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Pulled pork for 60 people

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myates1982
myates1982 Posts: 24
in EggHead Forum
Hello All

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.

I have been asked to do pulled pork for a Christmas party. I will be feeding around 60 people. Mostly all adults. How many boston butts would you recommend??
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  • SmokinDAWG82
    SmokinDAWG82 Posts: 1,705
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    1/3 of a pound per person as a rule of thumb. So about 20 pounds. I'd probably try to cook 4 - 8lb butts
    LBGE
    Go Dawgs! - Marietta, GA
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  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
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    Depends on how much other food there is, and the mix of men, women, and children .  If this is the main course, I would probably go with 5 butts in the 9-10 lb range.  If everybody is bringing something and there are a bunch of heavy aps and sides, I would probably do 3 or 4 and a mess of slider rolls.  If you like left over pulled pork, go heavy
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
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  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
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    I have seen a few different formulas.  One popular formula was the number of people divided by 2.4, so about 25 lbs.  This formula is based on 1/4 lb of cooked pork per person and a 40% loss during cooking (25 lbs raw would yield 16 lbs of cooked meat).  

    I would err on the high side a bit so I think @SmokinDawg82's suggestion of 4 8 lbers sounds about right.  


    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

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  • shadowcaster
    shadowcaster Posts: 620
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    I am doing the same thing this weekend for my parents' party of 45-50 people. I am going with (4) 8-9lbs butts which I think should be more than enough. I will let you know how much I have left over and you can judge it off of that. I do have several of my buddies coming that know how to eat and drink so that might throw it off a little bit haha
    Pure Michigan
    Large BGE, Medium BGE, Mini BGE, Weber Smokey Mountain, Weber Performer.
    If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.
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  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
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    shadowcaster said:
    I am doing the same thing this weekend for my parents' party of 45-50 people. I am going with (4) 8-9lbs butts which I think should be more than enough. I will let you know how much I have left over and you can judge it off of that. I do have several of my buddies coming that know how to eat and drink so that might throw it off a little bit haha
    Might I suggest pulled pork nachos around 2 AM.  

    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

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  • TUTTLE871
    TUTTLE871 Posts: 1,316
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    I agree with @smokindawg82 as well, I've done about 30 lbs for almost 65 people and had a lot left over.
    You got to figure some people eat more than others, plus sides and all you should be good.

    "Hold my beer and watch this S##T!"

    LARGE BGE DALLAS TX.

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  • myates1982
    myates1982 Posts: 24
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    Thank guys. I would rather have more left over than not enough. I'm thinking about going with 5-8 pounders. This will be my first time cooking that much at one time. Pics to follow the cook.

    Do you guys offer sauce on the side?
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  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
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    myates1982 said:
    Do you guys offer sauce on the side?
    I sauce with a vinegar based sauce, and offer a ketchup based sauce on the side (KC Masterpiece or Dinosaur)
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
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  • shadowcaster
    shadowcaster Posts: 620
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    SmokeyPitt said:
    shadowcaster said:
    I am doing the same thing this weekend for my parents' party of 45-50 people. I am going with (4) 8-9lbs butts which I think should be more than enough. I will let you know how much I have left over and you can judge it off of that. I do have several of my buddies coming that know how to eat and drink so that might throw it off a little bit haha
    Might I suggest pulled pork nachos around 2 AM.  
    That is ingenious!!!!!!! I know we will have some left overs but I always like having some left overs for lunch during the work week.
    Pure Michigan
    Large BGE, Medium BGE, Mini BGE, Weber Smokey Mountain, Weber Performer.
    If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.
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  • Aviator
    Aviator Posts: 1,757
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    I have been asked to see if I can do the same for our hospital party. About the same # of people. Have never done one so big so any advise is welcome. how to set it up... etc.

    ______________________________________________ 

    Large and Small BGE, Blackstone 36 and a baby black Kub.

    Chattanooga, TN.

     

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  • shadowcaster
    shadowcaster Posts: 620
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    Aviator said:
    I have been asked to see if I can do the same for our hospital party. About the same # of people. Have never done one so big so any advise is welcome. how to set it up... etc.
    I have done 2 butts at once before, but never 4. I am using both my medium and large to do this cook as I have not got the AR for the large yet (soon enough!). Doing 4 is should be no different than doing 1, you just have to make sure you monitor the IT in all 4 as you might have to pull them off at separate times. I will be sure to post pics of my cook throughout, I am excited!
    Pure Michigan
    Large BGE, Medium BGE, Mini BGE, Weber Smokey Mountain, Weber Performer.
    If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.
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  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
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    shadowcaster said:
    Aviator said:
    I have been asked to see if I can do the same for our hospital party. About the same # of people. Have never done one so big so any advise is welcome. how to set it up... etc.
    I have done 2 butts at once before, but never 4. I am using both my medium and large to do this cook as I have not got the AR for the large yet (soon enough!). Doing 4 is should be no different than doing 1, you just have to make sure you monitor the IT in all 4 as you might have to pull them off at separate times. I will be sure to post pics of my cook throughout, I am excited!
    I did 4 on my XL, set up a two tiered grate using a weber 22" grate for the top.  I could have gotten 6 on.  With an adjustable rig even more in that my flower pot risers take a bit of space.  I know there are lots on here who have done 4 on a large with a similar setup.   You could use an 18" grate for a second level in your large.    I monitored only one (the largest), removed all to FTC at the same time.  Bone practically fell out of all of them. A successful cook.
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
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  • myates1982
    myates1982 Posts: 24
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    Have you guys ever used a finishing sauce? Thoughts?
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  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
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    I use a vinegar based sauce after I pull. Got the recipe on this forum.
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
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  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
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    I did 44 pounds recently and finished weight was 25 pounds. I would error on the side of leftovers. I did 18 pounds at a recent work lunch where there was plenty of other meat and 60 or so people and it was gone quick. 30 pounds might have made it but that's only cause there was other meat options. If it was just the pulled pork I would say 40 pounds would have probably been enough. All depends on who you are serving.
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  • myates1982
    myates1982 Posts: 24
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    Thank to everyone for the help. Pics to follow soon.
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  • Mike_the_BBQ_Fanatic
    Mike_the_BBQ_Fanatic Posts: 700
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    Cookinbob said
    I did 4 on my XL, set up a two tiered grate using a weber 22" grate for the top.  I could have gotten 6 on.
    I have an upcoming mass cook too... did cooking 4 at once impact cook time as compared to one?
    Making the neighbors jealous in Pleasant Hill, Ia one cook at a time...
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  • BOWHUNR
    BOWHUNR Posts: 1,487
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    With a raised rack I've done four 7-8 pounders on my larges at once.  Three on the bottom stacked close and one on the top rack.  They will be touching at first, but after a few hours they will draw up and finish beautifully.  I just bought an XL and by looking at the main grate size would think you could get six eight pounders on the main level.

    Mike

    I'm ashamed what I did for a Klondike Bar!!

    Omaha, NE
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  • Crimsongator
    Crimsongator Posts: 5,797
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    As you've noticed, it more about how much weight you start with and not how many butts. To feed 60 people (and you said you want leftovers). The rough math is 1/3lb per person means having 20lbs of cooked meat which translates into 35ish lbs of raw meat.

    I would suggest buying equal size butts. If you get within a half pound of each other you will be fine.

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  • Pinkfacemark
    Pinkfacemark Posts: 70
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    How much meat can you fit on a large with a double tier rack?
    Large BGE from Normal, IL 
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  • myates1982
    myates1982 Posts: 24
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    I have fit 4 large butts with no issues. Just to make it easier I will probably fire up two eggs and split the difference.
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  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
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    Mike_the_BBQ_Fanatic said:

    I have an upcoming mass cook too... did cooking 4 at once impact cook time as compared to one?
    I would say no difference in time.  Just takes a bit more air and lump to maintain the temp
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
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  • ringkingpin
    ringkingpin Posts: 260
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    When I'm cooking for HUNGRY men and there aren't a lot of other foods, I count ten people per butt.  Again, this is for HUNGRY people.  
    "Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are."
     Brillat-Savarin
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  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
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    +1 with @ringkingpin on 10 real men per butt.

    I cooked two 9 pounders for this group of 9 plus myself on a guys weekend (my son's bachelor weekend).  Consumed one for dinner the first night, and one for lunch the next day.  Just beans and slaw for sides.  Just the right amount, and these guys can eat (and drink).  image
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
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  • Jonathan1970
    Jonathan1970 Posts: 156
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    If you are serving, I would cook a 8 lb. butt per 20 guests. If you plan to have an open buffet, then you will have to know the crowd. Ex. males to female ratio, young kids, teenagers, etc. I cooked for 100 guests last year and followed the 8 lb. to 20 guest rule. We made a serving line and portioned the food (a generous amount to each person) with no complaints. 
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  • Pinkfacemark
    Pinkfacemark Posts: 70
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    myates1982 said:
    I have fit 4 large butts with no issues. Just to make it easier I will probably fire up two eggs and split the difference.
    I would need 2 eggs in order to split the difference.  Maybe santa will be good to me. 
    Large BGE from Normal, IL 
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  • Davekatz
    Davekatz Posts: 763
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    I've fed pulled pork to 120 folks a couple of times. It all depends on what kind of meal it is (is the pork the main course), is it lunch or dinner, is the crowd mostly men or women or ranch hands?

    I figured number of folks x number of sandwiches per person x ounces of meat per sandwich.
    60 people x 1.5 sandwiches each x 6 ounces per sandwich = 540 ounces or 33.75 pounds.
    Since you lose about 40% of the product in cooking, that means you needed to start with roughly 58 pounds of raw pork butt. At about 8 pounds (boneless) a piece, that's 7 butts.

    Here's one of the cooks I did:
    Pulled Pork - Hot & Fast Butts

    Obviously, you can change up the numbers based on the crowd and the other goodies that are being served.

    Food & Fire - The carnivorous ramblings of a gluten-free grill geek.
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    Cookinbob said:
    +1 with @ringkingpin on 10 real men per butt.

    I cooked two 9 pounders for this group of 9 plus myself on a guys weekend (my son's bachelor weekend).  Consumed one for dinner the first night, and one for lunch the next day.  Just beans and slaw for sides.  Just the right amount, and these guys can eat (and drink).  image
    Why the Canuck (or Canadian National) shirts?

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
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    Little Steven said:
    Cookinbob said:
    +1 with @ringkingpin on 10 real men per butt.

    I cooked two 9 pounders for this group of 9 plus myself on a guys weekend (my son's bachelor weekend).  Consumed one for dinner the first night, and one for lunch the next day.  Just beans and slaw for sides.  Just the right amount, and these guys can eat (and drink).  image
    Why the Canuck (or Canadian National) shirts?
    Perhaps due to the fact that Gananoque Lake is in Ontario?
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    Like I could read that. Never mind.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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