Pulled Pork for Large Group


 

JacobAJensen

New member
I'm a new WSM owner and I'm already being hit up to cook for family and large groups. I have a group of 60 I'll be cooking for in about a month. I plan to do pulled pork. Based a few threads I've found, it seems that the best estimate for quantity is 1 lb of uncooked meat for each person. Is that right?
 
if you buy at Costco, go to the butcher window & wave one of them down and ask for a case - knocks another ~0.40/lb off the price (case ~45#?)

Not sure the rec, most people say much less (iirc), depending on other available mains/sides, but 1# sounds good to me.
 
if you figure 4 oz (cooked) bunwich per person, you'll need 60 x .25 or 15 lb finished meat. FIgure 50% weight loss (might be as high as 60% though) then you'll need 30 lb of raw butt.

Two 4 oz sandwiches each, you'll need 60 lb raw butt. Keep in mind there should be sides--slaw, salad, beans, corn bread so..............

Consider: a Mickey D's quarter pounder STARTS at 4oz RAW burger and ends up somewhat smaller. This is just to keep 4 oz COOKED in perpsective.
 
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1lb per person is A LOT of meat, unless you are feeding the highschool football team. I shoot for 1/2 lb per person pre-cook weight and always have some left over.
 
I have never gotten a 70% yield from butts. I barely get 50%, but then maybe I'm too picky about the amount of fat in my final product.

If pulled pork is the only protein on the menu, figure at least 5-6 oz. per person. Sandwiches are usually ¼ lb. or so. Some guys eat two sandwiches.

So, I was cooking I'd plan on 5-6 butts, depending on pre-cooked weight.





BD
 
I have found you can feed around 20-25 people per butt, I have a 18'' and it will cook four butts max, so I normally cook either two or four and plan on having left overs, I don't like to run short.
 
I have never gotten a 70% yield from butts. I barely get 50%, but then maybe I'm too picky about the amount of fat in my final product.

If pulled pork is the only protein on the menu, figure at least 5-6 oz. per person. Sandwiches are usually ¼ lb. or so. Some guys eat two sandwiches.

So, I was cooking I'd plan on 5-6 butts, depending on pre-cooked weight.





BD

I've never tried to calculate my yield, but that's why you can change the percent of yield in that calculator...to adjust for your normal yield. We all have different standards of how much fat we want left in. :)
 
I've never tried to calculate my yield, but that's why you can change the percent of yield in that calculator...to adjust for your normal yield. We all have different standards of how much fat we want left in. :)

Thanks, Dan, that was exactly my point. When I used to cook for the High School BBQ Fundraiser, we ran everything through a buffalo chopper and included a lot more of the fat than I do when I serve hand pulled pork. Of course, bone-in vs. boneless will change that number as well.





BD
 
Yeah, if you want to play it safe, set yield to 50%. If you want to operate like a barbecue restaurant and "market" the entire pork butt, fat and all, then leave at 70%.

Good luck with your event, Jacob! :wsm:
 

 

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