Friends,
Perhaps a few of you remember my request from a few weeks ago asking for insight on price for a bigger than average group seeking bbq. I ultimately decided on $3 per head, not knowing it would be women and men; I assumed since it was my boys' elementary school staff it would be all the ladies I have met in the past 4 years, but instead it was staff and spouses, approximately 65 of them. Still, I prepared for 65. I smoked 6 butts at 6+ lbs each. I ended up with 24 lbs of pork. For the first time in a LONG time I foiled the butts after 11 hours (I was smoking at around 240), not to help cook faster... I had all the time in the world) but to retain more moisture than I usually have. I don't brine, inject, baste, nothing. Just a rub and some smoke. I typically get raves; that's why I even got the gig. One of the teachers in in my church and raves about the q. So the butts finished well, sat in a coolers, were warmed in the oven just before delivery, were shredded on site (with a Ro-Man pork puller; that thing is the bomb!) and left with plenty of sauce. I expected, given the covered dish sides brought, that 1/3 lb would be average eats, so I had plenty for the expected crowd. The "nibblers" were very happy. And as it turned out, $3/person barely broke me even. Next time I'll go for $4/person if just for pork, just to be clear of any loss.
In the end, I had a great time helping, they (I hope) had a great time eating, and hopefully the new cards I printed up will garner me a few new gigs. Maybe I need to print up a t-shirt!
Perhaps a few of you remember my request from a few weeks ago asking for insight on price for a bigger than average group seeking bbq. I ultimately decided on $3 per head, not knowing it would be women and men; I assumed since it was my boys' elementary school staff it would be all the ladies I have met in the past 4 years, but instead it was staff and spouses, approximately 65 of them. Still, I prepared for 65. I smoked 6 butts at 6+ lbs each. I ended up with 24 lbs of pork. For the first time in a LONG time I foiled the butts after 11 hours (I was smoking at around 240), not to help cook faster... I had all the time in the world) but to retain more moisture than I usually have. I don't brine, inject, baste, nothing. Just a rub and some smoke. I typically get raves; that's why I even got the gig. One of the teachers in in my church and raves about the q. So the butts finished well, sat in a coolers, were warmed in the oven just before delivery, were shredded on site (with a Ro-Man pork puller; that thing is the bomb!) and left with plenty of sauce. I expected, given the covered dish sides brought, that 1/3 lb would be average eats, so I had plenty for the expected crowd. The "nibblers" were very happy. And as it turned out, $3/person barely broke me even. Next time I'll go for $4/person if just for pork, just to be clear of any loss.
In the end, I had a great time helping, they (I hope) had a great time eating, and hopefully the new cards I printed up will garner me a few new gigs. Maybe I need to print up a t-shirt!