Advice needed for big cook

Skrullb · April 2018

I’ve been tasked with cooking some pork for a picnic at my wife’s school. She’s thinking around 100 people, so my question is: how many hurts will I need for that? They’re doing hot dogs and burgers too, so I was thinking 3 butts and when it’s gone, it’s gone. I’ve never cooked for that many people so I have no concept of how much I’ll need. Thanks in advance

lkapigian · April 2018

Depends on how big the Butts are...I figure 1/2 pound per person, pretty safe, you may want to consider doing a Chuck roll as well, the come in 20- 30 pounds and is an easy cook

CTMike · April 2018

Are you making pulled pork sandwiches? If so figure 4 oz servings per sandwich you need 25# of finished pork to yield 100 servings. Figure 50% yield so 50# of raw. Butts average 8# so you need 6 -7 butts. Your math may vary.

Skrullb · April 2018

CTMike said:

Are you making pulled pork sandwiches? If so figure 4 oz servings per sandwich you need 25# of finished pork to yield 100 servings. Figure 50% yield so 50# of raw. Butts average 8# so you need 6 -7 butts. Your math may vary.

I’m not planning on making sandwiches personally. I’m just gonna supply a pile of meat and let them do as they please. I’m also doing Mac and cheese, and as I said, burgers and dogs too. I’m not solely responsible for all of the food, which is why I didn’t want to go overboard.

ColtsFan · April 2018

It's going to be a challenge cooking all that on a medium. I hope you have a larger egg

Skrullb · April 2018

ColtsFan said:

It's going to be a challenge cooking all that on a medium. I hope you have a larger egg

Have an XL too.

ColtsFan · April 2018

Skrullb said:

ColtsFan said:

It's going to be a challenge cooking all that on a medium. I hope you have a larger egg

Have an XL too.

Sweet! Throw on 4 butts and call it good

Skrullb · April 2018

ColtsFan said:

Skrullb said:

ColtsFan said:

It's going to be a challenge cooking all that on a medium. I hope you have a larger egg

Have an XL too.

Sweet! Throw on 4 butts and call it good

That’s kinda what I’m thinking. I’m doing it at my own expense as a thank you for the teachers, so I’m not trying to break the bank!

20stone · April 2018

Skrullb said:

I’ve been tasked with cooking some pork for a picnic at my wife’s school... so I was thinking 3 butts and when it’s gone, it’s gone. I’ve never cooked for that many people so I have no concept of how much I’ll need. Thanks in advance

A few words of advice on this (in addition to the already good quantity math you’ve received):

Don’t jam yourself on your schedule - A loaded egg will likely cook slower than you are used to, and butts will easily hold in coolers for hours
I would follow your instinct, and cook as much as you are comfortable in one shot, and when its gone its gone
I would not just hand them off - if you do, they will get pulled too soon, dry out and get dunked in sauce. If I were you, I would volunteer to work that table, at least until you get everyone to serve it how you want it served
Pull at the last minute, one at a time - better both for quality and food safety
I would also prep appropriate condiments (vinegar sauce, mustard sauce, something tomatoy and sweet if you don’t like your own pulled pork, pickle some onions), and outsource the bread

In short, you’re wife must like your food and wants to show you off (or just get you out of her hair). Don’t let someone else screw up the dish

bgebrent · April 2018

+1 ^^^^^

Skrullb · April 2018

20stone said:

Skrullb said:

I’ve been tasked with cooking some pork for a picnic at my wife’s school... so I was thinking 3 butts and when it’s gone, it’s gone. I’ve never cooked for that many people so I have no concept of how much I’ll need. Thanks in advance

A few words of advice on this (in addition to the already good quantity math you’ve received):
Don’t jam yourself on your schedule - A loaded egg will likely cook slower than you are used to, and butts will easily hold in coolers for hours
I would follow your instinct, and cook as much as you are comfortable in one shot, and when its gone its gone
I would not just hand them off - if you do, they will get pulled too soon, dry out and get dunked in sauce. If I were you, I would volunteer to work that table, at least until you get everyone to serve it how you want it served
Pull at the last minute, one at a time - better both for qualit and food safety
I would also prep appropriate condiments (vinegar sauce, mustard sauce, something tomatoy and sweet if you don’t like your own pulled pork, pickle some onions), and outsource the bread
In short, you’re wife must like your food and wants to show you off ;or just get you out of her hair). Don’t let someone else screw up the dish

Thanks. Good advice. I’m actually planning on being there because she wants me to get the credit. Yes, she loves my cooking and is pushing for me to be more active in trying to do it for financial gains. She bought me the XL for Christmas after I won a pitmasters competition with just the medium and my Smoke Vault. I guess I misspoke when I said I was just gonna hand it off. I will keep them wrapped in the cooler until needed and pull accordingly. I meant that I wasn’t really responsible for how it goes down, but I guess I should be!

20stone · April 2018

20stone said:

Skrullb said:

I’ve been tasked with cooking some pork for a picnic at my wife’s school... so I was thinking 3 butts and when it’s gone, it’s gone. I’ve never cooked for that many people so I have no concept of how much I’ll need. Thanks in advance

A few words of advice on this (in addition to the already good quantity math you’ve received):
...and outsource the bread

I just realized what I wrote, and punched myself in the throat. If you want to really crush, get @caliking’s bun recipe and bang them out while the meat is smoking. If it works, you crush even more, and if it’s a disaster, Rosen buns are the way to go, and a quick backup

Advice needed for big cook

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