Smoking pork butt the day before

[DukeSilver22]

Hey everyone,
I am having family over this weekend for labor day and I have intentions to make ribs and pulled pork. I want to smoke the pork butt on Friday but I am not sure if it is a good idea. I want to do this because to racks of ribs on my smoker will take up the right and middle grates so obviously I don't want the pork but on there right next to the firebox. Has anyone done this before? I know it probably won't be as good as it would be the day of smoking it but I have never done this before and was wondering if anybody has any pointers for doing this? Thanks/

 

[02ebz06]

I don't see it as a problem.
You can heat it up Saturday in a Crock Pot , Steamer, or even oven.
Just make sure you have some liquid with it so you don't dry it out and mix occasionally.

 

[zwiller]

Some people (including myself) believe the product is actually better when cooked in advance and served later. A LOT less hassle too. Perfect plan if you ask me.

 

[fxsales1959]

Hey everyone,
I am having family over this weekend for labor day and I have intentions to make ribs and pulled pork. I want to smoke the pork butt on Friday but I am not sure if it is a good idea. I want to do this because to racks of ribs on my smoker will take up the right and middle grates so obviously I don't want the pork but on there right next to the firebox. Has anyone done this before? I know it probably won't be as good as it would be the day of smoking it but I have never done this before and was wondering if anybody has any pointers for doing this? Thanks/

As Bruce said. should not be a problem. Butts have plenty of intra-muscular fat to keep it moist.
When you take it off to rest and cool before pulling/shredding, if you use a cooler you might want to save a small container of "resting juices." for gatherings like these I would do the shred and put the meat into a large tupperware or similar. Reheat in crock pot or large stock pot on low heat. Maybe pour the juices over it. I only do a couple butts a year and we shred and put in 1lb suck bags (vacuum sealer). last a long time with no ill effects in freezer.

 

[JLeonard]

I have cooked the day before and then served in a crockpot. Search Chef Jimmys finishing sauce to add in when reheating. Or you can take the juices that collect in your foil if you wrap and defat them then add it back in when it goes in the crockpot. And as always..Pics or it didnt happen.

Jim

 

[DemonPit]

Save the pan juices (jelly) and add when reheating.

 

[DukeSilver22]

Got a good amount of responses quickly, thank you all for the tips. Definitely going to do what everyone here recommended. The last time I did it and let it rest I put it in my crockpot with the lid on. I probably will do that again this way the juices are already in the crockpot, shred it after letting it rest and then add it back to the crockpot. From that point I'll put it in the fridge when it cools down enough, take it out Saturday and put it on low as you mentioned. Thanks again.

Just wanted to ask this, should I save the juices separately and only add when I begin to reheat them or mix them as I mentioned above?

 

[DemonPit]

I would add when reheating. If you add before, then store in the fridge, it may mKe the pork mushy.

 

[DukeSilver22]

I would add when reheating. If you add before, then store in the fridge, it may mKe the pork mushy.

I was thinking it wasn't a good idea that's why I had to ask. Thanks.

I'll upload some pics either Friday evening or Saturday when I am done smoking it

 

[JLeonard]

Agree with DemonPit . If you rest it in the crockpot, after resting and before shredding, take it out of the crockpot and pour those juices into a plastic bowl. Butt shredded in the crock. those juices you poured into the bowl place in the freezer for about an hour. The fat will separate out to the top. scrape those off and discard. leaving that liquid gold. What you have left, keep in the fridge until your ready to reheat. Just put that on top and let it melt down into the meat. Will help keep it moist without being greasy. Got this from Bearcarver (RIP).

Jim

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

I think that if you can do a pork butt the day or two before it's perfect. What has worked really well for me is to smoke it, let it cool to a reasonable temp, then shred and taste it as pitmaster privileges'. Once it cools from there to about room temp I put it in a vac seal bag and pop it in the fridge. On the day of the event I put it in my Instant Pot on the sous vide setting about about 145. After an hour or two it is perfect serving temp and you can just plop it into a serving dish of your choosing from there when you are ready to eat. Tastes the same as the first day.

G

 

[BigW.]

I would just put in a cheap alum pan covered in foil to collect juices, no crock pot. Crock pot will take along time to cool down in the fridge and then if stored in the fridge a long time to warm up. After pulled, you'll want to cool the meat quickly. Several large zip locks spread out in different parts of the fridge or 2 fridges is better.

 

[zwiller]

Once it's cooked, there a point of diminishing returns. To me the biggest impacts on your final product are towards the beginning not end. Injecting/rubbing/wood choice. Firmly in the injection camp. Not really a write up but here's my latest method.
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/butt-halved-success.298552/

 

[DukeSilver22]

Agree with DemonPit . If you rest it in the crockpot, after resting and before shredding, take it out of the crockpot and pour those juices into a plastic bowl. Butt shredded in the crock. those juices you poured into the bowl place in the freezer for about an hour. The fat will separate out to the top. scrape those off and discard. leaving that liquid gold. What you have left, keep in the fridge until your ready to reheat. Just put that on top and let it melt down into the meat. Will help keep it moist without being greasy. Got this from Bearcarver (RIP).

Jim

Thanks for the tip, I'll do just that with the juices.

 

[DukeSilver22]

I think that if you can do a pork butt the day or two before it's perfect. What has worked really well for me is to smoke it, let it cool to a reasonable temp, then shred and taste it as pitmaster privileges'. Once it cools from there to about room temp I put it in a vac seal bag and pop it in the fridge. On the day of the event I put it in my Instant Pot on the sous vide setting about about 145. After an hour or two it is perfect serving temp and you can just plop it into a serving dish of your choosing from there when you are ready to eat. Tastes the same as the first day.

G

Unfortunately I do not have a sous vide or a vac seal. Would it be the same for the crock pot when I put it in there, about 2 hours on low? I just don't want to dry it out keeping it on too long this way I can at least switch it over to keep warm instead of low. Also I like how you put in there "taste it as pitmaster privileges'" You always have

I would just put in a cheap alum pan covered in foil to collect juices, no crock pot. Crock pot will take along time to cool down in the fridge and then if stored in the fridge a long time to warm up. After pulled, you'll want to cool the meat quickly. Several large zip locks spread out in different parts of the fridge or 2 fridges is better.

I would just put in a cheap alum pan covered in foil to collect juices, no crock pot. Crock pot will take along time to cool down in the fridge and then if stored in the fridge a long time to warm up. After pulled, you'll want to cool the meat quickly. Several large zip locks spread out in different parts of the fridge or 2 fridges is better.

Good point. I actually have to go out and get some aluminum pans anyway so I'll do just that. Thanks.

 

[DukeSilver22]

Once it's cooked, there a point of diminishing returns. To me the biggest impacts on your final product are towards the beginning not end. Injecting/rubbing/wood choice. Firmly in the injection camp. Not really a write up but here's my latest method.
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/butt-halved-success.298552/

Damn! That pork looks amazing when it's shredded. I used to have an injector but my kids being kids got a hold of it and broke it on me, the sharp part wasn't attached they just saw something like a syringe and wanted to mess around with it might have to go out and pick one up but the problem is I don't think I can find that anywhere around here I'm located in Northeast Philly and if I'm not mistaking according to what you wrote in that post you use something called mixons which looks like it's a bag that says Myron mixon's apple pork injection. I'm wondering if I can just find some type of homemade recipe similar to this. I definitely wouldn't mind injecting it. But I do like the way of rub comes out and gives you that nice bark and I was thinking about using the heygrillhey sweet pork rub.

 

[HalfSmoked]

Lot of good suggestions here me vacuum seal and heat in hot water (boiling Bag) is my way and vac sealers are not that expensive.

Warren

 

[jcam222]

Some people (including myself) believe the product is actually better when cooked in advance and served later. A LOT less hassle too. Perfect plan if you ask me.

I'm on board with that. I always cook the day before, pull , frig overnight and mix in my liquid gold warming it in roaster pans. Never had a complaint but plenty of second helpings and compliments.

 

[zwiller]

Damn! That pork looks amazing when it's shredded. I used to have an injector but my kids being kids got a hold of it and broke it on me, the sharp part wasn't attached they just saw something like a syringe and wanted to mess around with it might have to go out and pick one up but the problem is I don't think I can find that anywhere around here I'm located in Northeast Philly and if I'm not mistaking according to what you wrote in that post you use something called mixons which looks like it's a bag that says Myron mixon's apple pork injection. I'm wondering if I can just find some type of homemade recipe similar to this. I definitely wouldn't mind injecting it. But I do like the way of rub comes out and gives you that nice bark and I was thinking about using the heygrillhey sweet pork rub.

Thanks. I never shred/pull pork and just use a knife and make hunks. Grab some TonyC Injection from the store with the needle. Works a long time if you take care of it Broadcast needle (holes along length) with cajun injector works better and lasts much longer. I made up the injection based on his recipe from his book and lucky for you it's made it way onto the web... Nothing wrong with a rub but people mistakenly think it will make a big impact on the overall product, nope. Mostly a coloring agent and adds a little flavor to the bark. I didn't use rub on that run because I use it for different stuff like tacos so I wanted a blank canvas. It was mentioned already but seriously check out Chef JJ "finishing sauce". I put in quotes as I do not use it like that but rather as a vinegar based sauce option. Good luck!

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/jjs-finishing-sauce-awesome.122319/
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/hog-injection-365433

 

[DougE]

I cook pork butts ahead about every cook I do. They reheat really well and nobody has a clue it didn't just come off the smoker (aside from me).