Smoking for 30-40 people in ADVANCE

[rm41400]

What would you smoke if you had to do the cook 2-3 days prior and hold in fridge or vac seal and reheat the day of? So what is your go to Protein?

This is never my go to plan so I’m not sure it’s even a good option.

Brainstorm with me please

 

[oldgfbbq]

Turkey and chicken is harder to cook and reheat than brisket and pork. Not the end of the world if poultry is required.

If you plan to do pulled pork, pull after it is reheated.

In the past, I have cooked normally, let the meats cool a bit, maybe down to 165-170, then wrap well in plastic wrap, with an outer wrap with aluminum foil. Then reheat in 200 degree oven in the plastic and aluminum foil. If the plastic is a concern, consider unwrapping when internal meat temp is around 100. You may want to rewrap in aluminum foil. Toward the end of reheat, unwrap and let the outer surface dry a bit. If I were serving brisket and ribs, I would start reheating at least 2 hours before serving time, possibly longer if you don't have much help to do other stuff.

Give considerable thought and planning if you must reheat away from your pit or home. Oven space may not be as freely available. If possible and logistically sound, reheat on equipment with which you are familiar and transport hot food.

You also might post this question in the catering thread, especially if you are getting paid to cook. It's been a few years since I have done this and good luck.

 

[TC Smoke & Que]

With that many to serve I would go with Pulled Pork, and maybe some sausage links. A day or 2 in advance and wrapped in foil and put in refrig after temp of cooked meats drops to 100*. Reheat in oven A 200* for about 1=2 hrs and then pull prior to serving.
If chicken, Legs and thighs would be the best way to go, and follow the reheat from above, but watch temps to not dry out !

 

[txsmkmstr]

Another vote for pulled pork. Vac seal in batches and refrigerate - reheat in hot water. A turkey fryer set up would hold several bags. You don't even need to bring to a boil and can hold for as long as you need or as you run out of each bag.

 

[Seefyre]

Hands down pulled pork. IMHO it's the only 'que you can reheat and serve and not be able to tell it's "leftovers".

 

[SmoothBoarBBQ]

Pork butt / shoulder is definitely the way to go here. Pork reheats very well and if you keep the entire butt intact (in example pull it off the smoker but do not actually pull the meat apart) it won't even be noticeable that it was cooled and reheated.

I've done this many times and it works well. I buy freezer bags and put the cook pork butts whole (along with all the juices / drippings) into the freezer bags and then put them in the fridge. When I'm ready to reheat I take those freezer bags and submerge them in a large stock pot of boiling water. It takes roughly 10 minutes to reheat the entire pork butts this way, and then I'll go ahead and actually pull the meat apart, and and mix in all those juices and drippings into the final product.

Couple Notes :
-Make sure you buy Freezer Bags as they are made to withstand higher heat / cold and won't melt in boiling water.
-When you're done cooking allow the meat to rest to about 165° internal temp before you bag them up. This will stop the cooking process so you don't overcook or dry out the meat.
-As for meat quantity (if you're not sure) you're looking at max of 40 people, so you'll want 20Lbs of fresh pork butt. I know that sounds like a lot but you'll lose just over half of that weight between cooking and trimming. That leaves you with roughly 10Lbs of pulled pork, and people should be taking roughly 1/4 Lb per serving.

 

[Big George's BBQ]

Another plus for pulled pork. It reheats well in vac sealed bags in boiling water

 

[Pife]

Same cook and reheat methods as pulled pork, but do pulled beef chuck roasts. I'd go for a couple of both for variety.

 

[Itsdone]

Cooking for that many people, you might want to consider getting something like an Anova sous vide precision cooker. They are fairly cheap ( $100 ish ) and you can easily drop one in a cooler with enough volume to keep 50 pounds+ of meat at holding temp. No need to mess around with pots and boiling water.


Also +1 on pork shoulder as protein of choice.

 

[Itsdone]

Same cook and reheat methods as pulled pork, but do pulled beef chuck roasts. I'd go for a couple of both for variety.

Few years ago i would agree on the chuck roasts, but they have got so expensive at least in my area, its cheaper to go with brisket ( even prime grade at samsclub ) Sure if only cooking for yourself, its cheaper to buy one chuck roast then a entire packer, but OP is cooking for 40 people.
btw: chuck roast in one of my local flyers is on sale for $7.49/lb :shock:

 

[rm41400]

So many great suggestions. Thank you.

If I got a nice InkbirdSmart SV so I may employ that with my vac sealer.

I’m also weighing a bunch of boneless skinless turkey breast but as a morning cook.

I really need to do in advance though so the pork is sounding like the best option

 

[Itsdone]

So many great suggestions. Thank you.

If I got a nice InkbirdSmart SV so I may employ that with my vac sealer.

I’m also weighing a bunch of boneless skinless turkey breast but as a morning cook.

I really need to do in advance though so the pork is sounding like the best option

If you want to do turkey breast, or chicken breast, I have an easy recipe that is freaking delicious that uses grilled breasts, then SV in italian dressing and chicken gravy ( jar if you dont have homemade ) its amazing.


You basicly grill the breast to like 140F slice, then transfer to a half sheet pan with a bottle of italian dressing and a jar of chicken or turkey gravy, and keep warm or low simmer.


I have full sheet chafing pans with lids i use to cater. I just dont do it anymore due to inflation, i can't compete with my old prices, lol. Not worth the hassle

 

[fatguy]

+20 for pork but.

Not sure on your timeline for the day you have to serve but if you have a charcoal grill it would be easy to add (boneless) chicken thigh sandwiches if you sat over a charcoal grill.

Also chuck (Mississippi) roast sandwiches are quick and reheat very well.

 

[rm41400]

+20 for pork but.

Not sure on your timeline for the day you have to serve but if you have a charcoal grill it would be easy to add (boneless) chicken thigh sandwiches if you sat over a charcoal grill.

Also chuck (Mississippi) roast sandwiches are quick and reheat very well.

Unfortunately I can’t be involved for 2-3 hrs prior. I can delegate though

 

[willic]

Pork butts, 100%... I would slightly undercook them, maybe 5 degrees less then you normally pull at, cool, double wrap in clear film, then double wrap in heavy aluminum foil... rewarm in super low temp oven. Just like it came off the smoker! I've been wanting to try a turkey bag to hold and re-heat! I actually like the smoke profile more after it's all "steeped"!

 

[fatguy]

Pulled Pork, Pulled beef (mississippi beef), or any type of taco/burrito bar would be good. Beef or pork burnt ends also heat up pretty good.

How much time do you have to cook on the same day? If you had a grill it wouldn't take long to cook pork tenderloin, turkey tenderloin, pork chops, etc on site.

 

[Itsdone]

Unfortunately I can’t be involved for 2-3 hrs prior. I can delegate though

Regardless of what you decide to serve, you need to Pan it. I personally wouldn't cater if i couldn't be involved. But, hey, good luck.:roll:

 

[rm41400]

Regardless of what you decide to serve, you need to Pan it. I personally wouldn't cater if i couldn't be involved. But, hey, good luck.:roll:

Probably ~4 hrs in morning but then hands off 2-3 hrs before

 

[Kevin James]

If you have sous vide equipment then brisket would also work well. Cook the brisket till done, rest down to 140-145, then vac seal and in to the fridge. Drop the refrigerated brisket in the sous vide the day of, 2-3 hours at 165 and your guests will never know it wasn't fresh off the smoker.

I just did this for a buddy a couple months ago who was having a family BBQ get together. I did a brisket and a pork butt for him this way and loaned him my sous vide equipment for the reheat (the butt was vac sealed whole, not pre-shredded). This was a pot luck type situation for about 30 people so the brisket/butt were not the only food... but it was the only food there was zero leftovers of. My buddy said everyone raved over how good it was and people were going back for seconds and some even thirds.

 

[Itsdone]

If you have sous vide equipment then brisket would also work well. Cook the brisket till done, rest down to 140-145, then vac seal and in to the fridge. Drop the refrigerated brisket in the sous vide the day of, 2-3 hours at 165 and your guests will never know it wasn't fresh off the smoker.

I just did this for a buddy a couple months ago who was having a family BBQ get together. I did a brisket and a pork butt for him this way and loaned him my sous vide equipment for the reheat (the butt was vac sealed whole, not pre-shredded). This was a pot luck type situation for about 30 people so the brisket/butt were not the only food... but it was the only food there was zero leftovers of. My buddy said everyone raved over how good it was and people were going back for seconds and some even thirds.

I agree, but OP can't be there in the crucial 2-3 hours during serving time. So even if he uses sous vide, chances are, whoever he has in charge won't know what to do. I see failure.