Marine Going Away Party for 80......Please Check My Numbers

I'm throwing a going away party for my son, whom has joined the Marines.

We will have ~ 80 people with a more male heavy population due to my son's friends skewing the distribution. About 20 women and teenage girls (young ladies). Not many young kids.

I will be having pulled pork, brisket and broasted chicken. I will be cooking the pork and brisket and having a local BBQ joint supply the chicken.

The sides will include german potato salad, cole slaw, corn on the cob, pasta salad and mini corn bread.

Some feast this will be! There will be desert..........oh yes.......desert! This is an italian and german family.........always a lot of food.

I was figuring:

- Pork: 5oz sandwich each - 48 lb uncooked (assumed 50% yield)
- Brisket: 5oz sandwich each - 40 lb uncooked (assumed 60% yield)
- Mixed chicken pieces: 100 pieces
- Sides: not sure how much - the family is going to chip in and prepare them. I'll do the corn, maybe 100 ears

I don't mind some leftovers. I'd rather error on the too much side than not enough.........this is not a catering gig where I'm trying to make a profit. But, I don't want to go over-board either. This is probably why I assumed 5 oz sandwiches instead of the more common 4 oz.

So, please check my numbers and let me know if I'm too heavy or too light on something. Did I make the proper yield assumptions? Do I need more chicken?

One other thing on setting up the serving table (self serve)........should I place the pork and brisket first, followed by the sides and the chicken last? What are your thoughts?

Thanks,

Thanks for the advice.

If I assume 4oz sandwiches that basically, eliminates 1 butt and 1 brisket. Do you still feel that I would have leftovers? It's not that I want to have leftovers, I just don't want to cut it too close.

My wife thinks I need more chicken...........it's that italian family thing kick'n in! With the chicken placed last I doubt that people would take two pieces during the first trip through the line, unless they take a small wing and a leg or something.

What do you think?

Thanks again,

chambersuac said:

Tell your son, "Thank you" for us!

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I did, and I believe he was genuinely happy to know that people respect the committment that these servicemen and women are making.

BigBrad said:

I cooked 4 10lb briskets, 5 8lb butts and 12 spare ribs, 2 gallon baked beans, potato salad, and pasta salad and cookies and bars for my anual all you can eat fund raiser. I fed 90 people and had 3 lbs of pulled pork left. They ate everything put the forks. My biggest mistake was I didn't have buns so they just ate straight meat. Lesson learned for next year. You should have plenty of food in my oppinion but young men can eat a lot.

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Brad, thanks for that data point. I think I keep my amount as originally planned........same brisket and pork amount as you had. I will have buns, so that should help them fill up, but providing a bun probably means adding more meat to it than if they just put meat on the plate.