Pork Butt Question

[joelarbear]

I'm going to smoke a pork butt tomorrow. My schedule for tomorrow is a little tight. My question is, if I smoke the butt up to an internal temp. of at least 140 degrees within 4 hours, can I refrigerate the butt and finish it off in the oven the next day? Has anyone out there had to do this, and if you did, how did it turn out?

 

[smoke freak]

I think it will work. Personally, Id wait till I had time to do it right.

If you do it, let us know how it works for you.

 

[fire it up]

I read a post one time and some place (not sure if it was here or not) that claimed they cooked and cooled it over 3 days and the thing came out incredible.
That;s about all know. Will try and find the link but it was just one of those random BBQ searches.

 

[joelarbear]

I'm with you, and I would if I could. Unfortunately, I don't have that option. It's either smoke it tomorrow and finish it later (the next day), or do the whole thing in the oven (a travesty). Unless someone tells me it can't be done, I'm going to have to try it that way.

 

[capt dan]

I would smoke it till ya can't smoke it any longer then go for the oven. I don't see a good reason to smoke something till its still not safely cooked and than start again another day. If it was beef, I would say OK, but pork is alot different IMO.

 

[monkeybutt]

I agree with Dan. I've done many pork butts on a Friday after work. I get the fire started after work, say around 5-6pm, smoke them until 11pm or so, then put them the oven set at 220' covered in a foil pan over night, then pull them in the morning. Works great every time.

 

[race_ready]

When pressed for time and craving some pulled pork I have cut the butt in half to reduce the cook time with no ill effects.

 

[ol' smokey]

I also agree with Dan and Monkeybutt. The oven method for finishing pork butt after 5 or 6 hours of smoking works great for me. Time it right and you can get a whole nights sleep. Good luck

 

[pignit]

I smoke bacon to 140 and refridgerate and cook later. I'm not an expert but I don't see why you couldn't smoke the butt until it reaches at least 140-145 or higher... refridgerate and finish later. I know my bacon is cured but that is because I smoke it over an extended period of time. I wouldn't eat off of it unless you get it up to 160. I'd say if your gonna finish cooking it in a matter of days it will be fine. I'd set the oven down low and put a little apple juice in a pan and cover her up tight and finish her off. Let us know how it turns out. I'd rather have a butt that's cooked in two stages than no butt at all.

 

[melleram]

Not to hijack this thread but i have a similar pork butt question...I've got time tomorrow to get it done. But It will be done at around 4:00 then I have to get cleaned up to go to a baptism and wont be back till 7:00 and we will try to eat by 7:30....

How should I handle this??

Pull at 4:00 put in a pan in the oven warm

Leave whole wraped in foil in coolers then pull at 7:00 and try to rewarm

other ideas

 

[pignit]

If you wrap this thing up good at 4 it will still be hot inside at 7. You could also leave it in the oven on 190 - 200 but I've pulled butts and wrapped them with towels and they are still steaming when I pull them hours later.