Pulled Pork for 100?


 
D

Dan Crafton

TVWBB Member
I've been asked by my local FOP if I would make some smoke pulled pork for an upcoming banquet. I am flattered and hesitant at the same time....I only have a 18.5wsm.

I know this question has been asked many times but darned if I can find it. How many pork butts would it take to make 100 sandwiches (not 100 people but 100 regular size sandwiches)? I've cooked pork butts many times but only one pork shoulder at a time. I'm thinking I could do two on top rack and two on bottom rack but don't know if that will make enough. I don't want to get in over my head so I have not committed yet.

Thank you for any thoughts on this,
Dan
 
Simple math -
9lb butt at 65% yield = 5.85 lbs
5.85 * 1/3 pound per sandwich = 17
100 people at 17 sandwiches per butt = 5.88 butts or 6 butts total
6 butts * 17 sandwiches = 102 sandwiches

4 butts on cooker twice = 8*17 = 136 sandwiches

Some say yield is 55%
9lb butt at 55% yield = 4.95 lbs
4.95 * 1/3 pound per sandwich = 14.85
100 people at 14.85 sandwiches per butt = 6.73 butts or 7 butts total
7 butts * 14.85 sandwiches = 103 sandwiches

4 butts on cooker twice = 8*14.85 = 118 sandwiches

So if you do 2 - 4 butt cooks, you'll have between 118 and 136 sandwiches

ex math teacher
 
My butt yield has been closer to 50% and I plan 4 oz person. Whatever that weight is add 10% just to be safe. You don't ever want to run out of food.
 
Dan, You got this! Go for it!

One thought; You're going to have to consider how you're going to heat up that pork for service. ...and sauces ...and buns ...and pickles, onions, etc
 
I've done cooks like this several times, including once with 120 lbs of pork butts (using multiple smokers) to feed close to 200 people . . .

First, the math from Russell is dead on. I usually get about 60% yield. Six 8-9 lb butts should do just fine for you, and you can cook them all at once.

Second, please be aware that while you can certainly load 6 butts on a 18.5 WSM (3 per rack is doable via the teepee method), the amount of charcoal and time necessary to cook close to 60 lbs is very different than doing 1-2. I usually figure 20 hours, to be on the safe side. And, that unfortunately requires me to disassemble my cooker halfway through and add a significant amount of charcoal, both lit and unlit, to reestablish my fire for the second half of the cook (and that's even using the Minion Method).

Third, there is one advantage to doing that much meat at once. When you are all done with the cook, double wrap each butt in foil and place into a pre-warmed cooler (I fill mine with hot water and let it sit for 30 minutes to warm it up). If you do, all that meat will stay very hot for hours (I've gone more than 6 hours on occasion). Just make sure the cooler is completely filled. I use crumbled newspaper, or old towels to take up any space. And don't open it until you are ready to take them out and start pulling them. You will be amazed how hot they still are, even after a very long time resting in the cooler. I still need my insulated gloves to pull them to avoid burning my hands.

Hope this is helpful. Good luck and let us know how it goes . . . pictures too, please!

Bill
 
Dwain, I'm tempted to go for it as it sounds like fun but only if I can do all six butts at once as Bill suggested. Also I'm only responsible for the pulled pork itself....other members are responsible for the fixings, drinks, etc.

Bill, thank you for your reply. I had pretty much given up after learning I would need six butts to pull this off. I've never heard of the "teepee" method. I assume this means three butts per rack propped up on each other forming a teepee? Are there any draw backs with regards to the butts touching each other using this method?

Also I,ve always preferred to using water in the pan during my past cooks, however, with this much meat in the smoker would I be better off without water this time?

Thanks again,
Dan
 
perfect excuse to buy a 22" :wsm:
I've never tried to load up my 18, but have had 8 butts on my 22" a couple times by putting them on edge, bone side down.
And I don't use water
 
I get my butts from Costco (Bone Removed) or Sam's (Bone Intact) and the 2 pack generally averages around 15 lbs. I just did 4 butts on my 22 WSM for my sons graduation party and netted about 17lbs, so my yield was closer to 55%. However, I don't use water in the pan, and I normally will lose at least 1/2 lbs of trimmed fat off each one, so the actual net might be around 60%.

That said, although I did have other food too - Chicken, Pasta, bunch of salads, and appetizers, that 17 lbs was all gone with around 40-50 people. I had people groaning there wasn't more. Depending on your gender mix, and ages, you might want to bump up the net portion size per person to around 1/2 lb for adult males, 1/3 for adult females, and 1/4 lb for kids over 12. I'd definitely do at least 8 butts. The good thing is, if you end up with an extra overs, you can bring it home!

My .02 fwiw.
 
Dan:

You are right on the teepee method (I'm afraid that's just my nickname for it, nothing official). The only downside is that where the butts touch you don't get the bark development you would get normally in those spots. However, it's a small price to pay for doing that much at once, and you can always do some rearranging midway through the cook to account for this issue.

Secondly, I would not use anything in the water pan. With that much meat you don't need another heat sink. Just use an empty pan and line with foil to make cleanup easy.

Good luck!

Bill
 
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So I needed to cook some butts last night and just had to see if I could do it. total weight in the cryovac was 60#, 2 packs from Sam's (17#, 21#, 22#). 3 on each rack, bone side down and skewered together so they would stay in position. Auber controller set at 275° and they were done in 13 hours. It did use more charcoal than normal, but it did work.
I will also note that 6 butts on the 18" was a much tighter fit than 8 is on the 22".
 
I did 2 10 lb butts on bottom rack and 2 8lb on top for a buddy's baby shower. No water in pan and there was so much moisture that water collected in the dome therm. It took forever. I was planning on doing 2 chickens when I took them off. I ended up having to fire up my old brinkman for the chickens.
 
I cook large amounts of pork at a time very frequently. Most of the time I am cooking, pulling, cooling, and packing by weight so its easy to figure out my yield. Out of the last 300 or so lbs I have cooked my yield has ranged from 50-53%. I do not trim prior to cooking and cook bone in. I render out most of the fat when cooking and when pulling I removed any fat or gristle left. You can always freeze extra but you don't want to come up short.


I serve 4 oz sandwiches. So for 100 sandwiches I would start with 50 lbs of uncooked meat. Unless you find some very large butts you are going to need to cook 5 or 6 butts which means you Kay end up doing 2 cooks. No problem to do so, just cook, pull, cool quickly, and package you first cook. Depending how far in advance you are cooking you may need to freeze.
 
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