Not sure what I got into ....

Little Steven · March 2015

SmokeyPitt said:

The rule of thumb I have read is you plan for 40% loss during cooking. If you are going to serve sammiches, then I think 1/4 lb serving is good. That comes out to about 42 lbs of raw weight. If you can find 5 butts a little over 8 lbs each I think that should be about right. Do you have a raised grid setup for the XL? If so I think you could fit 6 no problem so I might just go with 6 butts and plan for leftovers.

That is a catering guide. It's some kind of graduation (hopefully not high school). Probably half boys. I would double that.

Jeepster47 · March 2015

Does anybody know this kid? I don't!!!

Doc_Eggerton · March 2015

I've done four butts, 60 lbs, on the XL at one time.

Ozzie_Isaac · March 2015

@Little Steven yup its a boys high school graduation

@Jeepster will your guru fit an XL?

caliking · March 2015

Ozzie_Isaac said:

@caliking I'm gonna have to search your threads. Your apps killed it at Salado.

Thanks for the compliment. However I highly discourage cooking either of the items we made at Salado - VERY time consuming and tedious. Pulled pork sliders are a go-to when I'm trying to feed a lot of folks, but the max I have cooked that for is maybe 40 people. We have faith in you!

YEMTrey · March 2015

I made a bunch of pulled pork for my son's graduation party. An XL and a adjustable rig is your best friend. I smoked 5 shoulders for probably 40 pounds of meat. There was about 50 or so people there and I didn't have to pull the last two shoulders.
It'll be easier for you due to the fact that you're not the host and in charge of other things at the same time.
I got the XL Egg going on Saturday night, pulled the butts off at around 1 and had them in the cooler until serving around 3-4pm.

Ozzie_Isaac · May 2015

Picked up 6 butts for total uncooked weight of just over 40lbs.

DMW · May 2015

You should have no problem fitting that on your XL.

fishlessman · May 2015

twas me, i would pick up one more. the rule i learned is 2.4 servings per pound uncooked and you need to figure out how many servings per person

also, if you let folks self serve they almost always take more

Ozzie_Isaac · May 2015

I was told most people are "party hopping" so hopefully not everyone will chow down.

I do have 2 more shoulders in the freezer. I may just throw them on too.

fishlessman · May 2015

Ozzie_Isaac said:

I was told most people are "party hopping" so hopefully not everyone will chow down.

I do have 2 more shoulders in the freezer. I may just throw them on too.

i wouldnt worry about the party hoppers then

if they miss out, they miss out

icunrse · May 2015

That is one ambitious gesture. I want to see how this turns out. Shoot, I'm still trying to work up the b*lls to spatch a chicken! Good luck to you!!

Cookinbob · May 2015

To be safe, I think you need 50 lbs of pork going in unless there are other proteins. Moink balls are tasty and easy to do in quantity

Ozzie_Isaac · May 2015

Cookinbob said:

To be safe, I think you need 50 lbs of pork going in unless there are other proteins. Moink balls are tasty and easy to do in quantity

There will be mac'n cheese, beans, cake, and other snack type foods.

Plan is for sliders with Kings Hawaian rolls.

Lit · May 2015

I have done 4 10-12lb shoulders on the bottom grate of my CL AR with a brisket on the top level. If you have an AR you could probably get 100 pounds in an XL.

Ozzie_Isaac · May 2015

@Lit no AR, but I will use a 22.5" grate from a Weber and some fire bricks.

I must say 40lbs doesn't look like near as much as I thought in the fridge. Could probably due that on a single level.

DMW · May 2015

Here is 80# on an XL. 4 - 10# butts on top and bottom:

Image: https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-EOKMczpLhLg/VVQXZlDz1TI/AAAAAAAAVQ4/vJ9Rtcng-Kw/w983-h553-no/0410151428.jpg

Had to slide the thermo out a bit to keep it from stabbing the butts:

Image: https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-jfehsmU_0y0/VVQXZqS6A2I/AAAAAAAAVQ4/_MlmxG14fzw/w983-h553-no/0410151429.jpg

Ozzie_Isaac · May 2015

@DMW what temps and times? Did you wrap or rotate the butts?

DMW · May 2015

@Ozzie_Isaac - I can't recall exactly, but the top ones finished an hour or so earlier than the bottom. Overall they cooked the same as individual butts. I did not rotate, as I would have had to get up in the middle of the night, and I wasn't going to do that. The bark was not as good as if they were not touching at all, but once pulled and mixed, you really couldn't tell.