How to warm up a whole butt after smokin it?

[Papa Rick]

Hey everyone, been awhile since got to smoke anything.  Had some extra time this weekend and we are having our Church Picnic July 30th and I smoked 4 Butts today in my #2.  Three of them are for the Church and one for me.

They all turned out great and have individual done mine into smaller bags and got them in the freezer.  Here is my question.

I have put the other three whole in the freezer and will pull them and warm them up the day of the picnic, but never have done this before.  What is your advice and or suggestion on the best way to do this?

These three are 7.38, 7.51 and 7.67 lbs each.

 

[Pork Belly]

You want to remove them from the freezer three of four days before you need them and allow them to defrost in the fridge. I assume you have wrapped them in several layers of cling wrap or perhaps a heavy freezer zip bag.

If they are not wrapped in cling wrap do so before you try to warm them. Use several overlapping layers of cling wrap to make a tight seal on each butt. Then wrap each but iun an additional layer of heavy duty foil. Reheat the cling wrap and foil covered butts in the over at 250 until you have an internal temp of 145 or higher. Butts should be pulled immediately prior to service for best results.

Cling wrap can be heated up to 400 without negative affects, so don't worry.

 

[BedouinBob]

Brian, I always wondered what temp you could get to before you had plastic covered food.  Thanks for sharing the 400 number!

 

[NFAA]

I also have a #2. Could you give me an idea of how you setup 4 shoulders in it. Always been a little pensive about doing multiple shoulders.

 

[Pork Belly]

I have a #3 not a #2, I doubt you could get three shoulder in a #3. Are you referring to butts? You would be better off smoking 2 large butts rather than 4 small ones.

 

[Papa Rick]

I have done four butts in my number two smoker three different times.

Second rack from the bottom I put my two biggest then the two smaller go on the second rack from the top.

I have probes Maverick 733 in each one of my butt's to ensure that I do get the temperature that is needed.

Sometimes I have had to pull either one or two of the bottom butts and let the other two on the top continue to cook.  One thing I have found is that you have to for example stagger them so that the Heat and smoke can get to all of them.

Example would be on the bottom if I put one butt to the rear on the left side, then the right bottom butt would be closer to the door.

Then on the top I would do just the opposite in order for the heat and smoke to get to them the same.

I would rather do this as it is far more cost effective and time saving  for me.

I have smoked 4 Turkey breast at one time also.

I will smoke 5 Babyback Ribs also at one time.  Just have to cut them in half and also stagger them on the racks, bigger on bottom.

Remember everybody is different in how they utilize it.  I'm a Truck Driver and usually home for 24 to 36 hours so I tried to make the most of it when I smoke.