how do you like to reheat pork shoulders?

[mike.stavlund]

I'm doing a few shoulders for an event on Saturday, and planning to cook them a day or two ahead of time and then reheat them on site (since I'll be participating in the event).  I was thinking I'd reheat the shoulders in the microwave, which is generally my preferred method since it heats from the inside out and does so pretty evenly.  But I just learned today that there are only two tiny microwaves available, so I wanted to ask the brain trust:  what would you do?  Run a bunch of small batches through the microwave, or put them in the oven?  And how would you heat them in the oven (temp/time)?  Would you leave the shoulders whole, or pull them first, or what? 

Thanks!

[Troy]

I like to pull, season,  and vacuu in 2 lb increments.  Reheat by placing bagged pork in hot water.

[brettbrown]

I've had success with a crock pot on low with a little Apple juice to bring back some moisture.

[mrbill]

I'd recommend a combo of the two previous responses-pull, vacuum seal in smaller batches(with a smidge of apple juice).

as for how to reheat, that'd depend on all the options you have available. you mention 2 mics only but ask about using an oven. if that is all that is provided/available, are there outlets you can use to plug in your own devices? if not, can you bring your own device?

best options-
if allowed-take a propane turkey fryer/shrimp boiler or two. use them to heat water until almost boiling, then put the vacuum sealed packets in the water to re-heat.

if you must use outlets- use a couple hotplates and stock pots to do an electric version of the above.

options if you have to make do with 2mics and an oven-
1-use multiple pots in the oven and bowls in the mics to heat up the water and packets(another variation of the above preferences)
2-instead of vacuum sealing in small batches, put it all in a large pan and add apple juice(if you used a sauce, you can sub a 50/50 juice/sauce fluid), cover tightly and reheat in oven


if none of the above work for you, this is pretty much all you can do-at least a day before the gig, call in a large chopped/pulled pork order to your local bbq joint. go buy some disposable chafing setups, make sure you have the fuel too. day of the event, pick up your order as close to feeding time as you can while still allowing yourself time to get to the shindig and set everything up in the disposable chafing dishes before the natives get too restless.

[austin87]

If you have a Vac packer Troy's method works great. You can also use gallon Ziploc FREEZER bags (storage bags aren't sturdy enough) and squeeze all the air out prior to cooling. A crock pot is also a good idea. One more is to put in foil pan covered in the oven - heat until warm, remove the top and turn on the broiler to bring a little texture out, then re-toss with sauce.

[austin87]

What's the longest anyone has tried holding a pork shoulder in foil/towels/pre-heated cooler? I would have to think that if you wrapped them hot, ran the cooler through a hot shower, and packed with a bunch of towels that you could hold them for at least 5 hours, if not longer, without significantly losing heat. Not sure what that would do to the finished product, but a thought.

[Troy]

I've held butts for 9 hours.  Still too hot to handle.  I believe there were 10 in the cooler.

[OoPEZoO]

As far as holding a shoulder in a cooler.......its not about time, its about temps.  You shouldn't let the meat drop below 140 degrees internal temp.  That gets you into the danger zone for bacteria growth.  The trick for a long hold is to preheat the cooler (bowl of hot water), double wrap the butt in heavy duty foil, wrap it well with a large beach towel, and don't use a cooler larger than you need.  If the cooler has extra space, fill it with more towels/blankets. 

As an example, I smoked two butts last Friday into Saturday for my daughter's birthday party.  We were expecting people around 3:00pm.  I planned for the butts to be done at 12:00pm.  The smoker ran a little hot overnight and they ended up being done at 8:00am (203 and 205 internal temps).  WAAAAY earlier than I planned for.  I wrapped them like above and held them from 8:00am till 1:00pm.  The internal temps had dropped to the upper 140's.  At that point, I removed them from the cooler/towels (let them wrapped in the foil), and moved them into disposable pans.  I sealed the pans around the butts with HD foil and put them in the oven on its lowest setting (170 degrees).  I left them in there until about 3:30pm.  At that point, I removed them from the oven and shredded them.  the internal temps stayed out of the danger zone and the pork was still nice and moist without adding anything.  I prefer to serve BBQ sauce on the side.

For reheating large batches quickly, I've always had good luck with the microwave with the pork in a glass bowl w/lid.  I've reheated freezer bags full of pork in boiling water as well.  I believe it gives the best results, but is much more time consuming.  I guess it all depends on what your situation is when you want to reheated.

[addicted-to-smoke]

What's the longest anyone has tried holding a pork shoulder in foil/towels/pre-heated cooler? I would have to think that if you wrapped them hot, ran the cooler through a hot shower, and packed with a bunch of towels that you could hold them for at least 5 hours, if not longer, without significantly losing heat. Not sure what that would do to the finished product, but a thought.

That's what I was thinking too. Get them hot however you want at home, on your own time and then transport them hot that way.

(and without having to haul or depend upon extra gear to the event)

[OoPEZoO]

I've held butts for 9 hours.  Still too hot to handle.  I believe there were 10 in the cooler.

Gotta watch that....."too hot to handle" can be anything over about 115 degrees.  Well into the danger area for bacteria growth.  You were most likely ok considering there were 10 in the cooler if they were packed tight, but going by an assumption is what gets people sick.  Leave a cooking probe in one when its wrapped so you know whats going on internally.

[demosthenes9]

I've held butts for 9 hours.  Still too hot to handle.  I believe there were 10 in the cooler.

Gotta watch that....."too hot to handle" can be anything over about 115 degrees.  Well into the danger area for bacteria growth.  You were most likely ok considering there were 10 in the cooler if they were packed tight, but going by an assumption is what gets people sick.  Leave a cooking probe in one when its wrapped so you know whats going on internally.

FWIW, surface temp is what you are concerned about at this point, not internal temp.

[Troy]

I've held butts for 9 hours.  Still too hot to handle.  I believe there were 10 in the cooler.

Gotta watch that....."too hot to handle" can be anything over about 115 degrees.  Well into the danger area for bacteria growth.  You were most likely ok considering there were 10 in the cooler if they were packed tight, but going by an assumption is what gets people sick.  Leave a cooking probe in one when its wrapped so you know whats going on internally.

i've been known to pull pizzas out of the oven without using a mit.
the pork was WAY hotter than 115.
I appreciate the concern though, I too am a nazi when it comes to food safety (it drives my wife nuts)
one exception to my food safety rules: pizza. We'll get pizza and the leftovers will stay on the counter all night waiting for me to eat them for breakfast

[1buckie]

Cook to bone wiggle completion, leave bone in place if possible, crack into softball sized chunks as closely as possible [1/4's?] (this leaves some of the original moisture intact ), bag in FREEZER bags & chill in ice bath, re-heat either in oven panned & covered or in the boiling water method described above, adding some liquid as it falls apart (mojo cirrillo, apple juice / cider vinegar combo, finishing sauce of choice)

I always try to finish & hot hold in dbl. foil toweled & coolered,. if possible......may not work for your time schedule, but that's what comes out the best......

[mike.stavlund]

These are some great suggestions!  Thanks. 

I've had great success holding butts in a warm cooler for many hours, but I'm presenting at this conference and I don't want to have that overnight-cook sleep-jagged thing that day. 

I'm checking with the venue to see if there are large pots that I can put on a stovetop.  One question:  If I use freezer bags, won't the little bit of air inside expand and open the seals? 

[1buckie]

Squeeze out as much air as possible when loading up & keep a bit of an eye out when re-heating.....should do just fine.....I don't fill up the water pot way full when doing it that way & set the bags upright stacked a little.....