• working on DNS.. links may break temporarily.

Serve at noon, and again at 6pm

sroxberg

Is lookin for wood to cook with.
Joined
Apr 18, 2010
Messages
35
Reaction score
4
Points
0
Location
Overland Park, KS
This Saturday I need to have two pork shoulders, and two briskets done and ready to serve at noon, and then three pork shoulders and two briskets at 6pm later that day.

I have enough smoker capacity to cook it all at once, but how do I hold the extra.

I don't have the option of starting some later because I'll be at the first party for three hours and then will need to get setup and ready for the second party.

So, what's a good way to hold Brisket and Pork Shoulder for six to eight hours?
 
For Easter I pulled my brisket and double-wrapped in foil, and threw in a cooler along with a couple of microwavable warmer bags (these are cotton bags full of rice or buckwheat that you pop in the microwave and then use to apply heat to an injury). I packed the dead space in the cooler with pillows. When I opened the foil 6 hours later, the brisket was still steaming hot.

I've also used 2-liter bottles full of hot water to help hold the heat inside the cooler. Both ways worked fine.
 
I've got several sizes of coolers, and when I need to hold meat for an extended time, I just pick the smallest cooler that will hold all the meat, wrap meat in foil, pack tightly in cooler and DO NOT OPEN THE COOLER. I've held meat for 6+ hrs this way. When it goes in, it's almost too hot to handle with bare hands (sometimes it is), when it comes out it's just barely too hot to pull/slice with bare hands, so by the time it hits the plate it's perfect.
 
I was worried about having it sit in foil for close to eight hours but it sounds like it's not a problem.

I will have an oven available as well, I could heat it to 160 and hold it that way, or would that continue to cook it?
 
Just do the cooler method, but MAKE SURE THE LID STAYS CLOSED.

When doing this, I wrap with foil, and set it back in the cooker for about 10 mintues to get it piping hot again, then take it all and put it straight in the cooler like that. I know i have put it in the cooler at its hottest that way.
 
Buy some cheap bath or 1/2 bath towels and double foil, wrap individually in a towel, place in cooler, close and relax. This is what many folks do at competitions to hold (and perfect) their butts and briskets. If you keep it closed, it will be fine for 6+ hours.
 
Same as all the above. One thing to add...it will help to find a cooler just large enough for the 3 butts & 2 briskets. A bunch of extra air space will hurt you (that's why you get all the "stuff the cooler with towels" directives...taking up air space).

The smallest cooler that will hold the meat will help you alot. Stuff any extra space with towels. Keep your cooler indoors at least a day in advance to keep your insulation from getting cold (I'm not sure of the current temps in KS).

You'll have no problems keeping the meat above 135 degrees if you:

1) Put the meat in the cooler hot, straight off the pit (wrapped of course)

2) Use as small of a cooler as possible and fill any empty air space with folded towels

3) Keep the lid closed until you absolutely need to start prepping the meat

Best of luck.
 
Thanks to everyone for the advice.

First time trying to serve two parties in one day, but I like the work.
 
Back
Top