• working on DNS.. links may break temporarily.

Pork Butt-make ahead for super bowl party?

ButtBurner

ButtBurner

Babbling Farker
Joined
Dec 18, 2012
Messages
4,249
Reaction score
2,187
Points
0
Age
64
Location
Dearborn Mi, Manton Mi
We are having a super bowl pot luck luncheon on Fri, Feb 1st at work.

I was thinking about bringing pulled pork, but the only day I can cook it would be this coming Saturday

I have a vac sealer, could I just freeze it until then?

And if so, should I leave it whole and freeze it, then thaw and put it in the oven the night before and pull it?

Or should I pull it then freeze it?

Or some other way?

Or just forget it. I dont have to bring it. I have not committed yet.

I am open to suggestions.

thanks
 
no problem...cook it up, pull...add your spice / sauce...vac pack it, only 1 week so freeze not nesc ....use a crock pot to warm up and you will be the hit of the party..
 
I find it helps if you add a little Apple Juice in the package before you seal it – it helps with the moisture.
 
I routinely vac pac & freeze BBQ for up to a couple months (cause I have a bad habit of cooking more than my crew can eat at one sitting). I would go ahead and pull it before freezing, but I try to leave pieces a little on the larger side. John Bowen hit the mark, add a little apple juice, either to the vac bag or when you warm it up. I warm in a foil or SS 1/2 pan with a 3/8x3/8 grid rack to keep the meat off the bottom and about a 1/2-1 cup of apple juice, sealed tight with foil in a 225 oven. I like BigBellyBbq's idea of the crock pot, going to try that! Only problem I've ever had was with fine chopped carolina style - turned to a nasty mush in the freezer & reheat.
 
thats good, thanks!

If I dont have to freeze it then I wont.

On the crock pot, thats how I was going to present it. Its perfect for a pot luck where people will be coming and going

I like the apple juice idea!
 
I always pull before freezing. Makes reheating easier. Vac seal and freeze or maybe just refrigerate for only a week. When you reheat, add a splash of apple juice for moisture and sprinkle a very light amount of dry rub on your pulled pork. That seems to enhance the flavor even more.
 
Definitely use the apple juice, I didn't know of this trick when I started and often unfroze my pulled pork and had to reheat in bbq sauce to hide how it got a bit dry
 
Pull it, juice it, refrigerate it. It WILL have a smokier flavor when it's reheated in the crock pot. Go light on the smoke. ..

Sent from my GS3 via Tapatalk 2
 
Cook it saturday, let it rest and pull as usual and then vacuum seal it up. I did the exact same thing a few weeks ago for my boy's baptism. I thawed the pork out a day or two a head of time in the fridge and then heated them up in a pot of water on the stove before putting them in the crock pot on the "warm" setting. If you need a little extra moisture, add some apple juice as others have said. I didn't end up having to add anything to mine when I did it and it turned out great!
 
If you add AJ to the bag before you freeze it I would at the very least chill the bags while they're unsealed or even freeze them for awhile. I know my vac sealer doesn't do too well with juice getting sucked out while vac sealing. It's not good for the machine or for getting a good seal.
 
I pull in a pan and let sit overnight in the fridge so all the fat/juices solidify and then vacuum pack the next day. reheat in water bath. apple juice works great for keeping it moist through out the day
 
Like above - no freeze, a bit of apple juice.

Prepare to have everybody at work begging you to bring in more every week.
 
The no freeze is a simple issue. You have fully cooked your meat and are vacuum packing it. It obviously has a longer shelf life than fresh meat. How long is vacuum packed fresh meat held in a refrigerator without issues.
So do not freeze.
John
 
Last edited:
JohnHB said:
The no freeze is a simple issue. You have fully cooked your meat and are vacuum packing it. It obviously has a longer shelf life than fresh meat. How long is vacuum packed fresh meat held in a refrigerator without issues.
So do not freeze.
John
Click to expand...

got it!!!

thanks!!!
 
I also add AJ, but then I add a small bit of apple cider vinegar which adds a very subtle tang that I have gotten lots of compliments on. Good luck!
 
ok!!!

here we are...party is tomorrow.

Pork has been vac sealed since Sunday morn when I pulled it

In the pic, I have left to right

Billy Bones BBQ sauce, Carolina Red Sauce from Smoke and Spice, a KC Masterpiece blend I like, Finishing Sauce and Apple Juice.

All I need is the cheap white buns, someone else is bringing the cole slaw

I think I am ready!!!!
 
Last edited:
I want to thank you guys for all your help and suggestions.

The potluck lunch was today.

The pork was a big hit.

I used a little apple juice and also some finishing sauce made from cider vinegar, sugar, Tony Chachere's and a few other things I cant think of right now.

It was gone almost right away, long before the chicken chili, tortilla soup, fried chicken and pizza others brought

appreciate it
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

I
How long to keep pulled pork
Replies
11
Views
604
cayenne
cayenne
J
Smoked pork-belly "burnt-ends" MAKE AHEAD???
Replies
13
Views
1K
SweetHeatBBQnSC
SweetHeatBBQnSC
D
Any advice for beef “blade “ roast for pulling?
Replies
6
Views
530
Debmar
D
cayenne
Vacuum Sealers: Need Recommendations (Brand, External vs Chamber, Bags)...?
2
Replies
34
Views
2K
cayenne
cayenne
J
Q for work picnic, Chicken, beef & pork????
Replies
5
Views
471
jjdbike
J
Back
Top