You have a big event coming up and you’re not sure how much pulled pork to give each person. Well, fear no more. We’re going to tell you exactly how much you need with our handy formula.
But before you fire up the smoker, stick around. There are a few things you should think about when figuring out how much pulled pork each person will need. We’ll go over them all with you.
Pulled pork is a classic barbecue dish that is a crowd-pleaser at parties and gatherings. Its versatility makes it an ideal choice for feeding large groups. However, determining how many servings you can get out of a certain amount of pulled pork can be tricky. Specifically how many servings can you expect from a pint of pulled pork? In this comprehensive guide we’ll break down exactly how many servings are in a pint of pulled pork and provide tips on how to estimate portions.
What is Pulled Pork?
Pulled pork is a barbecue dish made by slowly cooking pork shoulder, butt or other fatty cuts until the meat is fall-apart tender. The cooked pork is then “pulled” or shredded into strands using two forks. It’s seasoned with a spice rub and/or barbecue sauce to add maximum flavor. Pulled pork can be served on its own piled high on buns for sandwiches, mixed into baked dishes and more. It’s a versatile meat that feeds crowds easily.
How Many Ounces are in a Pint of Pulled Pork?
First, let’s clarify exactly how large a pint of pulled pork is in ounces. A pint is a standard unit of measurement equal to 16 fluid ounces. So a pint of pulled pork contains 16 ounces of meat.
This is helpful to know when estimating servings, as serving sizes are often listed in ounces. Keep this pint = 16 ounce conversion in mind as we break down servings per pint.
How Many Sandwich Servings in a Pint of Pulled Pork?
Pulled pork sandwiches are one of the most common ways to serve this barbecue staple. For a sandwich, 3-4 ounces of pulled pork is typical. To determine servings:
- There are 16 ounces in a pint
- With 4 ounce servings, a pint would make 4 sandwiches
- With 3 ounce servings, a pint would make 5 sandwiches
So in sandwich form, you can expect 4-5 servings per pint of pulled pork. The precise number will depend on how generous you want your sandwich portions to be.
When serving a crowd, estimate toward the lower end. It’s better to have a little extra than to run out!
How Many Plate Servings in a Pint of Pulled Pork?
Pulled pork also makes a delicious plated entrée on its own or combined with sides like baked beans, coleslaw and corn. For a plate serving, plan on 4-6 ounces of pulled pork.
- With 6 ounce servings, a pint would make 2-3 plate servings
- With 4 ounce servings, a pint would make 4 plate servings
So a pint of pulled pork will make approximately 2-4 plate servings. Again, the number varies based on the portion size you want to provide your guests. It’s smart to estimate on the lower end if serving a large group.
How to Stretch Pulled Pork Servings
There are a few tricks you can use to stretch a pint of pulled pork into even more servings:
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Serve it on the side: Turn the pulled pork into a side dish rather than main dish by serving smaller 2-3 ounce portions.
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Add fillings: Bulk up sandwiches with extra barbecue sauce, slaw and other toppings so less meat fills people up.
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Pair with sides: Plentiful side dishes like baked beans and potato salad make a little pulled pork go further.
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Leftovers: Shred any leftover pulled pork to use in casseroles, nachos, omelets and more.
Getting creative with sides, fillings and leftovers allows you to stretch a pint of pulled pork into 6 or even 8 petite servings if needed.
How Many Pounds of Raw Pork for Pulled Pork?
When shopping for pork to smoke and pull, it’s important to buy extra. Raw pork loses a significant amount of moisture and shrinks during the smoking process. For pulled pork, plan on your finished, cooked amount being about 50% of the original raw weight.
So if you want 1 pint or 16 ounces of pulled pork, you’ll need:
- 16 ounces (cooked amount desired)
- Divided by 0.5 or 50% (estimated yield after cooking)
- Equals 32 ounces or 2 pounds of raw pork
The rule of thumb is to buy double the amount of raw pork to end up with the cooked quantity of pulled pork you need. Always round up slightly too. It’s better to have extra than not enough!
How Much Pulled Pork Per Person?
If you’re catering an event, how much pulled pork should you plan for each guest? Here are standard serving size estimates:
- Main dish: 1⁄3 pound pulled pork per adult
- Side dish: 1⁄4 pound pulled pork per adult
- Kids: 1⁄4 pound for plates or sandwiches
For a pint of pulled pork:
- 1⁄3 pound servings = about 3 adults
- 1⁄4 pound servings = about 4-5 adults or kids
Use these pulled pork serving estimates as a starting point when buying pork for a group. It’s always wise to overestimate slightly. Any extra pulled pork keeps well refrigerated for several days.
Key Takeaways
- A pint of pulled pork contains 16 ounces
- Pulled pork pints provide 4-5 sandwich servings or 2-4 plate servings
- Double the raw pork weight to end up with your desired cooked amount
- Plan on 1⁄3 pound per adult or 1⁄4 pound per kid for main meals
- Get creative with sides and extras to stretch a pint further
Knowing the serving math for pulled pork helps you buy and prepare the right quantity for parties. With this guide, you can determine exactly how many servings you can expect from a pint to avoid running short on this barbecue favorite.
Boneless versus bone-in pork shoulder
Another important fact to consider is the cut of pork. This might be a Boston butt, pork butt, picnic roast, picnic shoulder, or pork shoulder. As you can imagine, a bone-in pork shoulder will weigh more than a boneless pork shoulder. Therefore, you’ll need to adjust your calculations.
Stick with the aforementioned pulled pork serving size for boneless pork shoulder. Here’s a calculation to break it down further:
(The number of guests x 1/3) x 2 = your number of uncooked boneless pork pounds.
(12 x 1/3) = 4. 4 x 2 = 8
For example, if you have 12 guests coming to your event, a third would be four. Double that and you need eight pounds of uncooked boneless pork shoulder to cook for your guests.
We’re going to use a similar formula for bone-in pork shoulder. But because it includes extra fat and bone weight, we’ll do half a pound instead of a third. Let’s use the same example as above:
(The number of guests x 1/2) x 2 = your number of uncooked bone-in pork pounds.
(12 x 1/2) = 6. 6 x 2 = 12 pounds of uncooked bone-in pork shoulder.
How easy is that? 12 guests equal 12 pounds of bone-in raw pork shoulder.
You can also use this handy pulled pork butt servings calculator. If you do, remember that a third of a pound is roughly six ounces.
As for percentage yield, 50 percent is the safe bet. As it says, the yield reduces the more you trim the meat and the longer the cooking time.
Who are the attendees?
For instance, you should cut down on the amount of smoked pulled pork you serve at an event with a lot of kids. Children under 12 will easily eat about half of the adult serving size. On average, this would be about a sixth of a pound.
In contrast, if it’s a gathering with lots of adult males, over-estimating works. What adult male will say no to leftover pulled pork, right?.
how long can you actually leave a pork butt out?…
FAQ
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