No Time to Rest

[Cliff H.]

Doing 6 butts next week. Very limited on time. I have to smoke, cool, pull, vacpak and put on ice for transporting, all in seventeen hours.

There is only a small window of time for resting the butts.

I am considering resting them double wrapped in foil at room temp until the temp drops to 156-160 then pulling and spreading thin in several small pans. Then covering the pans with saran wrap and stacking them in my freezer for a quick trip to below 40 deg.

At that point I plan to vacpak and put on ice.


What say you ?

[Pigs On The Wing BBQ]

Sounds like a plan to me. Good luck, only thing I would do is put them to rest in a cooler. (Red Neck Cambro) (thanks Witt, I love that one!) But it looks like that won't work for you with your time table.

[CarolinaQue]

What's your serve time in relation to your end time? I've held butts in a cooler lined with towels and paper bags for up to 6 hours without a problem. Meat was still about 165* when I pulled them out. This way you get a better product at serving time.

Also, be carefull cooling pulled meat to soon after you pull it. The cold air on that much exposed meat fibers when it's still hot could turn it into shoe leather.

Tim

[Cliff H.]

It won't be servd until 12 hours later.

[wittdog]

We putt the butts in the Red Neck Cambro..at 10 last night...at 6 this morning the butts were at 165* and hot enough to burn Lynns fingers..We were using one the heavily insulated coolers...the extreme model.

[Larry Wolfe]

Cliff,
Like Dave and Tim said, try to hold it if you can. 6 butts in a preheated cooler will stay hot and more importantly safe for a very very long time, that's alot of heat mass. For added security, wrap the foil wrapped butts in a blanket and then pack into the cooler.

[wittdog]

Like Larry said but rather than a blanket..we like to use an old towel...but one in the bottom of the cooler..then all the butts..double wraped in foil..a few pieces of crumpled up Newspaper and then a towel on the top

[Cliff H.]

12 HOURS ?

[Cliff H.]

Ok Here is a new flash.

I will have acess to an oven once I get where I am going.

[wittdog]

Cliff do you have a turkey Deep Fry Rig? and a food saver?

[wittdog]

If you have access to a turkey fry rig and a big pot…and a food saver….cook the butts a few days ahead of time. Vac Pac them into 5lb bags and just do the simmering water thing where you are going.

[Cliff H.]

I am liking the idea of holding in a cooler. The obvious question is :

Just how many hours can butts hold above 160 and not turn to mush ?

[wittdog]

Originally Posted by Cliff H.

I am liking the idea of holding in a cooler. The obvious question is :

Just how many hours can butts hold above 160 and not turn to mush ?

Cliff...you will be losing heat as it goes....just holding not cooking still...Let us know when you find out..we expect a complete report

[jminion]

Cliff
If you choose to go with orginal plan use 2" deep pans and do NOT cover with plastic wrap until cooled. Covering will lenghten the time it takes to cool and fast is better. Once cooled then cover the pans.

Jim