How many will this feed?

[Stewart Ellenberg]

I am doing my first pork butt, 11 pounds, starting tonight. I am thinking about doing 2 butts at once if the 11 pounder won't feed very many people.

What has been your experience?

If I start the smoke tonight around midnight, is it likely the butt be ready by 6 pm?

Thanks again for everyone's advice!

Stewart.

 

[JSMcdowell]

Stewart,

Poeple vary slightly on their yields from butt and their portions.

For sandwiches I use:
4 oz / sandwich
50% yield on pork butt
11 x 0.5 x 16 / 4=
So 11 lbs would be 5.5 lb yield & 22 sandwiches.

For plates I use:
6 oz / plate
50% yield on pork butt
11 x 0.5 x 16 / 6=
So 11 lbs would be 5.5 lb yield & 14 plates.

Some people use a 60% yield. I use 50% to be safe and having leftovers of pork butt is never a bad thing.

You can use the formulas above and increase the portions if you would like. If you are going to be serving a bunch of sides, then you don't need as large of portions. If you are serving 1 side, you need some big portions. You also have to take into account who you are feeding and how big of eaters you think they will be.

Midnight to 6pm would be 18 hours, so an 11 lb should be done at the point, BUT this completely depends on how hot your cook. I cook my butts at 260 with no water in the pan, and they usually average at 1.5 hrs / lb.

If it's done earlier, just wrap in foil and toss in a cooler, it will stay hot for hours.

 

[Mike Hartwell]

11 lbs would probably yield 9-10 lbs finished meat, I would say that would feed about 20 normal eaters, considering there will be other food consummed as well.
11 lbs at midnight (sounds like a song title)
will likely be done at 4:00 pm, if cooking at 250-260. You can never be certain with these, as the internal structure governs how well the rendering goes.
When the meat hits 190 internal in a few spots, I would probe for tenderness thoughout. If a dinner fork goes in AND OUT without resistance, you're done.
The meat can wrapped in a couple of layers of tinfoil and rested in a warm cooler for hours.
At least one, anyway.

 

[Lew]

I always figure 2 lbs uncooked for every 3 people, so your 11 lb butt will feed around 15.

 

[James Harvey]

Questions are:

How many do you want to feed?
Big or small eaters?
Do you want leftovers?

What temp do you think you'll average?

As mentioned, you can hold a butt for 4+ hours wrapped tight in foil and a few towels in a pre-warmed cooler.