Pork Loin Shrinkage

PoppingSmoke

Got Wood.
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We are doing a backyard contest/festival in a couple of weeks, and we were looking at doing Smoke Pork Loin Sandwiches. We have a bakery here that will give us a good price on french rolls that are just a bit bigger than slider buns. We're looking at about a 2 ounce slice on a roll with their choice of barbecue sauces (Sauces in squeeze bottles for them to choose from)

Sounds funny - but I can't find any real good estimates for pork loin shrinkage. Just from what I've done I'm thinking it's about 20%. What have you experienced? Looking at serving 400 (recommended by the festival) so I'm thinking a total of 7 pork loin @ 8 lb average weight. Sound reasonable?

Any input appreciated.
 
First, if the organizer say 400 don't be surprised if it's only 300. 2 ounces is a minimum for a slider so any bun bigger will look slim with only 2 ounces. Figure 3 and charge accordingly. I agree with the 20% shrinkage so you are looking at a little more than 4 serving to the raw pound. Hopefully you have access to an electric slicer. Instead of one 3 ounce slice, slice thinner so you have 2 slices per serving. DO NOT PRE-SLICE BEFORE SERVING! Makes the bite seem more tender and appears to be a bigger serving. Let us know how it turns out.
 
Thanks poorolddan. Organizer told me 400-500, so took the lower number. He also gave me the portion size and the price is set by the scrip the organization is selling (I don't see any of that money - this is basically a donation to the volunteer fire department. Unless I win ) - but I like the idea of 2 slices for a total of 3 ounces. That works for me so think that's what we will go with and just go with 8 pork loins.
 
You could also pull it. My brother and I have a device I believe is called a Pork O Nator. It looks like something you would use to mix up a 5 gallon bucket of plaster with. It chucks up in a drill. You can shred a hole pork loin in 4 minutes or a little less in a deep SS Pan.
I am like you, I have cooked several loins over the years, and I believe your 20% loss figure is pretty accurate. I have never scaled the meat to check however.

Just a thought.

Bob
 
Bob - will look into that Pork O Nator. Sounds like a neat idea.

Will get some picks from my wife - but things went well. Did 7 9 lb (average weight) pork loins - took about 4 - 4 1/2 hours for all to hit 155 IT. - pulled, wrapped in foil and place into a cooler as they hit the temp.

took poorolddans advice - nice thin slices placed onto a littler larger than slider size French roll (about 3 ounce servings), choice of 4 different sauces. Served about 250 sandwiches in 3 hours - the last hour was during a thunder storm that got pretty nasty, so it was pretty slow. Had a number of people come back for seconds ( a couple came back an got multiples to take home) Wound up with 1 loin left - and pretty sure if the weather had been better we'd have sold out.

Over all for a first time vending any type of event, it went pretty well.
Thanks all for the input!
 
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