Holding pulled pork

[addman]

I'm back! Happy New year one and all. Been off the radar a while, I've done a few events with my jim bowie gmg and I'm loving it, thanks to everyone for there hints & tips last year (Keith!). Does anyone have any views/ points re holding pulled pork? (On the bone). Here's to a smokin 2014

Adam

[robgunby]

When you say holding.... do you mean picking it up and lifting out of the smoker, or do you mean keeping it warm?

The former - it can be hard as the hunk o meat is trying to fall to pieces. One option is to wrap it in foil (a good idea is to do this at the start of the stall, this will make your pork moister). Otherwise, I tend to get a tray and try to slide it underneath.

The latter - wrap in foil, wrap again in towels, place in a warmed up cool box, pack with more towels. WIll stay hot for 4 hours or so. Once pulled, it can easily be reheated using a little sauce or apple juice.

[addman]

Thanks Rob, much appreciated, i meant the latter.

Adam

[robgunby]

Once pulled it also keeps warm nicely in a slow cooker or in a heavy pot on a very low flame. I tend to rest mine for an hour wrapped in several layers of foil with a towel draped over it, then pull. It then usually ends up in a pan with some sauce and people grab it out of that to put in rolls / mouths.

PS warm up your cool box with hot water first. Not essential but helps, as do towels straight out of the drier or off the radiator!

[addman]

I basically want to keep it in the smoker at an event so i guess if I just bring the temperature down 10 degrees or so I should be fine? Thanks again

[robgunby]

I ramp down to 170F for holding if keeping it on the smoker. Higher risks drying and overcooking. Worth wrapping in foil to maintain moisture but not essential depending on how long you are holding for.

Don't let the meat fall below about 140F or it can spoil and make you sick.

[Swindon_Ed]

Don't let the meat fall below about 140F or it can spoil and make you sick.

145f/63c is the lowest safe temp' meat is allowed to get to when hot holding as stated by the EHO and FSA.

I know it's only 5f, but it's the difference between operating legally or not in the UK and the last thing you want to do is get in either the EHO or FSA's bad books.

PS warm up your cool box with hot water first. Not essential but helps,

Also don't heat your cool box with hot water as the meat will continue to cook and dry out. The meat will have enough heat in it to stay hot and warm the cool box.

[keith157]

What Ed said. He doesn't need seconding but I couldn't give any better advice, either from experience or research

[addman]

Much appreciated guys.

Adam

[robgunby]

Don't let the meat fall below about 140F or it can spoil and make you sick.

145f/63c is the lowest safe temp' meat is allowed to get to when hot holding as stated by the EHO and FSA.

I know it's only 5f, but it's the difference between operating legally or not in the UK and the last thing you want to do is get in either the EHO or FSA's bad books.

PS warm up your cool box with hot water first. Not essential but helps,

Also don't heat your cool box with hot water as the meat will continue to cook and dry out. The meat will have enough heat in it to stay hot and warm the cool box.

5f not just about legality but about not getting ill, so I am happy to stand corrected, thank you (though, I never let meat fall that low anyway)

Re the cool box, the ambient temp in my cool box after heating with hot water is about 105 degrees, which is much lower than the heat of the meat. Is that really likely to dry meat out? I only bother doing this if it is very cold to begin with (it lives in the cellar), most of the time I find towels suffice.