Leg quarter question

[The Butt Man]

My coworker is planning a family reunion for next July. He asked me if I would cook some of the meat ahead of time for him to take. Cooking on site is not an option because the event is going to be in Gatlinburg, TN and we live in south Alabama. He wanted pulled pork and leg quarters. I told him that I could do the pork and freeze it. Then he can take it and reheat it when they were ready for it.

My question is about the leg quarters. Could I cook them, then freeze them for the trip and they still be good once they reheat them?
What would be the best way to do that? Or should I just agree to the pulled pork?
Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[banderson7474]

Do you have to freeze them? Could you cook them the day before and ziplock them in the fridge? I understand the butts b/c you don't want to stress the day before but legs are easy to do. Either way shouldn't be a problem I think. I just don't like to freeze unless I need to.

I've read here that most people mention warming the freezer bags in hot water to heat up the meat but I've never actually tried that so I will leave that to the experts in here. Good luck though!

 

[The Butt Man]

Do you have to freeze them? Could you cook them the day before and ziplock them in the fridge? I understand the butts b/c you don't want to stress the day before but legs are easy to do. Either way shouldn't be a problem I think. I just don't like to freeze unless I need to.

I've read here that most people mention warming the freezer bags in hot water to heat up the meat but I've never actually tried that so I will leave that to the experts in here. Good luck though!

That is a possibility. He would get the chicken from me on Wednesday but it wouldn’t be served until Friday. I guess it would still be ok in the refrigerator that time.

 

[banderson7474]

I guess it depends on how he is going to travel with them. What is it about a 6hr drive for him? Should be fine in a cooler with ice.

 

[HalfSmoked]

Chicken 3 days in fridge and cooler I don't think is a good idea in 2 ways 1 food safety and 2 taste.
Reheating would alter the flavor. With the pulled pork frozen and reheated like a boiling bag works great and does not alter the flavor. Just my $.02

Warren

 

[The Butt Man]

Thank y’all. I definitely don’t want to make people sick and I would not want to mess with the fresh flavor. I may be better off to not do the chicken for him.

 

[banderson7474]

I've never heard of anyone getting sick of chicken or anything kept cold for 3 days but maybe I'm wrong. He could always grill the legs up there the day of. Legs are super easy and hey you could tell him that it would be good for people that aren't all in on smoke flavoring etc etc.