Side Catering Job Question(s)

jschliesman · 06-14-2017, 03:55 PM

I have been asked to do a very simple side job to cook for 12 people and I need help calculating/ understanding pricing. The job is to cook enough pork and ribs for 12 people who will be serving themselves as a promotional giveaway by my new sponsor. The sides and meat cost are being provided for by the sponsor. All I have to do is prep and smoke the meat; then deliver it to the winner who will serve it themselves. He asked how much should he pay me and from his question you can see we are both new to this. I want to give him a fair price for the job but high enough for me so I don't price myself too low for future jobs.

I used Capt. Ron's Meat Calculator to see if my guesstimate of 4 racks and 2 pork butts for 12 adults would add up. I guess I am way off in my thinking as his calculations came out to 3 racks and 2.25 pounds of pork. Are his numbers based off of a caterer doling out measured amounts? If so, how much do you add to the total for self serve? At BBQ contests when we cook for a Friday night "friends and family" dinner, we calculate 1 pound per person as people show up hungry. Wouldn't this be a similar scenario for this dinner, people starving themselves all day waiting for the BBQ?

How much do you charge for your time and "chef expertise" for the job? How do you calculate the cost of cooking fuel? How do you calculate the cost of rub, injections, and sauce?

I apologize for the long post but I wanted to make sure I get the costs right if I want to continue accepting catering jobs in the future.

tonyjohnson619 · 06-14-2017, 04:21 PM

i know when i cook for 12 adults and its free for all eat i figure 4-5 bones and .75-1 lb cooked pork. I would lean towards the 4 racks and maybe one good size butt.

HBMTN · 06-14-2017, 07:04 PM

4oz of pulled pork and 3 rib bones per person. It's hard to make money cooking for 12 people and cooking meats only. A rack of spares can sell for $21-$27 each and pulled pork between $10-$14 lb on average so 3lbs of pork @ $13lb and 3 racks of ribs @ $23 each would be somewhere around $108 total. Add some sauce and buns in on that and call it $125.00

Bbq Bubba · 06-16-2017, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HBMTN

4oz of pulled pork and 3 rib bones per person. It's hard to make money cooking for 12 people and cooking meats only. A rack of spares can sell for $21-$27 each and pulled pork between $10-$14 lb on average so 3lbs of pork @ $13lb and 3 racks of ribs @ $23 each would be somewhere around $108 total. Add some sauce and buns in on that and call it $125.00

Yup. Now divide that by the 16+ hours you'll have into it and you can see why there's no money to be made in part time catering.

Ron_L · 06-16-2017, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jschliesman

I have been asked to do a very simple side job to cook for 12 people and I need help calculating/ understanding pricing. The job is to cook enough pork and ribs for 12 people who will be serving themselves as a promotional giveaway by my new sponsor. The sides and meat cost are being provided for by the sponsor. All I have to do is prep and smoke the meat; then deliver it to the winner who will serve it themselves. He asked how much should he pay me and from his question you can see we are both new to this. I want to give him a fair price for the job but high enough for me so I don't price myself too low for future jobs.

I used Capt. Ron's Meat Calculator to see if my guesstimate of 4 racks and 2 pork butts for 12 adults would add up. I guess I am way off in my thinking as his calculations came out to 3 racks and 2.25 pounds of pork. Are his numbers based off of a caterer doling out measured amounts? If so, how much do you add to the total for self serve? At BBQ contests when we cook for a Friday night "friends and family" dinner, we calculate 1 pound per person as people show up hungry. Wouldn't this be a similar scenario for this dinner, people starving themselves all day waiting for the BBQ?

How much do you charge for your time and "chef expertise" for the job? How do you calculate the cost of cooking fuel? How do you calculate the cost of rub, injections, and sauce?

I apologize for the long post but I wanted to make sure I get the costs right if I want to continue accepting catering jobs in the future.

It's really not my calculator

. I just posted the link.

Here's what I would cook...

4 racks or ribs (4 3-bone portions per rack, plus one rack for extra)
1 9 lb. butt (will yield 4.5 lbs cooked, at 1/3 pound/serving that is 13+ servings.

You could always do two butts if you have room.

TremendousQue · 06-17-2017, 01:47 PM

I pretty much keep a set price range between $11-14 per person. Almost every catering job I do, they ask for more than 2 meats. You will always price yourself out of a job by charging for the woods and sauce and pans etc for each job. that's all overhead. the way I do it still isn't exact but looks like this. Butts and brisket are in the $13-14/person range and chicken/ribs are in the $11-12/person range. The sides don't really affect my prices but if they want brisket and chicken I may charge in the middle (i.e. either $12 or $13). Those numbers are for parties under 100 people. If there are over 100 people I give quantity discount to the $9-11/person range and if they want beef ribs I am closer to $16 or $17 per person. So for your job i'd go $12/person and for 12 people that's $144.

Just remember this, your real friends don't ask for 'discounts' and always charge what you are worth. People will always try to 'negotiate' with you if this is a side job because you are not as threatening as a big restaurant. but remember no order calls Famous Daves and asks if they could lower the price on the 50 person catering menu with boiled ribs and dry chicken! you are offering a higher quality product and a much more personal customer service experience.

good luck!

Pig Headed · 06-17-2017, 05:33 PM

Maybe it's just me, but it would depend on what kind of sponsor it is. Do they support you with product or money. Have you had to cook for them before. If it's the first time and they are a good sponsor I would probably eat the profit on this one, especially because it's such a small job. I would let the sponsor know that this is a one time deal.

VitoCorleone · 06-29-2017, 07:41 AM

As for the amount of meat...
Typically, 1 lb. of finished pulled pork product makes 4 hamburger bun sized sandwiches. I would say allow for 2 per person just have plenty. So, 24 sandwiches would be 6 lb.
Ribs are usually more popular than pulled pork. You might even want to leave it up to the customer - would they like 1/3 of a rack per person or maybe even 1/2 rack per person? Based on their answer, either 4 or 6 racks will do nicely.
These numbers are all rounded up - you will have more than enough food this way which is how I usually try to do things. Remember - these guests are future customers for you too. You want them to have a great time.
Side vary depending on what they are, but on average say 4 oz of each side per person to determine how much to make.

As for cooking costs, seasonings, etc. - I actually have a spreadsheet that breaks out the list of supplies and ingredients I use for my typical cook items. I even include things like aluminum foil and serving plates. I periodically visit my local Sam's Club and use my phone to take pictures of current prices that I then use to update the spreadsheet. That way, I know per portion what it costs me to make something. CAUTION - You of course can't buy things in the exact qty you need. You will always have overhead in keeping "stock" of certain items. However, this allows you to keep up with you usage of those items and assign value to their usage.

As for your time - Well, that's a different story. I don't try to assign a dollar amount to time spent manning the smoker, prepping meats, etc. Usually when I'm cooking for a catering job I try to take preorders for meat by pound to sell to other customers as well. So, its really hard to know which purchase to assign a particular hour of labor to. My best advice is this.... Make sure you are making enough profit to make it worth your time. If you aren't making some money, why do catering? You don't want to overcharge and loose business - but if you are undercharging then you only hurt yourself by doing business too cheaply.

06-14-2017, 03:55 PM	#1
jschliesman Found some matches. Join Date: 10-02-09 Location: Overland Park, Kansas	Side Catering Job Question(s) I have been asked to do a very simple side job to cook for 12 people and I need help calculating/ understanding pricing. The job is to cook enough pork and ribs for 12 people who will be serving themselves as a promotional giveaway by my new sponsor. The sides and meat cost are being provided for by the sponsor. All I have to do is prep and smoke the meat; then deliver it to the winner who will serve it themselves. He asked how much should he pay me and from his question you can see we are both new to this. I want to give him a fair price for the job but high enough for me so I don't price myself too low for future jobs. I used Capt. Ron's Meat Calculator to see if my guesstimate of 4 racks and 2 pork butts for 12 adults would add up. I guess I am way off in my thinking as his calculations came out to 3 racks and 2.25 pounds of pork. Are his numbers based off of a caterer doling out measured amounts? If so, how much do you add to the total for self serve? At BBQ contests when we cook for a Friday night "friends and family" dinner, we calculate 1 pound per person as people show up hungry. Wouldn't this be a similar scenario for this dinner, people starving themselves all day waiting for the BBQ? How much do you charge for your time and "chef expertise" for the job? How do you calculate the cost of cooking fuel? How do you calculate the cost of rub, injections, and sauce? I apologize for the long post but I wanted to make sure I get the costs right if I want to continue accepting catering jobs in the future.

06-14-2017, 07:04 PM	#3
HBMTN is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 10-16-08 Location: Virginia	4oz of pulled pork and 3 rib bones per person. It's hard to make money cooking for 12 people and cooking meats only. A rack of spares can sell for $21-$27 each and pulled pork between $10-$14 lb on average so 3lbs of pork @ $13lb and 3 racks of ribs @ $23 each would be somewhere around $108 total. Add some sauce and buns in on that and call it $125.00 __________________ Ole Hickory EL-EW, FEC 120, Lang 84, Custom Off Set

06-17-2017, 05:33 PM	#7
Pig Headed Babbling Farker Join Date: 06-15-06 Location: Middletown, DE	Maybe it's just me, but it would depend on what kind of sponsor it is. Do they support you with product or money. Have you had to cook for them before. If it's the first time and they are a good sponsor I would probably eat the profit on this one, especially because it's such a small job. I would let the sponsor know that this is a one time deal. __________________ Ron Pigheaded BBQ Team www.pigheadedbbq.com KCBS CBJ Stumps Stretch (Raquel) Eagles Green. 1 -22" Weber WSM, 1 - 18"Weber WSM's 2 - 22" kettles 6x12 Haulmark Trailer

06-14-2017, 04:21 PM	#2
tonyjohnson619 is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 07-29-16 Location: ramona ca	i know when i cook for 12 adults and its free for all eat i figure 4-5 bones and .75-1 lb cooked pork. I would lean towards the 4 racks and maybe one good size butt.

06-17-2017, 01:47 PM	#6
TremendousQue Found some matches. Join Date: 10-20-15 Location: Tampa, FL	I pretty much keep a set price range between $11-14 per person. Almost every catering job I do, they ask for more than 2 meats. You will always price yourself out of a job by charging for the woods and sauce and pans etc for each job. that's all overhead. the way I do it still isn't exact but looks like this. Butts and brisket are in the $13-14/person range and chicken/ribs are in the $11-12/person range. The sides don't really affect my prices but if they want brisket and chicken I may charge in the middle (i.e. either $12 or $13). Those numbers are for parties under 100 people. If there are over 100 people I give quantity discount to the $9-11/person range and if they want beef ribs I am closer to $16 or $17 per person. So for your job i'd go $12/person and for 12 people that's $144. Just remember this, your real friends don't ask for 'discounts' and always charge what you are worth. People will always try to 'negotiate' with you if this is a side job because you are not as threatening as a big restaurant. but remember no order calls Famous Daves and asks if they could lower the price on the 50 person catering menu with boiled ribs and dry chicken! you are offering a higher quality product and a much more personal customer service experience. good luck!

06-29-2017, 07:41 AM	#8
VitoCorleone Got rid of the matchlight. Join Date: 06-22-17 Location: Bristol, VA	As for the amount of meat... Typically, 1 lb. of finished pulled pork product makes 4 hamburger bun sized sandwiches. I would say allow for 2 per person just have plenty. So, 24 sandwiches would be 6 lb. Ribs are usually more popular than pulled pork. You might even want to leave it up to the customer - would they like 1/3 of a rack per person or maybe even 1/2 rack per person? Based on their answer, either 4 or 6 racks will do nicely. These numbers are all rounded up - you will have more than enough food this way which is how I usually try to do things. Remember - these guests are future customers for you too. You want them to have a great time. Side vary depending on what they are, but on average say 4 oz of each side per person to determine how much to make. As for cooking costs, seasonings, etc. - I actually have a spreadsheet that breaks out the list of supplies and ingredients I use for my typical cook items. I even include things like aluminum foil and serving plates. I periodically visit my local Sam's Club and use my phone to take pictures of current prices that I then use to update the spreadsheet. That way, I know per portion what it costs me to make something. CAUTION - You of course can't buy things in the exact qty you need. You will always have overhead in keeping "stock" of certain items. However, this allows you to keep up with you usage of those items and assign value to their usage. As for your time - Well, that's a different story. I don't try to assign a dollar amount to time spent manning the smoker, prepping meats, etc. Usually when I'm cooking for a catering job I try to take preorders for meat by pound to sell to other customers as well. So, its really hard to know which purchase to assign a particular hour of labor to. My best advice is this.... Make sure you are making enough profit to make it worth your time. If you aren't making some money, why do catering? You don't want to overcharge and loose business - but if you are undercharging then you only hurt yourself by doing business too cheaply.