Pulled pork sliders are a delicious and easy recipe when you want something hands off. These are perfect for a family dinner, a game day party, or summer bbqs. Dry-rubbed with spicy and smoky flavors, pork butt or boneless pork shoulder is slowly cooked until the meat is soft and falls apart. Serve them on your favorite slider rolls and top with homemade BBQ sauce and creamy coleslaw. (This post was originally published on July 24th, 2015. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn commission on qualifying purchases).
I looked through my very old (1997) copy of Cook’s Illustrated to find out how to make the best pulled pork. Cook’s gave one recipe for a spicy chili rub, and three, very different types of Carolina sauces. It took us all day to decide that the Western South-Carolina Style Barbecue Sauce is better than the Mid-South Carolina Mustard Sauce. But you can use your favorite recipe or store-bought BBQ sauce if you’d like.
Sliders are the perfect party food These miniature sandwiches are easy to eat and pack a flavor punch in every bite For big events with 100 guests, pulled pork sliders make an ideal choice. But how much meat do you actually need?
Making pulled pork sliders for a crowd requires careful planning and calculations. You want enough succulent pork for everyone while avoiding costly wasted leftovers.
Follow this complete guide to learn exactly how much pulled pork you need for 100 sliders at your next big gathering.
What is Pulled Pork?
Pulled pork begins as a large tough cut of pork shoulder. Also known as Boston butt or pork butt, it contains plenty of fat and connective tissue.
Through slow cooking at low heat, the pork transforms into fall-apart tender strands drizzled in its own juices and spices. It shreds easily into the classic pulled texture.
This provides the base for mouthwatering pulled pork sliders. The tender meat gets piled high on mini buns and finished with barbecue sauce, pickles, and other creative toppings.
Why Make Pulled Pork Sliders?
Pulled pork sliders are a fantastic choice when serving food for 100 people
- Easy to eat while standing and mingling
- Portion controlled so guests don’t overeat
- Customizable with various toppings
- Cost effective way to feed a crowd
- Can be made ahead of time and reheated
Their versatility and convenience makes pulled pork sliders a go-to party pleaser.
How Much Raw Pork for 100 Sliders?
When buying pork for sliders, it’s important to account for cooking loss. Raw pork shoulder loses 30-40% of its weight during the long smoking or roasting process.
For slide events, plan for each guest to eat 2-3 sliders. To be safe, let’s assume 3 per person.
Each slider should contain about 3 ounces or 0.1875 pounds of finished pulled pork.
So for 100 people eating 3 sliders each, you will need:
- 100 guests
- 3 sliders per guest
- 0.1875 pounds pork per slider
- Total needed = 100 x 3 x 0.1875 = 56.25 pounds
To compensate for 40% cook loss, bump that up to 75-90 pounds of raw pork shoulder. This provides plenty of extra for leftovers.
Two good sized 8-10 pound pork butts should do the trick. You can also cook several smaller 5-7 pound shoulders together.
Choosing the Right Pork
The best cut for pulled pork is pork shoulder, also called Boston butt or pork butt. Go for a bone-in shoulder for maximum juiciness and flavor.
Look for good marbling between the muscles. The integrated fat bastes the meat from the inside while cooking.
Skinless pork picnic shoulder can also work well. While not as fatty, it still shreds up nicely after low and slow cooking.
Or combine different shoulder cuts for variety. Just maintain an average size around 7-9 pounds each to simplify calculations.
Slider Bun Options
With pulled pork as the star ingredient, the bun plays a supporting role.
Standard burger buns work great and keep costs down. Brioche and Hawaiian rolls add an upscale, sweet touch. Pretzel and onion rolls provide crunch and texture contrast.
For petite sliders, cocktail bread or dinner rolls sliced horizontally make the perfect vehicle for porky goodness.
Figure two buns per person. So purchase packs totaling 200 buns to be safe.
Tip: Toast the buns lightly before building the sliders for an extra layer of flavor.
Seasoning the Pork
A simple dry rub adds plenty of flavor during the low and slow cook.
Use 1-2 tablespoons per pound of pork. Combine brown sugar, chili powder, salt, pepper and other spice blends.
Massage the rub all over the pork shoulder 24 hours before cooking. This gives time to penetrate deep.
Refrigerate the seasoned meat overnight. The next day, fire up your smoker, grill or oven. Maintain 225-250°F and cook until fork tender – at least 8 hours.
Shredding and Serving
Once roasted ultra tender, remove the pork from the heat. Let rest briefly before hand shredding with two forks.
Moisten with reserved pan juices, apple cider vinegar or barbecue sauce. The pork soaks up the liquid beautifully.
To serve 100 people, set up one or more chafing dishes to keep the meat hot. Provide stacks of toasted buns alongside.
Offer a DIY topping bar with pickles, coleslaw, sautéed onions, cheese and various sauces.
Tip: Place shredded pork in disposable tin pans and reheat in a low oven to serve. Keeps meat moist.
Pulled Pork Slider Recipe Ideas
Beyond the classic Carolina style, try these creative twists:
- Thai – peanut dressing, cucumber, cilantro
- Mexican – guacamole, pico de gallo, cotija cheese
- BBQ – tangy mustard sauce, crispy onions
- Pizza – marinara, mozzarella, basil
- Banh Mi – spicy mayo, pickled carrots, cilantro
The pork filling adapts well to any flavor profile.
Making Ahead and Freezing
You can prepare pulled pork 1-2 days in advance:
- After shredding, cool pork completely in the fridge.
- Portion meat into freezer bags and seal.
- Freeze extra portions for future meals.
- Thaw overnight in fridge before reheating gently to serve.
Making the pork ahead saves you time on party day. Just focus on assembling and enjoying!
Plan a Perfect Pulled Pork Party
Cooking pulled pork for 100 slider sandwiches takes effort but pays off hugely. Your guests will rave over the tender, saucy meat layered on soft buns.
With 75-90 pounds of pork shoulder, 200 buns and generous toppings, you’ll make everyone happy while avoiding waste. Now get ready to fire up the smoker and enjoy mouthwatering pulled pork sliders with friends!
What cut of pork is best for pulled pork?
The two most common cuts of pork are the pork butt and the pork shoulder. Unlike the body part it sounds like, the “butt” is upper shoulder or back of the pig. It has more fat and marbling and is best for moist, shredded pork meat. Pork shoulder is the foreleg as you can tell by the triangular shape. The shoulder is sometimes called a picnic roast, or picnic shoulder. The pork butt is the cut I recommend for this recipe.
How much pulled pork for a slider?
There should be two to three sliders for each guest, depending on how many you have. This is because BBQ pork sliders are about half the size of a regular burger. Each slider will take between 2-3 ounces of pulled pork. (Think of a 4 ounce quarter pounder, and halve it. ).
Barbecued Pulled Pork Sliders
FAQ
How many sliders does a pound of pulled pork make?
How many pounds of pork for pulled pork sandwiches for 100 people?
How much pork for 60 sliders?
How many people will 15 pounds of pulled pork feed?
How many pork sliders per person?
Be prepared, because guests will usually have 2-3 of these sliders each, depending on what else is on the menu! Be sure to prep 0.66 pounds of raw pork to make 0.33 pounds of pulled pork, enough for 3 sliders per person. For Medium Pulled Pork Sliders:
How much pulled pork do you need for a slider sandwich?
To be on the safe side you’ll need 0.66 pounds of raw pork to make 0.33 pounds of cooked pulled pork assuming you are serving 2 medium sliders per person. For Large Pulled Pork Sliders: You’ll want 0.33 pounds of cooked pulled pork for each large pulled pork sandwich.
How many pulled pork sliders should a person eat?
When it comes to serving pulled pork sliders, each person would need about 1/3 pound of cooked pulled pork, which translates to approximately six generous sliders.
How much pulled pork for 50 people?
If you’re preparing pulled pork for feeding 50 people you will need: With 1-3 Sides: 50 Pounds Of Raw Pork to serve at least 25 Pounds of Cooked Pulled Pork for 50 people. With 3+ Sides: 33.33 Pounds Of Raw Pork to serve at least 16.66 Pounds of Cooked Pulled Pork for 50 people. How Much Pulled Pork For 100 People?