Freezing Pulled Pork - Which Way is Best?

[dflaher]

Hi,

Planning to smoke 2 pork shoulders late tonight for consumption of one of them tomorrow, and the other I'd like to freeze. I have a vacuum sealer.
Should I 1) pull it first, then freeze the pulled meat in vacuum sealed bags, or should I 2) freeze it whole, then thaw and pull once we're ready to eat it?
If you vote for the second option, I would like your thoughts on the best way to freeze and thaw.
Thanks!

 

[RustyJake]

My vote is to pull both of them after they are cooked, and then freeze. I actually vacuum seal meal sized bags of it. That way you aren't having to deal with excess food being defrosted and cooked
You can reheat it multiple different ways

 

[traeger860]

Pull first and then freeze. Way easier to reheat.

 

[RemE]

I cooled it down and sliced into 1 inch slabs and vac sealed portions. Can reheat in hot water, then open and shred. Worked great.

 

[Walleye Hunter]

The last one I did was done around midnight and I left it wrapped in the cooler overnight. I pulled it all apart in the morning and just stuffed the stuff in a Glad plastic container that was freezing.

 

[Slimpicker]

PULL when they are RIPE, vac seal meal portions, freeze, hot water warm up later... THE END

 

[bfletcher]

I agree with pulling the shoulder and freezing. To reheat, I always do it from a frozen state in the vac sealed bag in a pot of below-boiling water. If you were to freeze--say--brisket I would freeze it whole (or half, whatever portion is being frozen) and then slice after reheating. That opinion may be wrong but from my circle the general consensus is slicing and then freezing may result in drier meat.

Good luck and enjoy your smoke!

 

[RemE]

I agree with pulling the shoulder and freezing. To reheat, I always do it from a frozen state in the vac sealed bag in a pot of below-boiling water. If you were to freeze--say--brisket I would freeze it whole (or half, whatever portion is being frozen) and then slice after reheating. That opinion may be wrong but from my circle the general consensus is slicing and then freezing may result in drier meat.

Good luck and enjoy your smoke!

I agree with minimal slicing, a single portion sized piece seems best to me. Minimize surface area and has minimal disruption of the meat.

My experience with the pork butt was that once reheated, the slabs shredded beautifully and were moist like new.

 

[dflaher]

Thanks everyone for the great responses.

If you were to freeze--say--brisket I would freeze it whole (or half, whatever portion is being frozen) and then slice after reheating. That opinion may be wrong but from my circle the general consensus is slicing and then freezing may result in drier meat.

bfletcher - you hit the nail on the head in terms of why I posted my question. When I was making a brisket recently I was told not to slice the brisket prior to freezing; thus I thought the same might apply to a pork shoulder.

I agree with minimal slicing, a single portion sized piece seems best to me. Minimize surface area and has minimal disruption of the meat.

My experience with the pork butt was that once reheated, the slabs shredded beautifully and were moist like new.

This seems like a great "middle ground" between pulling and freezing whole.

 

[RemE]

I will add that I also had collected the drippings, I poured them into a ziploc bag and placed flat into the fridge. I divided this up and added a piece into each vac bagged portion before sealing. Those juices adsorbed into the meat when reheated.

 

[Timmy]

What i would do, 1. Seperate 6 to 10 sets of 2 sandwich size portions of the pulled part and vac seal them in pairs. 2. Cut the rest as RemE suggested and vac seal.

Now you have sandwich size and meal sizes portions and YOU can determine what is better. Who knows you might do this will all your other cooks.

 

[RemE]

Here's sandwich sized vac portions with drippings added in.

 

[TedD]

Hi,

Planning to smoke 2 pork shoulders late tonight for consumption of one of them tomorrow, and the other I'd like to freeze. I have a vacuum sealer.
Should I 1) pull it first, then freeze the pulled meat in vacuum sealed bags, or should I 2) freeze it whole, then thaw and pull once we're ready to eat it?
If you vote for the second option, I would like your thoughts on the best way to freeze and thaw.
Thanks!

Definitely pull it first and then vacuum seal in your desired portion size. Another tip, once you've pulled the meat, pour the liquid from the aluminum foil wrap over the meat and mix in. Adds additional flavor and increases the juiciness.

 

[Slimpicker]

Definitely pull it first and then vacuum seal in your desired portion size. Another tip, once you've pulled the meat, pour the liquid from the aluminum foil wrap over the meat and mix in. Adds additional flavor and increases the juiciness.

MAKE A FINISHING SAUCE!!!! that takes care of all your juicy meat needs!!!


1 Cup Cider Vinegar
3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 good squirt of Ketchup
1 Teaspoon Course Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

Warm the Vinegar up enough so that it dissolves the Sugar well. Then add the remaining ingredients.

Randomly squirt this over warm freshly pulled Pork, then kind of mix it up with gloved hands. This adds very little heat (despite the Red Pepper) and mellows out the stronger, gamier parts of the Shoulder. The Vinegar also helps break it down even more for some REAL juicy pork.
If you've never done Pulled Pork with a "Finishing Sauce" before, you're in for a real treat!!!!

 

[TedD]

MAKE A FINISHING SAUCE!!!! that takes care of all your juicy meat needs!!!


1 Cup Cider Vinegar
3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 good squirt of Ketchup
1 Teaspoon Course Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

Warm the Vinegar up enough so that it dissolves the Sugar well. Then add the remaining ingredients.

Randomly squirt this over warm freshly pulled Pork, then kind of mix it up with gloved hands. This adds very little heat (despite the Red Pepper) and mellows out the stronger, gamier parts of the Shoulder. The Vinegar also helps break it down even more for some REAL juicy pork.
If you've never done Pulled Pork with a "Finishing Sauce" before, you're in for a real treat!!!!

Thanks - I'll give it a try.