Need Help: Reheating Pork Butt on a Campout

If you have the ability to boil water there, I would place the meat in large zip lock bags( 2 1/2 gallon bags, good and heavy), with some apple juice. And then place them in boiling water. Press out most of the air. Don't let the water boil too hard. Don't let bags stick to the side of pots. I have done this with meals of brisket and pork for up to 125 peole. Worked well.

Don't ge the water boiling too hard. I used a propane turkey cooker to hea the meat. Then placed in sternoe pans to keep warm.

Several people on this site and another site gave me this advice. And it does work well. I use two turkey fryers to do the job.

Thawed, with juice. Helps with the steaming. Won't over dry the meat.

RandyE

Thanks Randy.

Would it be better to use foodsaver bags since I have them? I worry about the ziplock bags opening. Also, would you refrigerate the meat and keep it on ice for 1-2 days, or freeze it solid?

Another option that I just read about was to freeze the butts whole, then heat and pull at the campsite. Not sure how to do that without an oven.

Thanks again.

Like Randy says.Food vac bags are usually a little better,but you still have to pay the same attention.

Yes if we were at a cater,or vend,reheating whole-pulling as needed ,gives better quality.

If you haven't done much of this,and know time frame on whole butts,Randy's suggestion is safe,reliable and good.

As far as freezing,you don't always know your time frame.If you have a real good cooler and plenty of ice-they should keep that long with no problems.Just keep bags out of the cooler deep water.

If folks ask how come some of us know the better ways,it is from the mistakes we have had to cope with.

Budge,
I have done this with both the food saver, and the zip locks. The seams on the 2 1/2 gallon bags seem to be better. I had one of the food savers bust a seam on the side of a bag. Had to pull the pork out of the water and drain it very well. Washed all the good flavors off the meat. But I ws doing five bags. Added more rub and a touch of sauce, and mixed it with other good meat. Really hard for most people to tell the difference afterwards.

But I have found if you let the pot get too hot, it can melt the bags. A good slow boil works well. I have used a very large cooler with 40 lbs of ice, and hauled it from Tenn to NY for an event and it did very well. Let the meat sit out while the water came up to temp the placed the bags in 1 or 2 at a time. Don't over load the pots. Will allow the bags to touch teh sides and may melt them.


RandyE

Camping with family, I have had pretty good luck heating it in a pan with either apple juice or a finishing sauce. Low heat and let the moisture steam it back to life.

Hello Budge, I too have had great luck re-heating in a water bath with the meat packaged in vac bags. I used to take the water to a slow boil, or 212* which is continuing to cook the meat beyond where I pulled it off the smoker. Lately, I take my water to around 170-180* and find that my re-heated brisket and pork is a better texture. I have also been freezing larger larger whole pieces in vac bags for reheating and then slicing or pulling. This may take longer to reheat, but the results are superior IMHO. Hope you have good weather for your outing!

BD