BRADLEY SMOKER | "Taste the Great Outdoors"

Smoking Techniques => Hot Smoking and Barbecuing => Topic started by: big kahuna on March 16, 2010, 10:01:50 AM

Title: doing butts and brisket ahead of time
Post by: big kahuna on March 16, 2010, 10:01:50 AM
Has anyone done butts and or briskets a couple of days early, then warmed them up in one of those big white roaster things you see at church dinners? How does it work, and how do you do it?
Title: Re: doing butts and brisket ahead of time
Post by: FLBentRider on March 16, 2010, 10:07:06 AM
Quote from: big kahuna on March 16, 2010, 10:01:50 AM
Has anyone done butts and or briskets a couple of days early, then warmed them up in one of those big white roaster things you see at church dinners? How does it work, and how do you do it?

I have done butts this way.

I smoked, FTC'd and pulled the butts - I did not shred.

Into crock pot(s) with a splash of vaunted vinegar.
Title: Re: doing butts and brisket ahead of time
Post by: squirtthecat on March 16, 2010, 10:44:44 AM

I've done it as well.  Like FLB said, make sure you add liquids of some sorts when you are reheating.

I've got 40 pounds of brisket at 12 pounds of turkey to reheat for a function this weekend... I'm going to thaw and initially reheat them in the vacuum bags they stashed away in. (in roasters full of hot water)  When it comes time to serve, I'll open them as I need and dump into the serving roaster(s) w/ juice.  I kept the pan drippings from the brisket smoke..


Title: Re: doing butts and brisket ahead of time
Post by: big kahuna on March 16, 2010, 10:55:21 AM
That's a good idea. I have a vacume sealer, and it says you can boil in the bags. I will be serving 125 people though. I wonder if I could boil the bags and fill one roaster with brisket and one with pork.
Would canned beef broth, used sparingly work.
I thought I would try to serve 3 or 4 sauces on the side. Some of the guests will be quite old, and some young.
And for the brisket sliced, shredded, or choppped?
Title: Re: doing butts and brisket ahead of time
Post by: squirtthecat on March 16, 2010, 11:01:58 AM

I'm sure canned broth would work fine.

That sounds like a plan.    I'm going to have 3 or 4 sauces out as well...    Regular, 'Sweet', and maybe a Carolina Mustard style.

The brisket I have is already sliced (I did that before I vacuum sealed them), but I'll probably run the knife down the middle of them, as the larger slices won't fit on a little dinner roll.   As people fish them out w/ the tongs, they'll probably fall apart anyway.

Title: Re: doing butts and brisket ahead of time
Post by: big kahuna on March 16, 2010, 11:11:17 AM
Dinner rolls? Are those the smaller ones? I could give them sandwhiches and fill them up with bread too? Would that make the meat go farther and let them try brisket and pork and different sauces?
Title: Re: doing butts and brisket ahead of time
Post by: squirtthecat on March 16, 2010, 11:22:01 AM

Yes, they are maybe 3.5" square..   I figured everyone would try 2 sandwiches that way.
Title: Re: doing butts and brisket ahead of time
Post by: big kahuna on March 16, 2010, 11:50:27 AM
Very good idea
Title: Re: doing butts and brisket ahead of time
Post by: KyNola on March 16, 2010, 01:04:21 PM
Hey BK,
Just a word of caution.  I would be careful boiling in those vac seal bags.  You may cause the seal to open and fill your bag full of boiling water.  What I have done before is to bring the water to just under a boil and lay the bag in the water with the seal out of the water if possible and let the meat come up to temp.  Has worked well for me and it seems I have read on here before where someone had some seals to open up in boiling water.

Just a thought for your consideration.

KyNola
Title: Re: doing butts and brisket ahead of time
Post by: FLBentRider on March 16, 2010, 01:20:15 PM
Quote from: KyNola on March 16, 2010, 01:04:21 PM
Just a word of caution.  I would be careful boiling in those vac seal bags.  You may cause the seal to open and fill your bag full of boiling water.  What I have done before is to bring the water to just under a boil and lay the bag in the water with the seal out of the water if possible and let the meat come up to temp.  Has worked well for me and it seems I have read on here before where someone had some seals to open up in boiling water.

Been there, had that happen!
Title: Re: doing butts and brisket ahead of time
Post by: squirtthecat on March 16, 2010, 01:26:43 PM

Yep.  I try to keep the one seal out of the water by pinching it under the lid.   Keep your roaster under 200° and you should be in good shape..

FYI, I doubled sealed one end and triple sealed the other end of these bags - just to be extra safe.
Title: Re: doing butts and brisket ahead of time
Post by: OU812 on March 16, 2010, 01:28:02 PM
I will second what KyNola has stated.

They will loose there seal if you boil them to long. I heat the water till it just starts to let off steam and not a boil then put in the bag, most of the time they are froze when I put them in. I do this with pulled pork, brisket, ribs and chicken, they make a great lunch, nice and moist.
Title: Re: doing butts and brisket ahead of time
Post by: big kahuna on March 17, 2010, 06:09:02 AM
Very good ideas. Thanks
Title: Re: doing butts and brisket ahead of time
Post by: big kahuna on March 17, 2010, 09:48:39 AM
One other idea, just to be safe. How about warming them up in broth just in case?
What do you think 200 degrees for the roasters?
Title: Re: doing butts and brisket ahead of time
Post by: OU812 on March 17, 2010, 09:55:53 AM
If you go for the broth try to use unsalted broth.

200 to start but when things start to heat up I would turn them down to warm.
Title: Re: doing butts and brisket ahead of time
Post by: big kahuna on March 17, 2010, 10:05:40 AM
Thanks! I would kind of like to get the second element in and the pid in first, they said the end of march.
But with all your help I'm hoping all will go smoothly.
Title: Re: doing butts and brisket ahead of time
Post by: big kahuna on March 17, 2010, 10:06:45 AM
One last thing, do you guys serve your sauces warm or cold?
Title: Re: doing butts and brisket ahead of time
Post by: KyNola on March 17, 2010, 10:24:08 AM
You should do fine.

I typically don't heat my sauces but it's certainly fine if you choose to do so.
Title: Re: doing butts and brisket ahead of time
Post by: Bangkok Smoke on March 18, 2010, 06:24:41 AM
Hey BK,
Thanks for asking this question!! I have been wondering about it and was going to post a siilar question  here!

Great Ideas.. my problem is I have no Vacuum Sealer  :'(  I will get one I guess .. Hate the shipping costs !

Until I get a sealer, I guess I have to rely on Broth in the pot and slowly warm up..

I Have double bagged the meat with plastic food bags, not zip lock just open top closed with rubber bands.. and warmed them in hot water (below the boil) ..
Good  Ideas here Thanks to all!!
gb
Title: Re: doing butts and brisket ahead of time
Post by: classicrockgriller on March 18, 2010, 07:20:50 AM
Quote from: KyNola on March 17, 2010, 10:24:08 AM
You should do fine.

I typically don't heat my sauces but it's certainly fine if you choose to do so.

I was in a BBQ joint the other day and they had a small crock pot with warmed water in it and bottles of different sauces.

Although I didn't try the warm version (just didn't know how many times it had been cooled down and reheated), it was an interesting idea.

I have used and like very much Hab's Vaunated Vinegar (I have to add more Black Pepper) for pulled pork and I like it warm, so that might be a way of serving it.
Title: Re: doing butts and brisket ahead of time
Post by: big kahuna on March 18, 2010, 10:38:07 AM
Actually what I was refering to was to heat the boiling bags in broth. That way if a seal gives way, I thought you could fish the meat out and still use it. But this could introduce bacteria, which a high enough temp should kill. Still, hate to send all these people running for the rest rooms.
Title: Re: doing butts and brisket ahead of time
Post by: Bangkok Smoke on March 27, 2010, 05:34:44 AM
Quote from: classicrockgriller on March 18, 2010, 07:20:50 AM
Quote from: KyNola on March 17, 2010, 10:24:08 AM
You should do fine.

I typically don't heat my sauces but it's certainly fine if you choose to do so.

I was in a BBQ joint the other day and they had a small crock pot with warmed water in it and bottles of different sauces.

Although I didn't try the warm version (just didn't know how many times it had been cooled down and reheated), it was an interesting idea.

I have used and like very much Hab's Vaunated Vinegar (I have to add more Black Pepper) for pulled pork and I like it warm, so that might be a way of serving it.

I have been in many BBQ places that serve their sauces warmed that same way.. They also have room temp sauce out as well.. 
For *me* The warmed sauces are a nice touch..