Celtic Wolf, help me with arithmetic please

Judy Mayberry · July 2007

I noted your example on how to figure how much butt to buy (wish I could contribute some of my own). Math is a labor for me and I can't figure it out from this:[p]"Using your 40 people * 5.6 oz (13 lb) / 16 = 13.4 finished product. or 17 lb of raw product."[p]First, I figured 16/3 for 1/3 lb., which is 5.3 oz. Close to yours. Then you went and divided it by 16 and that's where I got lost--what does 16 (oz. I assume, or 1 pound) have to do with this? Or is it 5.6 oz. per pound of meat? Which has nothing to do with the ratio or raw to cooked percentages.[p]The best I can do with putting in an unknown is this equation, the only thing I remember from algebra:
5.6 oz. finished is to 60 (% of raw meat) = x (amount of raw meat) is to 100.
(You will lose 40% of the raw product after cooking—60% of the raw meat will remain.)[p]Using 20 people as an example: [p]5.3 oz. (1/3 lb.) x 20 = 106 oz. ÷ 16 oz./lb. = 6.625 lbs. of finished meat. [p][Equation] 6.62 ÷ 60 = x ÷ 100 = 11 lbs. of raw meat needed.[p]Is this right? I am not a left-brain person!!!!!!! PLEASE help.

Sneezix · July 2007

Judy Mayberry,[p]He divided by 16 to convert the oz. back to lbs.
You could just as easily multiply[p]40 * 1/3 lbs = 13.33 lbs[p]You're on your own for the shrinkage bit. :-)[p]Frank

Car Wash Mike · July 2007

Judy Mayberry,
Your making a mountain out of a mole hill. We catered for over 15 years out of the grocery store. Now this was a long time ago and eating habits have changed. The last 17lbs of butts I cooked yeilded 7 lbs. I had a scale to make sure.
Weigh up a 1/4 lb of pulled pork on a scale. It is huge. Kids and women won't eat that much.
We used a 1/4 lb per person for all meat and sides.
I have a cook on my puter if you can open up the file.[p]HTH[p]Mike

Judy Mayberry · July 2007

sneezix,
Thanks! You know what? I just realized the asterisk sign is a multiplier sign too. Couldn't figure it out before. NOT an engineer.

Judy Mayberry · July 2007

Car Wash Mike,
Mike, with my limited skills I just used a calculator to find that is only 40% product left! Shrinkage of 60% is huge, but evey bite is worth it.

thirdeye · July 2007

Judy Mayberry,[p]Here is a good rule to live by. 1+1=2, 2+2=4 and 5 will get you 10 if you know how to work it.[p]~thirdeye~[p]

Celtic Wolf · July 2007

Judy Mayberry,[p]Yes you are right. I have yet to experience more then 40% loss. [p]11 pounds sound right for 20 people.

Unknown · July 2007

Celtic Wolf,[p]If there is a bone in the meat, we might have to take that into consideration also. You might think you have 11 pounds of raw meat in a butt, but there might actually be a pound or so less because of the weight of the bone. Just something to further confuse us who are math impaired. How can we know how much a bone weighs before it's cooked and removed?

Celtic Wolf · July 2007

Bonepile,[p] The 40% loss includes the bone.

Celtic Wolf, help me with arithmetic please

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