Leave the pork butt WHOLE – do not shred it.
As soon as you shred the meat, it will start oxidizing, changing color and drying out.
What if I Already Shredded it?
I’d freeze it in a ziplock bag.
The next day around an hour before serving I’d get a large pot of water to 165F.
Take your baggy of frozen pork and submerge it in the water.
It will take around 1 hour for the meat to reach 165F reheated this way.
The pulled pork will taste closer to the day you shredded it – it will also be far less dry.
If You Kept it Whole: Hot Holding in Your Smoker, Oven, Toaster Oven, etc.
The main thing we’re doing here is keeping the internal temperature above 140F for food safety – so probe your meat and track temperature.
I know that my electric smoker set to 175F will keep my food above 140F.
If you don’t have an electric smoker:
- Kitchen oven with a warming function (170F-ish)
- Kitchen oven at it’s lowest temperature setting (200F-ish)*
- Pellet grill at it’s lowest setting (200F-ish)*
- Toaster oven
*For these 2 options I’d use a wooden spoon to crack the door as both will swing in temperature.
The slight crack will allow some heat to escape and keep the temperature down.
Smoke the Pork Butt to 190F-ish, Leave Wrapped and Transfer to Your Holding Device
Don’t rest the meat before the long hold.
Don’t smoke to tenderness either – smoke to 190F and then hold for 12 hours.
Just leave it wrapped and put into your smoker based on my temperature estimates above.
The next day (12+ hours later), pull the meat.
My Meat is Still Dry; What’s the Plan of Attack?
You need to add a liquid.
You can use:
- Vinegar-based finishing sauce OR
- a BBQ-sauce OR
- a 50/50 mix of vinegar sauce and BBQ-sauce
- You can add drippings from your pan or your wrap.
