Reheat a pork butt in order to be able to pull it?

[BillinTexas]

I hadn't done a pork butt for pulled pork in a while, and had forgotten how long it can take to get past the stall. Long story short, it finally reached 204 degrees well past dinner time, and I was tired, so rather than pull it while still warm, I just let it cool a bit then stuck it in the fridge. So now I have several pounds of cold, stiff pork that cannot be pulled in this condition. I was thinking maybe I could reheat it, wrapped in foil with some liquid to "soften it back up" for pulling. Has anyone tried this? What temp did you shoot for?

 

[Slimpicker]

Foil it good, lock all juices in, and maybe heat it at 200° since you don't want it to climb higher... that would take a while for sure. But it would imitate the REST period wrapped and in a cooler for 3 hours... so I'd leave it alone for at least 2 hours. Wrapped tight and you probably cannot over cook it at that temp.
Do you own a Sous Vide??? that would work great too.

 

[traeger860]

Do you own a Sous Vide??? that would work great too.

This would be the best and easiest way to reheat it without having to worry about it drying out. 165 for 60-90 mins.

 

[good eats]

I totally agree, put the butt in a zip lock bag put it in hot water (160 degrees should be good if you have a way to regulate the temp). Sous Vide would be perfect.

 

[Slimpicker]

I totally agree, put the butt in a zip lock bag put it in hot water (160 degrees should be good if you have a way to regulate the temp). Sous Vide would be perfect.

Yeah you could do that too... I have a ninga induction cooker, you can set that at any temp you want and use the correct pot for it.

 

[BillinTexas]

No sous vide here, darn it. I may just wrap tightly in foil with a quarter cup of apple juice and let her soak in the oven for an hour or two at 180-200.

 

[Clint62]

Could microwave it at defrost level while monitoring

 

[BillinTexas]

I ended up putting it in a Corningware casserole dish with glass lid, added a quarter cup of apple juice and put it in the oven at 195 for two hours. This softened it up some, but not enough, so I slid it into the microwave for two, two-minute bursts and it was ready to pull.

 

[MidwestSmoker]

Like you I learned the hard way about how long it takes to cook a large pork butt. If it is in the range of 5 lbs. it is possible to do it in a day, but most butts I have seen in stores are much larger and an overnight cook is the best way to go.

Also, I now have a sous vide system, but before that I used to seal the meat in a freezer bag when freezing. Then pour hot water (around 190 degrees) into a cooler, add the bags, and then close the lid. Depending on the size of the meat, replace the hot water every hour. A little tedious but the results are much better than an oven/microwave combo.

 

[traeger860]

I know you already got your pulled pork taken care of, but just posting in case anyone else sees this and is looking for more ideas. A Crock Pot would probably work too if you have one that's big enough. That way you can add some liquid if needed, keep it covered, and use a low temp. Without making a huge mess or putting it in the microwave.

A Sous Vide cooker is something I'd highly recommend to anyone that has a smoker. You can slice your brisket, pull your pork/chicken, whatever and then bag it up if the timing isn't right. Put it in the fridge or freezer and then heat it when you're ready to eat it. I did a brisket a few weeks ago and froze the leftovers in several bags. Easy to grab when you need something quick. Had brisket Mac & Cheese with one bag. A BBQ brisket pizza with another. Tastes just as good as it did the day I made it. No freezer burn, not dried out. 160-165 for 60 mins if it's in the fridge. 160-165 for 90 mins if it's in the freezer.

You'll also be able to make some of the best steaks or chicken breasts you've ever eaten.

 

[RayClem]

The 204F cook is hot enough to render the fat and turn the connective tissue into gelatin. However, if allowed to cool, the rendered fat solidifies and the gelatin gels. That makes pulling impossible. You could use a cleaver to mince the pork, but if you want to pull it, you have to remelt the fat and gelatin.

I second the suggestions for getting a Sous Vide circulator. I am cooking for my wife and I; we always get enough for multiple meals. Thus, the leftover go either into the refrigerator or freezer. I try to put leftovers into pint sized bags containing enough for 1 meal. Then the bag can go straight from the refrigerator or freezer into the Sous Vide bath. If it is frozen, add 1 1/2 hours to the Sous Vide timer to allow for defrosting.

 

[Clint62]

On Amazon they have sous vide containers with lids to hold the heat in with a cutout for the circulator. Anyone ever try one?

https://www.amazon.com/EVERIE-Collapsible-Container-Compatible-Rubbermaid/dp/B071L6PRY8/ref=asc_df_B071L6PRY8/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198079985682&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1545516361189277450&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9018760&hvtargid=pla-542016443272&psc=1

 

[traeger860]

On Amazon they have sous vide containers with lids to hold the heat in with a cutout for the circulator. Anyone ever try one?

https://www.amazon.com/EVERIE-Collapsible-Container-Compatible-Rubbermaid/dp/B071L6PRY8/ref=asc_df_B071L6PRY8/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198079985682&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1545516361189277450&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9018760&hvtargid=pla-542016443272&psc=1

Yes, I have that exact one. Use it all the time. I also have a few Coleman Party Stacker coolers. I cut a hole in one of the covers that I can fit the Sous Vide cooker in. Works good for larger items such as ribs. Bought them on Amazon but can't seem to find them on there anymore. They look like this:

 

[MidwestSmoker]

I also have a few Coleman Party Stacker coolers. Bought them on Amazon but can't seem to find them on there anymore.

You are right, it looks like they have been discontinued. That's a bummer, as I have one that I use all the time and was planning to get another one this summer. It is the perfect size for storing smoked meats.