How much butt for my party?


 
M

Musky-Hunter

TVWBB Member
I have been using a WSM for many years but never for a large party. My largest group was a few years ago, I think about 10 people. Since we typically have a small group I don't really get caught up in how much butt to prepare since I always make way too much.

We're having a party next weekend that may have 16 to 25 people. I typically use 5-8lb pork shoulder roasts. How many people would you expect to feed off of one 5-8lb butt?

Thanks.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Musky-Hunter:
I have been using a WSM for many years but never for a large party. My largest group was a few years ago, I think about 10 people. Since we typically have a small group I don't really get caught up in how much butt to prepare since I always make way too much.

We're having a party next weekend that may have 16 to 25 people. I typically use 5-8lb pork shoulder roasts. How many people would you expect to feed off of one 5-8lb butt?

Thanks. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

If pulled pork will be the only meat, then plan on 6-8oz of finished meat per person. Butt yield on average is about 50%. So a 5-8lb butt will make 5-8, 8oz sandwiches. If you're having another meat, plan on 4oz servings which would increase your sandwiches to 10-16, 8oz servings.
 
Musky-Hunter....Raw weight for pork butts will shrink by about 50% when finished cooking, and I figure a 6 oz. serving per adult. [an average sandwich will hold around 4 oz. and some will have 2]. So 3-7# butts will cook down to 10.5# or 168 oz. which equals about 28 adult sized servings.....why not do 4 and have some leftover for yourself or to send home with guests.

I just smoked 6-9#er's last weekend, and I can tell you that 4 butts that size will just fill an electric roaster nicely. If you do serve fron a roaster, you can add unsweetened pineapple juice to add a little moisture and prevent sticking. Be sure to add a bit of your rub to the meat also, for a little flavor boost. I hope that this is helpful. Have fun!
 
Larry, I didn't mean to step on your post, I was posting at work, and got interrupted a couple of times and just hit send. But at least we are on the same track!

And I used WRO and the meat turned out just wonderful. EVERYONE loved it.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by B. Kaylor:
Larry, I didn't mean to step on your post, I was posting at work, and got interrupted a couple of times and just hit send. But at least we are on the same track!
And I used WRO and the meat turned out just wonderful. EVERYONE loved it. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


This happens to me too. You didn't step on my post at all, it's like you said pretty much, "great minds think alike"!
 
Thanks for the detailed information. This is exactly what I needed.

I have a follow up question I bet you know a good solution for. Typically I pull pork right before we serve. In this case the group is large and I think there will be a few sissies in the group who would get a little grossed out if they saw me tearing apart butts with my hands right before they ate.

What do you do in this situation? Do you pull before guests arrive? If so, what do you put the pulled meat in to keep it warm? Doesn't it dry out?

Thanks again.
 
Let them be sissies! I typically have people clustering around when I am pulling the pork looking for handouts! Lets face it, the best pork is that which is freshly pulled. Let the sissies stand back, or avert their eyes! I would cook about two 8 lb butts for 16 people. You will probably have a bunch leftover, but one will be too little. One of the two-packs typically carried by a Sam's, Costco, or BJ's , will work well.
 
Whenever I do butts for a larger group, I retire to the kitchen. Let the wusses stay outside.
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Also, I use the Bear Claws to do the pulling, makes it much easier.
Finally, Make it a fun part of the party. Most groups have one or two hormonally charged-up teen boys. I have found that they seem to enjoy the "destructive" process of tearing the meat apart ...under my close supervision, of course.
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Doing it this way, the pull becomes an event, a game for the party's entertainment.
 
Thanks for the replies. Since I live in Minnsota there is a solid chance the sissies will think it is too cold outside so I fully expect most will be inside and our house is setup where the kithen is the center of the house, open to the great room so I guess the sissies will just have to be what they are because I'm not eating dry butts!

What are bear claws?
 
Last weekend I did 2 large butts for a party, I pulled on location and it was in a tiny kitchen. The people were buzzing around me like flys and trying to make sandwiches before I even had the first butt pulled
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Now I understand the smell of smoked pork can make people act crazy but c'mon let me get it pulled first LOL. Anyway, 2 butts is usualy plenty for a 20-30 person party, but personally I'd rather run out of meat and feel good because it all got ate then have the stuff sitting there...maybe its just a personal thing.
 
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