Reheating Frozen Vac-sealed Pulled Pork Q-view

[nptwnsmkr]

I've noticed there are many questions on reheating pulled pork and thought I would post how I do it with a little Q-view. Please understand this is the way I do it and I make no promises as to how yours will turn out without any issue's. I've been doing it this way with no issue's myself. I've done it this way by both thawing it in the fridge and going straight from the freezer to the pot. Place vac sealed pulled pork in tap warm water and place on stove to medium heat, slowing bring pot to a boil. I turn the pork several times while it heats up. Let boil until desired temperature, remove from boiling water, cut bag and mix in finishing sauce of your choice. If you notice the date on the bag it was sealed on 10-19 of 2014- today is 5-5-15 and it tasted great! Again, this is how I do it- the food police will probably disagree with my methods.... :biggrin:

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• nptwnsmkr
• May 5, 2015

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• nptwnsmkr
• May 5, 2015

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• nptwnsmkr
• May 5, 2015

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• nptwnsmkr
• May 5, 2015

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• nptwnsmkr
• May 5, 2015

This is a quick, easy meal for us especially during after school athletics during the week....

 

[ajbert]

That's pretty much to a T how I do it and I've never had it come out anything other than delicious.

 

[wade]

I often reheat pork and also Salmon this way too. In the early days I did have some bag failures in the boiling water so now I pack my portions in sous vide vac pack bags that are guaranteed up to 120 C (250 F). When bought in bulk these were not much more expensive than the standard chamber bags. The ones I buy have "SOUS VIDE 120 C" embossed into the side seal.

Sous Vide 120 C.jpg

• wade
• May 6, 2015

 

[DanMcG]

Same method I use and never had an issue, although I simmer mine not boil.
Thanks for the tip Wade, I didn't know there was a SV bag

 

[bmaddox]

I buy the vacmaster bags that are rated for boiling temps and double seal them to be safe. I like to bring mine to a boil then turn it off and let it sit for 20 minutes or so. It works great for me but I am usually only reheating a pound or so. 

 

[joe black]

I've been looking for a good method for this. How do you know what the temp of the meat is inside the bag? Thanks, Joe

 

[wade]

The only way to do this with certainty is initially though trial and error and with portion size consistency. Firstly when you initially vac pack the food do so in consistent sized portions and pack shapes. This way, once you have worked out the heating time for one pack, then it should be similar for all subsequent packs.  The important thing to remember is that to reheat you need to bring it up to at least 74 C (165 F) and that water boils at 100 C (212 F). This is not a massive temperature difference and so it will take some time. The times will vary too depending on whether the pack is defrosted at fridge temperature or heated straight from frozen.

Take the first pack and plunge it into the pan of boiling water and bring it back to the simmer. I would suggest leaving it there for 20 minutes and then open the pack and use your digital thermometer to take the temperature. Depending on its temperature you can then adjust the time in the water for the next batch (up or down) until it gives you a consistent 165 F (or above) throughout the whole batch of food. Once you have worked it out for the first time then it should be consistent for all similar batches after that.

I always still check the temperature before serving just to be sure - but remember if it is slightly below then the microwave is your friend. Place it in a bowl covered with film and simply give it a quick blast.

 

[bmaddox]

I've been looking for a good method for this. How do you know what the temp of the meat is inside the bag? Thanks, Joe

I go by the feel of the bag. Since it is precooked you only need to reheat to the desired eating temp. If you take the bag out and feel around and find that the middle is still cold than it is not ready.

 

[bmaddox]

Oops I just checked the USDA guideline and I was wrong. It is recommended to reheat to 165. Sorry about that.

 

[themule69]

That is pretty much the way I do it and it has never failed my. I started out with a FoodSaver and now have a chamber vac and I buy good bags for Lisa.

Happy smoken.

David

 

[nptwnsmkr]

 
I go by the feel of the bag. Since it is precooked you only need to reheat to the desired eating temp. If you take the bag out and feel around and find that the middle is still cold than it is not ready.

 
Oops I just checked the USDA guideline and I was wrong. It is recommended to reheat to 165. Sorry about that.

I usually go with the feel and you pretty much know when its been in there long enough. As you said USDA recommends 165...that's why I said to your desired temperature. Again I've never had a bad batch yet!

 

[frog1369]

That's how we used to do it and it comes out great, especially for pork.  For beef, chicken and fish you can overcook quickly.  We've added an Anova Precision Cooker (Sous Vide) to our kitchen, it is the best reheating tool we've ever found.  We often cook many steaks, chicken pieces, fish fillets, whatever and vacuum seal them for later, quick dinners and such when we get home late or are just plain lazy.  We can come home, pop the food in the water bath at a specific temp and it will heat and hold at that temp until we are ready to eat.  For steaks, we usually buy several on sale, season, vac-seal, sous vide at 129 F, then ice bath and into the freezer.  When we want a steak after work, out of the freezer into a 129 F bath for two hours, open the bag and throw the steak on a screaming hot grill or cast iron pan for about a minute on each side, dinner's ready.  Works equally well with everything else, especially fish.

 

[nptwnsmkr]

 
I often reheat pork and also Salmon this way too. In the early days I did have some bag failures in the boiling water so now I pack my portions in sous vide vac pack bags that are guaranteed up to 120 C (250 F). When bought in bulk these were not much more expensive than the standard chamber bags. The ones I buy have "SOUS VIDE 120 C" embossed into the side seal.

Sous Vide 120 C.jpg

• wade
• May 6, 2015

I'll second Dan-thanks for the tip!

 

[knifebld]

Good post Paul, never had to reheat frozen pulled pork...but when I do gonna use your tip for sure. Thanks!

 

[mr t 59874]

Like others, the boiling water method has been used for years.   Placing a rack on the bottom of the pot will help from having bag failures.  I have since gone to the steam method, by using the mini steam oven or pot with a steam rack in it.  It works just as well as the hot water method and is much faster while using less energy.  Also, no problems using zip bags when using steam, allowing you to reheat anything.

Tom

 

[joe black]

All of this sounds good. Never had to think about this before. We would never have left overs. I now have a much larger smoker and I want to take advantage of the larger capacity and cook more at a time, so left overs will definitely be the name of the game.

 

[bmaddox]

 
That's how we used to do it and it comes out great, especially for pork.  For beef, chicken and fish you can overcook quickly.  We've added an Anova Precision Cooker (Sous Vide) to our kitchen, it is the best reheating tool we've ever found.  We often cook many steaks, chicken pieces, fish fillets, whatever and vacuum seal them for later, quick dinners and such when we get home late or are just plain lazy.  We can come home, pop the food in the water bath at a specific temp and it will heat and hold at that temp until we are ready to eat.  For steaks, we usually buy several on sale, season, vac-seal, sous vide at 129 F, then ice bath and into the freezer.  When we want a steak after work, out of the freezer into a 129 F bath for two hours, open the bag and throw the steak on a screaming hot grill or cast iron pan for about a minute on each side, dinner's ready.  Works equally well with everything else, especially fish.

I love reheating more delicate items in my sous-vide. It definitely takes longer than the boil method but it is so easy. I reheated a chunk of brisket that way on Sunday. Just set the temp, throw it in, and when your ready to eat it is ready.

 

[lovelife]

Love all this sous vide reheating information!

Could anyone give me some time indication for the following products assuming that they are all vacuum packed and frozen:

1) bag of 4 boneless and skinless chicken thighs

2) 1/2 rack of baby backs

3) bag of 4.5 oz of pulled pork


Thanks all!

 

[joe black]

I put the bag in a pot of water and start it heating. When the water is at a rolling boil, I let it go for 10 minutes. Take it out, cut it open and enjoy. This works good for me every time.

 

[jimmyh]

 
Like others, the boiling water method has been used for years.   Placing a rack on the bottom of the pot will help from having bag failures.  I have since gone to the steam method, by using the mini steam oven or pot with a steam rack in it.  It works just as well as the hot water method and is much faster while using less energy.  Also, no problems using zip bags when using steam, allowing you to reheat anything.

Tom

So if I had a large amount that needed to be reheated and put an inch of water in the bottom of my turkey fryer and just put the bags of pork in the frying basket I have would you say that would be an appropriate way to reheat via steam? I could boil the water vigorously and fill the rest of the pot with steam.