# Holding Pork



## Gary in VA (Apr 27, 2005)

Have a question for holding pork for a picnic.

I am planning an all night cook just prior to a family picnic.  I am doing pulled/chopped pork, sliced brisket and chicken.

I am planning to have the pork and brisket done early, foiled and in the cooler so I can heat up the cooker and do chicken thighs and legs at a higher temp.. say.. 325-350 to crisp up the skin.

I plan to slice the brisket at the last minute and pour the juices over it as I put it in the chafing dishes to keep it from drying out so much.

Now.. finally .. my question...

Would it be ok (or wise) just to go ahead and pull/chop the pork and put in foil pans and cover with foil and put the whole  thing in the cooler with the done briskets to keep it hot.. or foil them whole and then pull/chop them at the last minute as well.  I figure I can throw the foil pan in the cooker to heat it a bit if needed.  I just don't want dry pork.

thanks


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## Captain Morgan (Apr 27, 2005)

Gary, I never chop pork until the last minute...once it's chopped, it dries, and there's little you can do to take it back to that mystical moment when the it glistens with it's own rendered nectar.


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## Gary in VA (Apr 27, 2005)

Captain Morgan said:
			
		

> and there's little you can do to take it back to that mystical moment when the it glistens with it's own rendered nectar.



Mystical moment??? rendered nectar??? dang Captain... what are you smokin your Q with this afternoon?


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## Captain Morgan (Apr 27, 2005)

Pork is my drug of choice.




After beer.


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## K Kruger (Apr 27, 2005)

> ... mystical moment when the it glistens with it's own rendered nectar.


 Now _that's_ food porn.

Imo, butt has enough fat in it so that as long as it's covered after it's pulled--preferably with a little added moisture like sauce, apple juice and/or vinegar mixed in--it'll be fine. But, since you're not needing to do it real early, I'd hold it whole and pull later since you have that option. Overall it should stay hotter and your reheat time will be less.

Be careful with the brisket in the chafing dishes if it's going to be in there for some time unless you're able to make the temp very low. If the heat is relatively high it, in combination with the liquid in the pan, can cause the brisket slices to cook more and become pot roast-y. Keep the lid open a little to release heat if needed. An emulsion, made with the juices and a little cold butter or rendered beef fat, can help keep the surfaces of the brisket slices from drying.


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## Gary in VA (Apr 27, 2005)

I too  was worried about the brisket slicing thing too.  I was hoping to do that last minute as well.  I will probably hold some back unsliced like you say and replentish as needed.  I know how quick they dry out.  I will try to keep the chafing dish on waaaaay low.


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## Woodman1 (Apr 27, 2005)

I tend to agree with the Cap'n..........unless you have twenty of them. Most folks are going to drench the stuff in sauce anyway. Unless these folks are afficionados and purists.......go ahead and pull beforehand. Just seal up the pan well. Woodguy


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## Jack W. (Apr 27, 2005)

A "rejuvination juice" comes in handy.  

1 prt. Cider Vinegar
1 prt. Orange Juice
1 prt. Sonny's BBQ sauce

Mix well.  Careful with the orange juice.  It can be too strong.  I use Piggly Wiggly already made only.  

1/2 to 1 cup per 1/2 pan.  Taste it.  When its good, stop adding it.   =P~ 
If your pans dry out a little have some available in a squeeze bottle and add a little.

Good Q!

Jack


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## Woodman1 (Apr 27, 2005)

Jack W. said:
			
		

> A "rejuvination juice" comes in handy.
> 
> 1 prt. Cider Vinegar
> 1 prt. Orange Juice
> ...


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## Jack W. (Apr 27, 2005)

I can literally walk to Coosaw from where I live.  Unfortunatly, I'm not a great golfer.  Not a bad cart driver and beer guy though.  I've rejuvinated BBQ at the club house there.  Nice facility.

Good Q

Jack


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## Uncle Al (Apr 28, 2005)

When I have pulled prior to serving, I put the pork in large ziplocs and then into a pot of simmering water.  Keep the seam out of the water to prevent Boston Butt soup !!  If you have a Foodsaver or some other vacuum sealer, thats even better. Will keep the pork warm for as long as you need and will not dry out at all.

P.S. Add a little apple juice to the pork.


Al


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## Captain Morgan (Apr 28, 2005)

[quote="Woodman. Hey Jack, you ever play golf at Coosaw Creek? I played there several years ago and got my first eagle there! It is in North Charleston. Sorry about strying from topic![/quote]

First eagle???????  You've had more than one?


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## Gary in VA (Apr 28, 2005)

So... what I am hearing is that since these butts are gonna be pulled/chopped about an hour to two hours before hand and sauce it good with my eastern carolina vinegar sauce, put it in foil pans, cover it tightly with foil and dropped down in the cooler with hot foiled brisket flats that will be sliced at the last minute, that my pork should be ok and not dried out.

that sound about right to you guys?

thanks for all the input


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## Captain Morgan (Apr 28, 2005)

Yeah, wrap the foil tightly and you'll be fine...it's not like a hour or two will let it get so dry you can't eat it!  Heat and moisture are your friends here.


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## Woodman1 (Apr 28, 2005)

Captain Morgan said:
			
		

> [quote="Woodman. Hey Jack, you ever play golf at Coosaw Creek? I played there several years ago and got my first eagle there! It is in North Charleston. Sorry about strying from topic!



First eagle???????  You've had more than one?[/quote]

Three actually. All on par 5's. Interestingly enough, the one I referred to at Coosaw was during my fourth round of golf! I didn't even realize it was significant until the guy I was playing with made a big deal about it!


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## Nick Prochilo (Apr 28, 2005)

Woodman said:
			
		

> Captain Morgan said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Three actually. All on par 5's. Interestingly enough, the one I referred to at Coosaw was during my fourth round of golf! I didn't even realize it was significant until the guy I was playing with made a big deal about it![/quote]

Three, whew, thats great! I've only had the oportunity to putt for one once. But alas, I missed and had to settle for birdie! Great shooting WoodEagle!


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## Greg Rempe (Apr 28, 2005)

_No more golf stuff here...take it to the GD, ok!_ :!:


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## YardBurner (Apr 28, 2005)

A trick I learned from a caterer 'bout 10 years ago is to heat up some bricks in a 300* oven for an hour or so (start with a cold oven).

Line the bottom of the cooler with an old terry towel, put the bricks on the towel and top with another towel.

Put your food in the cooler and the stuff'll stay hot darn near forever.


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## Woodman1 (Apr 29, 2005)

YB, It doesn't melt the cooler? Where is Damascus?


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## YardBurner (Apr 29, 2005)

Hasn't yet.  That's what the towels are for.  They
buffer the heat and keep the bricks from scratching
the surface of the cooler.  You could always heat
the bricks at a lower temp.  If you start with a cold
oven the bricks won't pop and most likely will not
reach 300* all the way thru.

We have made baked ziti in a foil pan covered with HD
foil, place in cooler and driven from DC to Hatteras Island
on the Outer Banks and had a piping hot dinner ready when
we checked into the house. ('bout 7 hours).

I have one cooler reserved to do this since it picks up
the aromas of the food.

If you have a smelly cooler, take a paper towel and 
drizzle on some vanilla extract.  Place it in the cooler
for a couple of days and the smells will be gone.

Damascus is 25 miles NNW of DC.


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## Captain Morgan (Apr 29, 2005)

Great tip Yard!!

Thanks.


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## YardBurner (Apr 29, 2005)

If they'll let us in they'll let anyone in!


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