as the meat comes off the smoker, double wrap it in foil (single wrap will tend to leak juices into the cooler) and place into the cooler. Depending on how many shoulders and what size cooler, cover the wrapped meat with a towel or two help form a layer of trapped hot air around the shoulders. Close the cooler and don't open it again until ready to pull and serve.

Pull the meat at time of service. Should still be smoking hot.

I've held pork shoulders 5 hours like this with no problems plenty of times. As I pull mine out of the smoker to foil, I like to give them a final spirtz of apply juice to help keep the bark moist.

jarjarchef · Dec 15, 2012

Weather you hold wrapped in the cooler or at the lowest setting in the oven. The most important thing is the hold temp and keeping it above 140IT....

sbishop · Dec 15, 2012

It turned out awesome, best one yet. It was in the cooler for almost 5 hours. There was a few pieces that almost burnt my fingers when trying to pull....it was the most moist pulled pork i've ever had...i'm thinking the next one i would do the same.

Everyone loved it and it didn't last long!

Thanks everyone!

Sbishop

davidhef88 · Dec 16, 2012

No pics????????

sbishop · Dec 16, 2012

all i've got for a pic was out of the smoker an into the oven. I usually end up mixing a little bit of bbq sauce in with the meat to moisture it up a bit and for flavor....this time around i only put a small dab of sauce on the bun...they flavor of the meat was really good...didn't want to ruin it or cover it up!

Next time..i promise from head to toe...pics!

Sbishop

pp.jpg

sbishop
Dec 16, 2012

davidhef88 · Dec 16, 2012

Looks good

exromenyer · Dec 17, 2012

sbishop said:
It turned out awesome, best one yet. It was in the cooler for almost 5 hours. There was a few pieces that almost burnt my fingers when trying to pull....it was the most moist pulled pork i've ever had...i'm thinking the next one i would do the same.

Everyone loved it and it didn't last long!

Thanks everyone!

Sbishop

That is the BEST method and these guys on here know their stuff !!!! I did the same as you and put mine in a cooler for about 4 hrs and when I pulled it out of the tin foil and towels I couldn't even handle it due to the heat. It also was AWESOME.....

You did well !!!

sbishop · Dec 17, 2012

does the towel / cooler method work for brisket? what about chicken? like to hear from anyone that has tried it.

Thanks

jarjarchef · Dec 17, 2012

Yes it does.

You will loose any crispness or firm bark, but works very well.

dward51 · Dec 18, 2012

Don't know if most of you have seen a Cambro portable warming cabinet, but the cooler & towel trick is a "low budget" home made version of that (and a $25 cooler works just fine).

All a commercial Cambro unit is, is a very very well insulated cabinet made of uber tough plastic material with locking doors with a commercial price tag to match ($250 to $350 depending on model). They stack and they also make roller bases for them, as well as top load models (like a cooler).

http://cool.cambro.com/Insulated_Transport.ashx

250-013.jpg

dward51
Dec 18, 2012

jarjarchef · Dec 18, 2012

dward51 said:
Don't know if most of you have seen a Cambro portable warming cabinet, but the cooler & towel trick is a "low budget" home made version of that (and a $25 cooler works just fine).

All a commercial Cambro unit is, is a very very well insulated cabinet made of uber tough plastic material with locking doors with a commercial price tag to match ($250 to $350 depending on model). They stack and they also make roller bases for them, as well as top load models (like a cooler).

http://cool.cambro.com/Insulated_Transport.ashx

250-013.jpg

dward51

Dec 18, 2012

Those thing work great. The important thing is to keep them closed once loaded. If that is done they will stay hot for hours. I have herd the military uses them to transport hot and cold food to the troops on the field. I have no first hand experience, only what was said by a former Army cook.

dward51 · Dec 18, 2012

Yes the military does use them. I just retired from a law enforcement agency and was the liaison for the re-utilization program where we could obtain items from the DMRO's before they were disposed of. We got about 20 of these to use for disaster and event response to carry hot food from our facility to the public safety workers in the field at our mobile command posts. They work great. They even have units that plug in to stay hot for extended periods of time.

Pulled pork, how to keep it warm?

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