Help Pork Butt question

[Rudyfo]

My daughter graduates next weekend. She has requested pulled pork for the main item. We are expecting about 150 people. Thought we would do 6, maybe 7 butts (I'd rather have too much than not enough). I can not handle this many in my little smoker so I asked a friend of mine who has a larger smoker to do them all for me. The party is on Saturday from 1-4. He is going to start smoking them early Friday morning with them hopefully being done early Friday night. My question is what do I do with all this meat when its done? Do I pull them and place in refrigerator? Do I not pull them, reheat them Saturday morning and then pull them just before the party? I don't want them to dry out so do I add some apple juice with it?? Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you!!

[zueth]

Pull them, put in fridge, then reheat in crock pot with finishing sauce.


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[Habanero Smoker]

I agree to pulling them as soon as they can be handled, and refrigerate. The butts are easier to pull when they are warm.

Here is what I do when I have to reheat a large amount of pulled pork. After shredding I will mix in my vaunted vinegar sauce; about 1 - 2 cups per butt - depending on taste. If you don't want to preseason the pork skip this step. Next I will put the pulled pork in disposable restaurant/hotel half pans, the size that fit in those wired frame chafing pan racks. One half restaurant pan will hold about the amount you get from one 7 pound butt. Do not pack the meat. For storing overnight, I fist cover the pork with plastic wrap then with aluminum foil. If I don't cover it with plastic first, there are acids; probably accumulated during the smoking; will begin to eat through the foil.

Crock pots will reheat the pork fastest, but if you don't have enough crock pots you may have to reheat in the oven. About 1 hour prior to reheating I set the pans out. Remove the plastic wrap, then loosely cover again with the foil. Preheat the oven to 350°F. While the oven is preheating loosen the pork that is in the pans. At this time you will want to add some moister, apple juice is a good choice, but I like to use a low sodium chicken broth. The fastest way to loosen the meat is to dump one pan into an empty pan, and use your hands to loosen and mix up the meat. The other way is to use a utensil and loosen the meat while it is in the same pan. Just be careful not to poke any holes in the pan. Tightly cover the pans with the foil. My oven will hold 4 half pans, but the more you place in the oven at one time, the longer the overall reheating time will take.

The USDA states to reheat to 165°F, but I only bring mine up to 140°, and will hold it there while it is being served. If you reheat to too high of a temperature the meat will begin to toughen up. It should take about an hour, but I check at 30 minute intervals, and stir the meat at this time. The Bradley makes a great warm food holder. I set that to around 200°F, and when the pulled pork has fully reheated in the oven, I transfer it to the Bradley to keep it warm. I know a half pan will fit on the rack, and I've held at least two racks in the Bradley; if the pans are not too over filled, you may be able to use three racks.

Other stuff - Other than lightly seasoning the pulled pork, I don't add a sauce to the meat. I will provide a variety of sauces on the side. I have a strange family, and they like their pulled pork as a entre on the plate and not a sandwich. I do provide dinner rolls or Hawaiian King rolls instead of the standard hamburger size buns. I find this helps control the portions.