Help with butt cook decision

[SuperDave]

My catering gig is this weekend and the time of the event leaves me no choice but to smoke the butt the day before.  Would you leave it whole, warm it and pull it or pull it when done and warm the pulled meat in some au jus? 

 

[mizzoufan]

I did a friend's wedding rehearsal dinner by pulling and reheating that evening in the chafing dishes.  You just have to allow more time

 

[Grampy]

If it was me, I would leave it whole and warm it then pull it. Pulled pork tends to dry out pretty quick after its been pulled. You might be OK by warming it  with au jus as you suggested but I have never tried to do it that way.

 

[Limey]

I would leave it whole and rewarm and pull for service, possibly with some au jus or apple juice for insurance if needed.

 

[DivotMaker]

Dave,

If I do whole butts for warming later (office, or whatever), I double-wrap in foil, as usual, when removed from the smoker.  Then, I let the wrapped butt cool a bit, and seal the whole thing (still in the foil) in a FoodSaver bag.  To reheat, I put the foiled butt in a crock pot on low for several hours.  When you unwrap it, it's just like a fresh, rested butt!  Pull it onsite, and they'll think they just got one right out of the smoker!

 

[Limey]

+1 that's exactly what I do. Just like freshly smoked. Alternatively you can reheat in simmering water in a stockpot, either works well. Sorry if my first post was a bit terse.

 

[mizzoufan]

I'll have to give that a shot next time I can't pull the butt within a 1-5 hour window of serving, Tony.

 

[SuperDave]

I'm thinking about a hybrid solution of smoking it 3/4's done on Friday, refrigerating overnight and putting back into the heat on Saturday morning to finish.  I was thinking it would have a hotter internal temperature going into the cooler with towels which would give me a little more confidence the meat would be hot at serving time. 

 

[OFFSHORE GINGER]

Dave , whatever you decide I hope all goes well .