re: Smoked Pork Butt Today...Eating Tomorrow

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So you’re saying a butt in an ice chest is going to stay above 130 for 22.5 hours? Bro….

Bottom line is, the science says you’re at risk at those temperatures and times. Bacteria can grow. Will it? Maybe, maybe not. But if you ever serve me pork that’s been in an ice chest with no ice for 24 hours, I’m kicking your arse.

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I think you've got it backwards. If I tried to cool it down in ice over a 24 hour period, it would likely spend more time in the Danger Zone than not icing it at all.

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I assume there was plenty of salt in OP's butt rub. If it goes into foil right off the cooker at 190* it is oxygen limited.

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Never assume.

The level of salt in your bbq rub is not sufficient enough to contribute to the safety of the food. Salt is seldomly used in modern meat canning processes because the quantity necessary to make food safe is unpalatable. I mentioned it because it was the most common practice for shelf stable canned meat.

Wrapping a butt in foil is not going to prevent oxygen intrusion. Canned meat survives because it is in a hermetically sealed environment. No air in, no air out. The absence of oxygen alone is enough to prevent 99.9% of pathogens from reproducing. There are a couple of anaerobic bacteria that you need to worry about.

And that's where pressure comes in. The most important factor for why canned meat is shelf stable is pressure. Without pressure canning, low acid foods are susceptible to bacteria such as Clostridium botulinum (the anaerobic bacteria responsible for Botulism). There's a specialized appliance called a Retort that supper heats water under very high pressure that allows temperatures to reach +250°F, creating sterile food products.

I hope this is enough to explain why canned meat is shelf stable and fresh cooked meat is not. There are different processes involved when canning meat that allows them to be stored at room temperature.

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I've held plenty of pork butts in a warmer for 24 hours with no issues.

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warmer is not an ice chest

apples to oranges

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The level of salt in your bbq rub is not sufficient enough to contribute to the safety of the food. Salt is seldomly used in modern meat canning processes because the quantity necessary to make food safe is unpalatable. I mentioned it because it was the most common practice for shelf stable canned meat.

Wrapping a butt in foil is not going to prevent oxygen intrusion. Canned meat survives because it is in a hermetically sealed environment. No air in, no air out. The absence of oxygen alone is enough to prevent 99.9% of pathogens from reproducing. There are a couple of anaerobic bacteria that you need to worry about.

And that's where pressure comes in. The most important factor for why canned meat is shelf stable is pressure. Without pressure canning, low acid foods are susceptible to bacteria such as Clostridium botulinum (the anaerobic bacteria responsible for Botulism). There's a specialized appliance called a Retort that supper heats water under very high pressure that allows temperatures to reach +250°F, creating sterile food products.

I hope this is enough to explain why canned meat is shelf stable and fresh cooked meat is not. There are different processes involved when canning meat that allows them to be stored at room temperature.

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For any kind of long term storage, certainly, factually, and scientifically, you are obviously correct. I'm just talking about a short term period of time, in this case, 24 hours. I wouldn't try to push my proposed method any longer than that.

Pull it then store. Pulled pork is easy to reheat.

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For any kind of long term storage, certainly, factually, and scientifically, you are obviously correct. I'm just talking about a short term period of time, in this case, 24 hours. I wouldn't try to push my proposed method any longer than that.

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Originally, you stated "Explain to me how canned meat is shelf stable for years." so I did. Not sure if you understand how dialogue works.

If anyone cares I did not pull it immediately.

Wrapped it in the fridge overnight. Then warmed it at 300 for about an hour and pulled after that. It was a touch dry but not too bad.

Currently enjoying the last bits of it mixed with some Costco mac and cheese.