Re-heating pulled pork in a crock pot??

[Fore Check]

Good morning,

I've been asked by my office mates to make a pulled pork shoulder and bring it in for lunch (8-10 people.) In order to do this, I'd have to cook the shoulder on a weekend and bring it in a day or two later and re-heat it.

Trouble is, we don't have a stove or an oven in our break area. Just a microwave. The only real option would be to put it in a crock pot.

So, I have a few questions regarding the viability of doing this and still having good food (and not overcooked mush.)

1. Has anyone done this with good results?
2. If I start with a 6-7 lb shoulder, pull it, bag it, and refrigerate it, how long at what setting ("Lo" or "Hi") should it re-heat at (best guess?) I'd be using a larger "casserole" size crock pot.
3. I've read several places that boiling a ziploc bag of PP works well; what about using one of those crock pot liner bags and putting some water UNDER it (just reaching for ideas here)
4. Should anything be added to the meat to re-heat it, or just prepare it like I was going to serve it for dinner, bag it, then re-heat?

Thanks!

[Texas-Hunter]

I have used the crock a few times on re-heat... The last time I did it this way I did not add the finishing sauce till it was heated in the crock.. It made a big difference in the texture.. It was not mushy..

[Fire it up]

I made the mistake of adding finishing sauce before I reheated before and it did come out mushier (don't think that's a word) than I would have liked.
Long as you reheat on low it should be fine.

[RowdyRay]

I've done it with the crock several times now. If you could boil it in the bag first it really helps speed things up, and it doesn't dry it out so much. Then into the crock on low. If you can't come up with a method to boil it, save the liquids after smoking and don't add it until you put it in the crock on low.

I like to use Soflaqer's finishing sauce and don't add until ready to serve. I'll even vac it up and send it with instructions if I'm not going to be there. Works well.

[SmokinLee]

Then again If you are adding BBQ sauce right in the meat you might wanna be carefull about making it too thin with the combined finishing sauce.

[HawgHeaven]

Yup, crock pot works fine. As Ken said, add the finishing sauce last.

[JustSmoke2]

I have used the crock pot alot. Usually I will save some of juices to readd to the meat to help from drying out. If not apple juice works well and last ditch effert water. Saucing early will leave your pork mushy. The acid in the sauce breaks down the meat.

[BBQ Engineer]

In the crock pot on low...add foil juices and toss occasionally to keep moist. Finishing sauce before serving (if you are using one).

The one thing to be aware of, is that if your office has some big eaters, you will want a bigger chunk of meat to start with...you never want shrinkage to ruin the party!

[HawgHeaven]

In the crock pot on low...add foil juices and toss occasionally to keep moist. Finishing sauce before serving (if you are using one).

The one thing to be aware of, is that if your office has some big eaters, you will want a bigger chunk of meat to start with...you never want shrinkage to ruin the party!

kinda like getting out of a cold swimming pool...

[Dionysus]

I have to admit, I never thought of re-heating in a crock pot. Thanks for a the tip everyone.

[Fore Check]

I appreciate the feedback, y'all! Sounds like it's a go.

[Fire it up]

you never want shrinkage to ruin the party!

kinda like getting out of a cold swimming pool...

Middle of February we used to have Jimmy Buffet parties, door open, heat cranked up to 80. Margaritas all around and Buffet on the stereo.
End of the night after we were all toasted we would run down to the bay and jump in (middle of Feb. remember)
Now THAT was a shrinkage inducer...

[HawgHeaven]

Middle of February we used to have Jimmy Buffet parties, door open, heat cranked up to 80. Margaritas all around and Buffet on the stereo.
End of the night after we were all toasted we would run down to the bay and jump in (middle of Feb. remember)
Now THAT was a shrinkage inducer...

Yikes!! I'd have to wait for the spring thaw to pee standing up again...

[TasunkaWitko]

to answer your questions:

1. i did pork shoulder for an office lunch last year and it went very well. they still talk about it on slow days when it seems like winter will never end.

2. i plugged it in when i got to work and added the pulled pork. had it on high until everything was warmed through and then kept it on low the rest of the morning until it was lunchtime.

3. you could, but i don't think it would be necessary at all.

4. i smoked/cooked the pork, pulled it, then put it in ziplock bags overnight in the fridge. the next morning, i added a quart-sized jar of RIVET'S PPB finishing sauce and the de-fatted pan drippings. worked like a charm! i could probably have simply re-eated it without the finishing sauce, as well. the crock is covered so everything will stay moist. [edit] - after reading some replies, i remembered that i didn't add the finishing sauce right away. i waited until about an hour before lunchtime and added it then. i agree with those who say that if it sits there all morning, it would get too moist/mushy.