Question please: Smoke ahead & freeze chuck & chicken?

[jjdbike]

Hello fellow pit masters,

I hope all is well for you. I am doing the Q for work picnic coming up in 3 weeks. Since it's a Saturday unch event and I work a long day the Friday before, I'm doing as much ahead of time as possible. I'll thaw stuff in fridge day or two beforehand and warm / finish that Saturday morning. Tomorrow I'm smoking 4 whole chickens for pulled chicken BBQ sliders. Next week I'm smoking some chuck for pulled BBQ beef sliders.

Here's my question. Should I smoke AND pull chicken before I vacuum pack? I want to add some duck fat and a little chicken Demi-Glace to ensure moistness. It would certainly make for less prep-time the day of. If I kept it intact or just skin & debone to freeze and pull when thawed, will it stay more moist?

I have the same question about chuckies. Can I do a long rest and pul w/ some sauce and beef stock before I freeze? Again, it would make for less work on the day of. Or Or, would I get a better product if I freeze whole, pull and sauce after thawing?

For both, I can warm vacuumed packed bags in Souse Vide, then finish in pans on charcoal grill at the park.
Your thoughts, opinions and experiences are greatly appreticated.

Thanks in advance!
JD

[realdocBBQ]

I think what you're planning will work perfectly. Cook completely, pull, add your duck fat or whatever, vacuum seal and freeze, heat via sous vide the day of the picnic.

Should be delicious. These types of meat keep very well when frozen and reheat wonderfully via sous vide, so you want to package them with the juices and things in the vacuum seal bags. Sauce is optional in the bag (like BBQ sauce), but I prefer to add that after they've been rewarmed and removed from the sous vide bags, just before serving.

Almost can't go wrong.

[Draznnl]

+1

[Jerod Broussard]

Just make sure and pull the chicken when it is hot.

[jjdbike]

Just make sure and pull the chicken when it is hot.

Thanks bud.
Will the chicken not pull after it cools?
JD

[Jerod Broussard]

It will, you won't like it.

[jjdbike]

I think what you're planning will work perfectly. Cook completely, pull, add your duck fat or whatever, vacuum seal and freeze, heat via sous vide the day of the picnic.

Should be delicious. These types of meat keep very well when frozen and reheat wonderfully via sous vide, so you want to package them with the juices and things in the vacuum seal bags. Sauce is optional in the bag (like BBQ sauce), but I prefer to add that after they've been rewarmed and removed from the sous vide bags, just before serving.

Almost can't go wrong.

Thanks bud!
Would you have the same advice for the chuckies?
JD

[realdocBBQ]

Yes.

[jjdbike]

Thanks everyone,

It was a fun and easy cook. See pics below.
JD