A proven freeze/reheat method for boston butts?

The Cosmic Pig · 11-10-2011, 10:18 PM

Anybody got one to share? I did a search and found lots of suggestions, but some were followed with statements like "don't blame me if it doesn't work!"

I'm doing two large butts (I'm told) for an informal wedding reception, and I can't cook them fresh due to my work schedule. Proven methods are much appreciated, my brethren!

Blackened · 11-10-2011, 10:29 PM

I freeze in a Foodsaver bag, then just drop in a pot of boiling water for 5-10 minutes.. works great.

The Cosmic Pig · 11-10-2011, 10:32 PM

Foodsaver bag? Are these like normal freezer bags but made for boiling or what? I have read about vacuum bags being boiled, but I didn't know anything about these!

Blackened · 11-10-2011, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wearcd

Foodsaver bag? Are these like normal freezer bags but made for boiling or what? I have read about vacuum bags being boiled, but I didn't know anything about these!

That's what I meant, a vacuum sealed bag..

seriousbbqs · 11-10-2011, 11:06 PM

Yes, freezing in zip-lock freezer bags works great and thawing in water. But do you need to freeze or just refrigerate the butts?

Here is a blog post I wrote a while back on cooking pulled pork in advance:
http://www.smokymtbarbecue.com/2011/...rk-in-advance/

It has worked well for us.

And yes, we do have experience in cooking Boston butts:
http://www.smokymtbarbecue.com/2011/...2-pig-roaster/

Have fun!

The Cosmic Pig · 11-10-2011, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackened

That's what I meant, a vacuum sealed bag..

Oh, okay. Thanks for the advice! Looks like I may have to purchase one of these!

Blackened · 11-10-2011, 11:37 PM

Here's the one I have.. http://www.foodsaver.com/product.aspx?pid=7190

I've also warmed pulled pork on site just in an aluminum pan, foiled on a Weber grill..

The Cosmic Pig · 11-10-2011, 11:52 PM

[QUOTE=seriousbbqs;1847010]Yes, freezing in zip-lock freezer bags works great and thawing in water. But do you need to freeze or just refrigerate the butts?

Well, I really need to freeze them since the cook to deliver time will be about a week apart. I would eat BBQ after it's been cooked for a week, but I wouldn't feed it to anyone else!

The Cosmic Pig · 11-10-2011, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackened

Here's the one I have.. http://www.foodsaver.com/product.aspx?pid=7190

I've also warmed pulled pork on site just in an aluminum pan, foiled on a Weber grill..

WOW! Yeah, now I remember why I don't have one...that's quite a price tag there!

Nice lookin' machine, though! I may go the foiled pan route on this one! Thanks for the help!

aquablue22 · 11-11-2011, 03:41 PM

Put it in a zip lock freezer bag and throw it in the freezer. When you ready to serve dump it in a sauce pan with a tiny bit of water and set it on low and keep moving it around every once in awhile until it warm enough to serve.

BBQ PD · 11-11-2011, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aquablue22

Put it in a zip lock freezer bag and throw it in the freezer. When you ready to serve dump it in a sauce pan with a tiny bit of water and set it on low and keep moving it around every once in awhile until it warm enough to serve.

What he said, but think about using some apple juice in place of the water. Either way, this method works great

.

Rookie'48 · 11-11-2011, 06:25 PM

Go ahead & get the Food Saver

. Once you find out how easy it is to vacu-suck & freeze stuff, you'll be buying all kinds of meat in bulk & breaking it down. I buy the 10 pound tubes of 93% burger when they're on sale and put it into one pound vacu-suck bags then squash them flat before freezing, they don't take up much room that way. A couple of weeks ago I cooked up four nine-pound butts and vacu-sucked them into one pound bags - now I can have pulled pork ready with 10 minutes notice

.

smokin joe's and son · 11-11-2011, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wearcd

WOW! Yeah, now I remember why I don't have one...that's quite a price tag there!

Nice lookin' machine, though! I may go the foiled pan route on this one! Thanks for the help!

If you have a Good Will or other thirty store, you may find one there. I have picked up two Food Saver brands for as little at $15 new in the box, and picked up the $299 for $35. Just never know.

caseydog · 11-11-2011, 07:06 PM

Whenever you freeze anything, air is your enemy. Do everything you can to get air out of your container or bag. I freeze pulled pork all the time in vacuum sealed bags, for six months or more, with not loss in quality.

If you use ordinary ziplock bags, don't freeze for too long -- no more than a week or two. And, try to get as much air out of the bag as you possibly can.

CD

gtr · 11-11-2011, 07:06 PM

I just had a similar situation - did 46# cooked weight of pulled pork. The vacuum seal bags and boiling to reheat worked fantastically - I can't think of a better way to do it. You might wanna see if you can find a good deal a unit, it'd be well worth it. If not, like others have said, reheat, move it around, keep it moist with AJ.

11-10-2011, 10:18 PM	#1
The Cosmic Pig is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 10-09-09 Location: Maryville, TN	A proven freeze/reheat method for boston butts? Anybody got one to share? I did a search and found lots of suggestions, but some were followed with statements like "don't blame me if it doesn't work!" I'm doing two large butts (I'm told) for an informal wedding reception, and I can't cook them fresh due to my work schedule. Proven methods are much appreciated, my brethren! __________________ [B]The Cosmic Pig BBQ[/B] [B]Backwoods Competitor[/B] [B]FEC-100 [/B] [B]WSM 18.5[/B] [B]Weber One-Touch Gold [/B] [B]Smokey Joe Silver[/B]

11-10-2011, 10:32 PM	#3
The Cosmic Pig is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 10-09-09 Location: Maryville, TN	Foodsaver bag? Are these like normal freezer bags but made for boiling or what? I have read about vacuum bags being boiled, but I didn't know anything about these! __________________ [B]The Cosmic Pig BBQ[/B] [B]Backwoods Competitor[/B] [B]FEC-100 [/B] [B]WSM 18.5[/B] [B]Weber One-Touch Gold [/B] [B]Smokey Joe Silver[/B]

11-10-2011, 11:06 PM	#5
seriousbbqs Found some matches. Join Date: 04-19-09 Location: Bedford, PA	Yes, freezing in zip-lock freezer bags works great and thawing in water. But do you need to freeze or just refrigerate the butts? Here is a blog post I wrote a while back on cooking pulled pork in advance: http://www.smokymtbarbecue.com/2011/...rk-in-advance/ It has worked well for us. And yes, we do have experience in cooking Boston butts: http://www.smokymtbarbecue.com/2011/...2-pig-roaster/ Have fun! __________________ Lavern Gingerich / Meadow Creek Online Brand Ambassador / StoryQue founder

11-10-2011, 11:52 PM	#8
The Cosmic Pig is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 10-09-09 Location: Maryville, TN	[QUOTE=seriousbbqs;1847010]Yes, freezing in zip-lock freezer bags works great and thawing in water. But do you need to freeze or just refrigerate the butts? Well, I really need to freeze them since the cook to deliver time will be about a week apart. I would eat BBQ after it's been cooked for a week, but I wouldn't feed it to anyone else! __________________ [B]The Cosmic Pig BBQ[/B] [B]Backwoods Competitor[/B] [B]FEC-100 [/B] [B]WSM 18.5[/B] [B]Weber One-Touch Gold [/B] [B]Smokey Joe Silver[/B]

11-11-2011, 03:41 PM	#10
aquablue22 Babbling Farker Join Date: 11-27-08 Location: Ormond Beach, Florida	Put it in a zip lock freezer bag and throw it in the freezer. When you ready to serve dump it in a sauce pan with a tiny bit of water and set it on low and keep moving it around every once in awhile until it warm enough to serve. __________________ Weber Spirit E-310 Gasser 1 - Big Green Egg - Large 2 - 22.5 Weber Kettles 2 - 18.5 Weber Kettle 1 - WSM Mini I live in fear that my Wife will sell all my "TOYS" when I die for WHAT I told her I paid for them!!

11-10-2011, 10:29 PM	#2
Blackened is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 07-07-09 Location: Chico, CA	I freeze in a Foodsaver bag, then just drop in a pot of boiling water for 5-10 minutes.. works great.

11-10-2011, 11:37 PM	#7
Blackened is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 07-07-09 Location: Chico, CA	Here's the one I have.. http://www.foodsaver.com/product.aspx?pid=7190 I've also warmed pulled pork on site just in an aluminum pan, foiled on a Weber grill..

11-11-2011, 06:25 PM	#12
Rookie'48 Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 11-12-06 Location: Des Moines, Iowa	Go ahead & get the Food Saver . Once you find out how easy it is to vacu-suck & freeze stuff, you'll be buying all kinds of meat in bulk & breaking it down. I buy the 10 pound tubes of 93% burger when they're on sale and put it into one pound vacu-suck bags then squash them flat before freezing, they don't take up much room that way. A couple of weeks ago I cooked up four nine-pound butts and vacu-sucked them into one pound bags - now I can have pulled pork ready with 10 minutes notice . __________________ Dave Compton KCBS MasterCBJ # 22569 Member of the 100+ Contest Club Judge Number 6 competition BBQ team Possibly the only judge ever to get an award from a bunch of cooks UDS 075 UCB WSM and a bunch of other stuff.

11-11-2011, 07:06 PM	#14
caseydog somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-08-10 Location: Texas	Whenever you freeze anything, air is your enemy. Do everything you can to get air out of your container or bag. I freeze pulled pork all the time in vacuum sealed bags, for six months or more, with not loss in quality. If you use ordinary ziplock bags, don't freeze for too long -- no more than a week or two. And, try to get as much air out of the bag as you possibly can. CD

11-11-2011, 07:06 PM	#15
gtr somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 10-16-10 Location: Culver City, CA	I just had a similar situation - did 46# cooked weight of pulled pork. The vacuum seal bags and boiling to reheat worked fantastically - I can't think of a better way to do it. You might wanna see if you can find a good deal a unit, it'd be well worth it. If not, like others have said, reheat, move it around, keep it moist with AJ. __________________ 50" Klose BYC, Spitjack XB85, 22.5 WSM, Backwoods Chubby, UDS, WRK, 26" & 22.5" Weber Kettles, Jumbo Joe, WGA, WSJ/MUDS, Kanka Grill, a piece of expanded metal I throw over the fire pit sometimes, Stealthy Black & Vol Orange Thermapens Displaced East Tennesseean Proud recipient of a Tick Former outlaw MOINK baller, now IMBAS Certified, but still lookin' over my shoulder. "Relax, it's only BBQ." - Bigmista, 2013 Avatar by my son! WTFWGALD?

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