Best way to warm up pork shoulder for pot luck ?

Sounds like you are on the right track. Normally I would just microwave it but if you are serving, that sounds good.

I'm assuming you're pulling it and finishing it before you bring it to work yes?

I just use the boil in a bag method, which I'd probably end up doing in a crock pot too. I'd be afraid if it sat in a crock pot with some apple juice the bark might turn to mush by the time it was pulled back out.

I am in a similar situation, I am going to smoke a couple of butts Saturday, and take to church on Sunday for a potluck. I have been bouncing ideas around in my head all week about ways to reheat it. I was leaning toward using a crock-pot with water in it, and placing the chopped pork in a disposable aluminium roasting pan sitting across the crock-pot. Sort of like a cheap homemade chaffing dish.

Large volume stock pot of boiling water, lower pork in sealed bags for 8 mins, never less.

Yes, that's what I would do if the crock pot method was the only one available. I'd simply put it into the crock pot and let it sit until it 'looked' right or felt warmed through upon checking.

The boiling water isn't essential, it just speeds things up obviously. Before I had boil safe bags I'd put a towel in a pot of water, then throw the ziploc bag into the pot once the water was simmering, and it'd take maybe twenty minutes or so to get to the temp I desired. If I threw them into boiling water nine times out of ten the seal would break on me, and fall into the pot. Lost a few family sized portions discovering that. Once I got a Foodsaver and started vac sealing all my portions I started to use the ACTUAL boil in a bag method.
Both gave me good results.
I'd use the High heat setting, and I'd do it first thing upon getting to work assuming that it's going to be a lunch time pot luck. With my crock pot set to high I figure it'd take about 2-3 hours for the water to get to a decent temp. I'd be checking on it at about the hour and a half mark to see its progress, and then I'd check every 20-30 minutes after that. Once it gets hot enough you can just set the crock pot to the warm setting, and it'll hold it nice and proper. Make sure you're using good quality bags if you don't have access to a vac sealer, or double bag the stuff.

Capnspunky said:

Oh. The boil method would be great but it takes an act of god to even plug in a crock pot. It looks like that will have to be the method unfortunately. Does anyone have experience doing it that way ? I know I can't boil int the crock pot but could I do the bag method there but over a longer period ?

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I have warmed up pulled pork in the crock pot.

I just pour a little Carolina vinegar sauce on it (vinegar, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt) and put the crock pot on high for a couple hours. Don't add too much liquid or it will turn to mush.

Olive oil and onion in a pan, high heat until the onion is gold, then add some beer and stock, add the pulled pork, reduce the heat and cover until done. Warm and juicy.

Don't know if it's an option, but I use a turkey fryer set up. Just add water to the pot and drop in your vacuum sealed bags. Honestly, you shouldn't allow the water to boil. If you leave the pork in too long, it'll start to cook it again. Get your water to 170-180 and you can leave the pork in the water as long as needed. I've done this on a large scale and it works wonderfully!

Not sure if mentioned but if I'm going to pull the pork for serving later I keep it in pretty big chunks. If you over pull it right away it will turn mushy like some BBQ restaurants serve it.