Transporting Hot BBQ 380 Miles

[Vangild92]

So I have been volunteered to cook for a family camping trip this coming Tuesday. I live in lansing, MI and the trip is up near Marquette, MI in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, about a 5.5 hour drive. I want to cook two pork butts and a brisket for about 25-28 people. I thought about heading up to Marquette a night early and bringing my PBC, starting the cook late Monday night or early Tuesday to be ready for Tuesday evening dinner but I’m not sure the PBC has the capacity to do 2 butts and a brisket. The other option is to start the cook at home in Lansing Monday night ( I recently bought a Louisiana grills Kamado from Costco that I could use too) and finish by 11am or so Tuesday morning and faux cambro the meat in my Otterbox cooler, and 5.5 hours drive straight up to Marquette in time for dinner on Tuesday around 5pm. Is that too long to faux cambro? The cook in Lansing option would be easier since I have more capacity in the Kamado and I wouldn’t have to lug as much gear up on the trip. But main concern is keeping the food fresh and at food safe temps during that whole drive although I would be able to reheat food if needed on Tuesday evening if I also bring my PBC. What do you all think about the timing of the faux cambro (6 hours)? Thank you in advance

[ComfortablyNumb]

Whew! I thought you were thinking of transporting a hot grill! ;-)

[jerrybell]

What is your camping set up (tent, motor home, travel trailer)? Are you taking a portable generator by chance? I'm wondering if a crock pot or two set to warm and running off a power inverter is an option.

I think a true Cambro would hold those big hunks of meat for six hours. If you are using a faux Cambro, I would think choosing a larger cooler and insulating well with towels/blankets would keep you at safe temperatures.

[58limited]

I bought a whole brisket from Snow's a few years ago and wrapped it in a beach towel and put it into a foam cooler. It was still hot 6 - 7 hours later.

[mountainsmoker]

As an assist if you have canning jars or other sealed containers fill them with boiling water to help keep the meat temp up. Keep the pork whole till you arrive on site it will stay warmer that way. Wrap in foil, then a couple of towels, then the hot water, then more towels over everything.

[Ahumadora]

Personally I woud cook cool then reheat it. Too long to hold with too many things that could go wrong. Also do you really want to cook, drive 380 miles then prep, serve and all that goes with it? Cramming too much into 1 day. Enjoy the cook, slow drive up there, reheat food next day and enjoy a beer.

[mountainsmoker]

Campinp is tents and small propane 2 burner stoves maybe 3. Thus his talking about taking his PBC.

[RonB]

Just wrap well and put it in the engine compartment. That should keep it warm. Ya might want to cook a littel extra in case anything falls of the engine.

[Ahumadora]

If its a Ford, probably the whole valve train.....

[LA Pork Butt]

Put hot water in your ice chest an hour before you,put your brisket into the ice chest. Drain the ice chest dry it and put your cook i with as many loose towels you can fit. I don’t think you’ll have a keeping it hot. I once cooked two butts and only one was needed. It kept plenty hot for over seven hours.

[Polarbear777]

A well insulated cooler preheated should work. If you pack all that in there it will stay hot for a long time. Actually just make one now and test it. Then you can eat the results.

I routinely faux cambro single briskets and they are too hot to handle after 4 hours.

[lostclusters]

You could warm some bricks, on a grill or in an oven, to say 180 degrees F. I think those will stay warmer than canning jars. This is a trick I was told by someone here.

[IowaGirl]

Water holds about 5 times more heat than the same weight of brick, all things being otherwise equal. Brick is definitely a good choice if you don't want leaks or spills but water is the better choice to keep something warmer for longer.