Pork Butt questions - quick answers I'm sure

[pi guy]

Sorry for the dumb questions, but I'm going to smoke a butt tomorrow all day, but we want to eat it Saturday. I've smoked quite a few butts before, but always eat them the same day, so this is new for me.

What are the best choices for:
- After smoking; pull it or keep it whole to refrigerate? (I assume pull, but would like your all's opinions/advice)
- Does it need to be completely cooled down before refrigerating?
- Tips on storing for the 24 hours (with sauce vs without sauce, vac seal vs container)?
- Best way to reheat it out of the fridge about 24 hours after finishing (vac bag in hot water, in a pan with sauce)?
- Not sure if we'll do sammies, or nachos, or topping for baked potatoes, or grilled pizza. Does it make a difference on how to store it, depending on what the meal will be?

Thanks for any advice you all can share; I get almost all of my inspiration here!

 

[TNJAKE]

Pull it and put it in a pan with some of your juices. Cover it. Save remaining juice. I reheat in oven after adding a little more juice covered at 300 till warm. You can vac seal portion as well. Add a couple tablespoon pork juice to each bag. That's what I do with the leftovers

 

[smokin peachey]

I typically always cook butts ahead of time. I always shred it right after it is done. Add all juice back into the meat. If I am not using it with in a few days I vac seal and freeze otherwise zip loc is ok or put it in a foyal pan. Make sure you have some juice in it when reheating it. You can reheat in SV, crockpot, stove top, oven. Pretty much any way you want. Some guys make a finishing sauce. I’ve never done this. I add some apple juice, vinegar and butter when I foyal while smokin and then just add this juice into the finish product. Good luck!

 

[smokerjim]

looks like Jake and peachey got ya covered

 

[smokin peachey]

Can’t wait to see your post tomorrow with your button they smoker. Pork butt that is. Lol

 

[pi guy]

Thanks everyone. Up at 5 to get it started. Will share some pics and how it all goes!

 

[thirdeye]

- I prefer to rest my butts in a hot box for 3 or more hours before doing anything. For a cook-ahead butt I would rather reheat it whole and pull it in front of the guests, but breaking down and reheating will work okay too. Be sure and season it with salt and a super fine finishing rub.
- Chill it down as fast as you can, I use an ice slurry in a large cooler. For a whole butt I'll use a 2.5 gallon zipper bag or a 5 gallon bucket liner closed with a zip tie. I chill them in the foil wrap, then reheat in the same foil. For pulled, I put the meat in a 2.5 gallon zipper bag.
- I moisten with foil juices, and some apple juice, or Coca-Cola, then serve sauce at the table.
- Just to clarify...., I don't pull (as in shred) my pork for reheating. I just break down the various muscle groups, remove globs of fat, and I let the muscles guide me. If you cooked it right you will wind up with larger plugs of meat, each very tender, and very moist.... but I don't wind up with a platter of finely shredded strands of meat that looks like spaghetti, because it dries out too fast and needs more attention to make it moist again.

 

[MJB05615]

That looks perfectly perfect Thirdeye! My mouth is watering. I'm in the mddle of doing one now since 10pm last night to be served this evening. Hope it comes out half as good as yours.
Thanks for sharing.

Mike

 

[pi guy]

- I prefer to rest my butts in a hot box for 3 or more hours before doing anything. For a cook-ahead butt I would rather reheat it whole and pull it in front of the guests, but breaking down and reheating will work okay too. Be sure and season it with salt and a super fine finishing rub.
- Chill it down as fast as you can, I use an ice slurry in a large cooler. For a whole butt I'll use a 2.5 gallon zipper bag or a 5 gallon bucket liner closed with a zip tie. I chill them in the foil wrap, then reheat in the same foil. For pulled, I put the meat in a 2.5 gallon zipper bag.
- I moisten with foil juices, and some apple juice, or Coca-Cola, then serve sauce at the table.
- Just to clarify...., I don't pull (as in shred) my pork for reheating. I just break down the various muscle groups, remove globs of fat, and I let the muscles guide me. If you cooked it right you will wind up with larger plugs of meat, each very tender, and very moist.... but I don't wind up with a platter of finely shredded strands of meat that looks like spaghetti, because it dries out too fast and needs more attention to make it moist again.


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Thanks Thirdeye. Your note about pulling but not shredding makes sense. We sometimes buy pre-packaged (don't judge me LOL) pulled pork from Sam's Club (It's actually VERY good). It comes in chunks like you show and describe, and they have you reheat it like that (in the microwave, which I won't do with this one). Then they tell you to shred after, so apparently that's they way. I'm think I'll do it that way today. Those pics are fantastic by the way!

 

[pi guy]

That looks perfectly perfect Thirdeye! My mouth is watering. I'm in the mddle of doing one now since 10pm last night to be served this evening. Hope it comes out half as good as yours.
Thanks for sharing.

Mike

I started mine around 5 this morning. It's a bit on the small side, so I'm hoping to get through the stall and pull it by 4ish today. Post pics of your if you can!

 

[thirdeye]

That looks perfectly perfect Thirdeye! My mouth is watering. I'm in the mddle of doing one now since 10pm last night to be served this evening. Hope it comes out half as good as yours.
Thanks for sharing.

Mike

Thanks Thirdeye. Your note about pulling but not shredding makes sense. We sometimes buy pre-packaged (don't judge me LOL) pulled pork from Sam's Club (It's actually VERY good). It comes in chunks like you show and describe, and they have you reheat it like that (in the microwave, which I won't do with this one). Then they tell you to shred after, so apparently that's they way. I'm think I'll do it that way today. Those pics are fantastic by the way!

Thanks for the kind words...., when you think about it, it's all about quality, flavor and pleasing your family or guests. At an old fashioned pig pickin' barbecue, the meat is kept somewhat coarse for the same reasons. Later on whole shoulders became popular for barbecuing, and since they are in the 20# range the meat is better than a butt or picnic cooked separately. Due to marketing our main choice is now a pork butt, and it's very impressive to show off the tenderness and the result of all those hours on the smoker, but it's easy to over do it. Sometimes the center muscle, which is noticeably leaner and 'whiter' than the surrounding muscles will be a little tight. I never force pulling that, I just slice it and it's wonderful.

Contrary to ^this^ philosophy, is chopped pork which is popular in the Carolina's and surrounding areas. The finer texture allows for good penetration of seasonings and sauces, and it's very tender. One reflection in barbecue history is that in the 1800's and early 1900's dentistry and taking care of ones teeth was lacking...., so some of the old timers simply could not chew meat as well as they once could. Chopping pork gave them the opportunity to enjoy a barbecued hog right along with everyone else.

 

[MJB05615]

I started mine around 5 this morning. It's a bit on the small side, so I'm hoping to get through the stall and pull it by 4ish today. Post pics of your if you can!

I'll most likely post some pics. It's a 9 pounder, wrapped in butcher paper at 170 IT and after 15 hours it at 195 IT, waiting for 203 or so to remove and let rest. Not planning to serve until 630pm tonight, so hoping it's out of the smoker no later than 2 or 3pm. If it rests for 3-4 hours that would be ideal.

Mike

 

[pi guy]

Thanks for the kind words...., when you think about it, it's all about quality, flavor and pleasing your family or guests. At an old fashioned pig pickin' barbecue, the meat is kept somewhat coarse for the same reasons. Later on whole shoulders became popular for barbecuing, and since they are in the 20# range the meat is better than a butt or picnic cooked separately. Due to marketing our main choice is now a pork butt, and it's very impressive to show off the tenderness and the result of all those hours on the smoker, but it's easy to over do it. Sometimes the center muscle, which is noticeably leaner and 'whiter' than the surrounding muscles will be a little tight. I never force pulling that, I just slice it and it's wonderful.

Contrary to ^this^ philosophy, is chopped pork which is popular in the Carolina's and surrounding areas. The finer texture allows for good penetration of seasonings and sauces, and it's very tender. One reflection in barbecue history is that in the 1800's and early 1900's dentistry and taking care of ones teeth was lacking...., so some of the old timers simply could not chew meat as well as they once could. Chopping pork gave them the opportunity to enjoy a barbecued hog right along with everyone else.

Awesome intel! And I've always been a fan of rooting through the meat and cutting some small hunks to share with the family before going to town shredding. So I've experienced some of the wonderful pieces you referred to!

 

[thirdeye]

Awesome intel! And I've always been a fan of rooting through the meat and cutting some small hunks to share with the family before going to town shredding. So I've experienced some of the wonderful pieces you referred to!

It's funny but most people pull the bone and go to town, and I do this if I'm breaking down multiple butts..... but typically the bone is the last thing on the cutting board. I use it for reference to locate all the various muscles.