I Got Asked To Cook The Barbecue.....

[Jason TQ]

I dropped off food for a graduation party of a friend last weekend for 50 people. It obviously depends on how many kids to parents and if indeed all 50+ are kids (young adults).

The party I did was probably 50/50 kids to parents and I made a total of 20lbs of cooked meat that I dropped off. It was 10lb of pulled pork and 10lbs of pulled chicken. I also did 2 full sheets of mac n cheese and 1 full sheet of coleslaw. They said they had leftovers. But if the majority were mostly kids they I would upped to total cooked meat to 30lbs probably.

Have fun cooking!

 

[Pyle's BBQ]

It has all been said about meat. Now how many buns are you going to get?

 

[mn_big_dog]

I'm doing the same thing for my god-son's graduation next week. 40-50 people, planning four 8-9lb butts.

 

[Wampus]

I've done quite a few large cooks. Just did PP for 150 people wedding reception this past weekend and also cooked for a cub scout camp out for about 70 people.

I always figure 1/4 lb per person and it works out pretty well each time.


SO, if you have 50 people, that would be 12.5 lbs of COOKED pulled pork.
I also almost always get 40% loss, so that would mean you'd start with 20.83 lbs (call it 21 lbs) of raw pork.

So, that's about 3 butts (with a 7-8 lb average).


That's how the math would work if I were doing it.

 

[Wampus]

I'm doing the same thing for my god-son's graduation next week. 40-50 people, planning four 8-9lb butts.

2 weeks ago, I cooked the pork for the wedding reception for 150 people.
The cook thread for it is HERE.

I started with 12 butts, or just right at 96 lbs of raw pork butts.
When they were all cooked, pulled and bagged up, I ended up with 58 lbs of cooked pulled pork (60% yield, 40% loss). At 1/4 lb per person, that's enough pork for 232 people.

If you're doing 8-9 butts, plan on lots of leftovers.

1 8 lb butt will usually feed about 18-20 people (average) at 1/4 PP per person.

 

[N8man]

just got back from pricing meats....1st stop was the local Pork supplier (Hursey's Wholesale) they said it'd be between $1.39-1.59 per lb for whole pork shoulders...
order needs to be placed Wednesday morning, when the market price is set at that time..
last week it went for $1.39 a lb....hogs are then slaughtered after the order is placed.....don't get any fresher than that....

Then went to the local BJs....pork butts, previously frozen $1.70 per lb. as of this writing.....

Last time I cooked whole shoulders the average weight was around 18-20 lbs raw...

I think I'm going for the fresh meat and will get 4 whole shoulders....

 

[Wrench_H]

N8, I'm not sure how close you are to greensboro or if you are a member, but Sam's usually has butts for around $1.20/lb if you buy a case. That's 10 butts which is more than you need, but you can always freeze the extras for later this summer. Also,Bur-Gra used to have pretty good deals, but I haven't been in there in 15 years, so I don't know what they have these days.

 

[N8man]

unfortunately Greensboro is a 65 mile round trip....
Hursey is a 14 mile round trip...

I've had friends tell me Bur-Gra quality is hit or miss these days....

 

[Gore]

just got back from pricing meats....1st stop was the local Pork supplier (Hursey's Wholesale) they said it'd be between $1.39-1.59 per lb for whole pork shoulders...
order needs to be placed Wednesday morning, when the market price is set at that time..
last week it went for $1.39 a lb....hogs are then slaughtered after the order is placed.....don't get any fresher than that....

Then went to the local BJs....pork butts, previously frozen $1.70 per lb. as of this writing.....

Last time I cooked whole shoulders the average weight was around 18-20 lbs raw...

I think I'm going for the fresh meat and will get 4 whole shoulders....

20lbs * 4 butts * 60% return ~ 50 pounds for 50 people.

Well, we can see N8man regards his cooking rather highly. :thumb:

I hope you have enough. :shock:

 

[mn_big_dog]

2 weeks ago, I cooked the pork for the wedding reception for 150 people.
The cook thread for it is HERE.

I started with 12 butts, or just right at 96 lbs of raw pork butts.
When they were all cooked, pulled and bagged up, I ended up with 58 lbs of cooked pulled pork (60% yield, 40% loss). At 1/4 lb per person, that's enough pork for 232 people.

If you're doing 8-9 butts, plan on lots of leftovers.

1 8 lb butt will usually feed about 18-20 people (average) at 1/4 PP per person.

Not doing 8-9 butts......"Doing FOUR 8-9lb butts"

 

[N8man]

I'm figuring on having more than 40% loss on whole shoulders versus cooking
trimmed butts...maybe around 50% taking into consideration that there's more skin
fat and bones than what's on butts alone....

but I will defer to those that are more experienced than I....

the last whole shoulders I cooked...wished I had weighed them
when they was cooked and pulled....

 

[dwfisk]

IMO you have a plan (and good choice on the fresh cuts, wish I could find that kind of place). Of course, if your whole shoulders are as good as they look, it might just all get eaten, and that's a good thing. Good luck with the cook.

just got back from pricing meats....1st stop was the local Pork supplier (Hursey's Wholesale) they said it'd be between $1.39-1.59 per lb for whole pork shoulders...
order needs to be placed Wednesday morning, when the market price is set at that time..
last week it went for $1.39 a lb....hogs are then slaughtered after the order is placed.....don't get any fresher than that....

Then went to the local BJs....pork butts, previously frozen $1.70 per lb. as of this writing.....

Last time I cooked whole shoulders the average weight was around 18-20 lbs raw...

I think I'm going for the fresh meat and will get 4 whole shoulders....

I'm figuring on having more than 40% loss on whole shoulders versus cooking
trimmed butts...maybe around 50% taking into consideration that there's more skin
fat and bones than what's on butts alone....

but I will defer to those that are more experienced than I....

the last whole shoulders I cooked...wished I had weighed them
when they was cooked and pulled....

 

[N8man]

Picked up the meat this morning, I got 70 pounds of raw whole pork shoulder
@ $1.49 per lb...4 shoulders....in the fridge....
they is pretty too...

Drumpit is sitting and waiting, at the ready, gonna fire it up around 11pm...hope to have the meat on by midnight...but gonna take a nap first...needs my beauty sleep.......

 

[deguerre]

Go on and take your nap there cuz. Then bark them b!tches up!

 

[boogiesnap]

i can be there by the time they come off. :becky:

 

[letdasmokeroll]

i just did 3.. 8lb butts for a party of 40 plus 40lbs of chicken quarters there was nothing left but everyone left full the pulled pork was gone in about 40 minutes lol so i would say maybe 5

 

[The Pigman]

I cook 10lb butts and fig 20/25 good size sandwiches per butt

Id cook about 1 butt to 4-5 people so id say 15 butts

 

[thistle]

Doing the same type of picnic myself next weekend-I'm planning on 3 butts, a medium sized brisket, 10 lbs. of chicken (done a day ahead), w/ 5-7 racks of spares (day of the picnic), heavy on the sides-slaw, salads, rolls, bean dip/chips, pickled shrimp, & poundcake/fruit for dessert-congrats to your graduate, & good luck!

I've been practicing, I have a WSM 22.5, & I've been doing team dinners (30+ hungry athletes) for the last couple of years-if I'm not ready now, I'll never be....

 

[N8man]

The meats are on!!!....actually they been on for a bit...
they went on the fire at 10:30pm...smoking with red oak
and royal oak briqs...temp is a steady 250*

Did I mention I got 70lbs. of raw whole pork shoulder on the DrumPit?:thumb:

 

[N8man]

checked on temp.....1:30am 250*

nap time...