Pork Butt Question

[ccmjr77]

In these times, we take what we can get to smoke from the grocery store. My wife picked up an 11 pound port butt. We are only 2 people, so it is a bit more than I normally do when no one else it coming to dinner. So my question is...
Should I cook it all, then freeze some for later or should I cut it up and freeze some to cook later?
Recommendations?

 

[cbdel]

you could also cut blade steaks with some and freeze
steaks in pairs for two of you.

 

[macabra11]

I usually cook 3-6 pork shoulders/butts at once (takes the same amount of time and pellets as cooking 1. Then I package in 1lb bags, vacuum seal and freeze. Then whenever I need a quick meal or want to share with friends or my neighbor, I just pull out what I need and reheat. I usually make 3 types – a BBQ seasoned, a mexi-taco version and usually something different to try (usually a Jamaican jerk style).

 

[ndfan6464]

Iam in the same boat. Just me and the wife. So when I cook 11 lb butts I cook the whole thing and freeze what's left. It freezes well and warms up great too..

I usually warm it up in a boiled water. Just suspended the bag in the water and your golden...

 

[Bytor]

If it's bone in then definitely cook the whole thing. I just smoked a 9.5 lb one and had it that night, cut some up for enchiladas another night and froze the rest for later. Makes for a great quick lunch.

If there's no bone, I would slice in half and save for a later date.

 

[bfletcher]

I don't know that I could survive my smoking experience without a vac sealer for freezing leftovers

 

[ccmjr77]

thanks for the ideas. I will cook the whole thing and freeze portions.

 

[Roaniecowpony]

There's just me and the wife too. I usually do 2 shoulders from Costco, pull it, vac pack it in 1 lb bags, and freeze. I hate when we run out of them. Our favorite meal with it is tacos. But it is good with eggs in the morning too.

Before we had the vacuum sealer, I'd just use ziploks, squeeze all the air out and it worked almost as good as the vacuum machine.

 

[Blues1]

I don't know that I could survive my smoking experience without a vac sealer for freezing leftovers

Me too. I ordered a vacuum sealer when I bought the smoker. Just 2 of us and usually make more than a meal or two at a time. Comes in handy on a rainy day

 

[cookingjnj]

Hi I am late to this game. Our family loves boneless country style ribs, which is really just the butt cut into strips. I will do this occasionally with a butt or part of the butt and smoke the remaining part for PP.

 

[bfletcher]

Yeah, sometimes my most enjoyable times of relaxation are when I smoke something like a shoulder for the sole purpose of dividing it into lunch and family-sized portions and freezing it, not intending for it to be served as dinner on the same day it's smoked

 

[nydennis]

What I do is package the pulled pork in individual vacuum seal bags. I put a little bit of BBQ sauce in the bag and seal it. When I am in the mood for some, I put it in a pot of boiling water for a bit. Tastes very good.

 

[Gotbbq]

In these times, we take what we can get to smoke from the grocery store. My wife picked up an 11 pound port butt. We are only 2 people, so it is a bit more than I normally do when no one else it coming to dinner. So my question is...
Should I cook it all, then freeze some for later or should I cut it up and freeze some to cook later?
Recommendations?

Cook it all and vacuum seal what’s left.

 

[Rdover]

I too like most who have responded use vacuum seal bags. We use 1 lb bags which is the perfect size for my wife and I. Also great to give to our grown children and as gifts. One trick a good friend taught me years ago was to take the juice from a pan used to smoke the butt separate it, cut it with apple juice and put in ice cube trays. When you are ready to package your pork in vacuum seal bags place a couple of the cubes in the bottom of the bag then seal. This keeps the machine from sucking out the juices. Also I let the meat cool just a little before bagging. Nothing with taste better than pulled pork right off the smoker but this is pretty close.
One last comment. I reheat in a microwave. For those that use hot water be aware that the vacuum seal will fail at about 180 degrees. I learned this firsthand then confirmed with Foodsaver.

 

[garmp]

I don't know that I could survive my smoking experience without a vac sealer for freezing leftovers

I must agree the foodsaver is great for that. We freeze in portions for just us two with just a touch of juice/ sauce whatever. Remove from the freezer an pop them into the microwave. The bag blows up like a balloon and the food is just like it just came off the grill.

 

[bfletcher]

For those that use hot water be aware that the vacuum seal will fail at about 180 degrees. I learned this firsthand then confirmed with Foodsaver.

Your experience is different than mine; in the few years that I've been using sealers I use a combination of Vac Master and generic rolls and have never had one fail, yet. In fact, the Vac Master manual states their bags are boilable.

 

[ccmjr77]

ordering a vacuum sealer today. It will not be here for the pork butt that is now smoking, but it will be for future cooks.

 

[bark61]

I feel the vac sealer goes hand in hand with the smoker! I love sealing items for later!

Rdover, nice trick on the ice cube for the bag!