Had to change course - - NEED HELP / ADVICE!

[NVW-SSV]

Had to change course for a gathering tomorrow at 11am.

I have an 11.60 lb butt for a going-away party for a supervisor......looks now like that isn't going to be enough meat - people heard I was cooking and the replies to attend kept coming in.  Went to grocery store and got two (7.2#/7.6#) butts to have more product.

Problem is - -  I have (DM's) brined and rubbed the first one (11.6#) and it's in the fridge.  What are my options for this 11.6 pounder ?  1) Fridge for (x number of?) days and then cook? 2) Can I vacuum seal/freeze this one and then just smoke it later? Note: it was bought fresh 3) Do I have to go ahead and cook it, after the other two finish?

Need some help. Thanks in advance

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[Walt]

Vac seal & freeze. I prep all meat i buy then vac seal & freeze. It makes it real easy to slow thaw then throw right into the smoker.

[NVW-SSV]

THANKS for the reply, WALT.   My hangup is, I don't want to have too much salt in the vacuum saver bag, from the rub I've already applied.  Could that possibly affect the meat?  Guess I could just wash off the rub and not worry about it -  better to waste 75 cents of rub than possibly mess up a $18 hunk of meat.

The rub I used is Weber Honey garlic rub, from Sam's Club ($5.88) and it has 180mg per teaspoon. 

Gluten free, no MSG......I highly recommend.  Makes one tasty butt with excellent bark

[Walt]

I apply rub as well. The meats are completely prepared (brined, injected, binder & rub or whatever is being done to them). No ill effects. However, if it makes you uncomfortable rinse an apply after dethawing. Or, use this one as an experiment & test for yourself.

[NDKoze]

I think freezing with halt the salt penetration.

But, if it were me I think I would just smoke it and then pack and freeze. I regularly smoke an extra butt and then pull, portion and vac seal to be used later.

Reheat by placing the vac sealed bag of food in a pot of simmering (not boiling) water and the results will be as good if not better than the day you smoked it. I think the mellowing time lets the smoke equalize throughout the meat and often times tastes even better when reheated. And what better feeling is it to pull a pack of smoked pulled pork out of the freezer and on a whim have pulled pork without having to go through the brining/smoking steps.

[SuperDave]

Cook the 11 lber and one of the 7 lbers. 

[NVW-SSV]

Thanks for the help, I appreciate all the input.  Several options, several ideas.  I appreciate you all helping out a brother in his time of desperation and need.

Buford T.

[DivotMaker]

I'm with Walt and Gregg, Jody.  Just seal it up and freeze immediately.  I don't prefer to freeze with rub on; I'd rather do that fresh, before it goes in the smoker.  If I freeze something brined, I rinse well, dry, then vac pack/freeze.  I think Gregg's right about freezing stopping the salt, but you have to rinse it anyways.  So, why not rinse before you freeze?

[NVW-SSV]

Follow up -

21 men and 3 women made 8 (net)pounds of pulled pork disappear in about an hour, and there were plenty of side dishes to boot ... and when a member this group of chowhounds says "that's the best BBQ I've ever eaten," you've done something right. 

Divot's brine had this pork butt so moist - they just kept on going back for seconds.  Thanks for the help, group. 

[jcboxlot]

You needed more pork!


I bet it was a hit

[DivotMaker]

Should have done the big one, too!    Great job, and congrats on the success!!

[swthorpe]

Way to go, Jody!

[drains]

Good for you Jody! I regularly smoke multiple pork butts and vacuum seal for later use. I also recommend simmering the sealed bag to warm it up. It tastes even better when reheated. Keep up the good work!

[NDKoze]

Congrats! It sounds like this was a big success.

Now, you just have to worry about how many other people are going to want you to smoke something for their get together.

[Texan in Tulsa]

Great job Jody! It's always nice to get those kind of compliments. I'm sure you will be getting plenty of requests for more.