The last thing you want is to not have enough juicy, tender, and flavorful pulled pork for your guests. This post will help you figure out how much pork you need to make enough. [feast_advanced_jump_to]No time to read?.
First, youll need to determine how many people you need to feed. Then you have to think about what else you are going to serve and how you are going to serve it. Also, if you want your guests to save room for dessert (especially if you made carrot cake!),
I make this slow cooker pulled pork all the time because it’s a crowd-pleaser that’s great for both big and small gatherings.
I always try to make extra pulled pork to use later for nachos, sandwiches, or a quick stuffed sweet potatoes dinner, whether I’m having a family dinner during the week, a backyard barbecue, or a party for a lot of people.
In the event that you are in a similar situation and are wondering how many pounds of meat you need to cook to make sure everyone has enough to eat, I will help you figure it out.
If you want to know how many sandwiches you can make with a pound of pork, we’ll also talk about that.
To start, let’s talk about the things that will affect how much raw pork to cook for each person. Just how much you need will depend on the type of event, the time of day, and whether this is the only main course being served.
If you’re serving hearty sides like coleslaw, potato salad, macaroni and cheese, cornbread, or baked beans, you might be able to reduce the serving size and still have enough food for everyone.
But if your cooked pulled pork is the main dish and there are only a few light sides, people are more likely to eat more.
It’s also important to say whether you want to eat it by itself or as a pulled pork sandwich. If the same amount of cooked pulled pork is put on a bun with extra toppings, it will be more filling than if it isn’t.
To make sure there is enough meat for everyone, you should serve a larger portion if you have a group of people who eat a lot.
However, you will only need a smaller amount of pork if you are serving it to people who aren’t very hungry or to a group with a lot of kids.
Consider if there will be other protein options being served. If you offer other meats, your guests will probably still eat about the same amount of meat, so you can cut back on the pork based on how much other meat is being served.
If you know you need ½ pound of pork per person but also want to serve burgers, you would likely need closer to ¼ pound of pork and ¼ pound of beef per person, assuming they like both equally.
But in this case, I might make a third of a pound of each for each person just in case one is strongly preferred over the other. This is what I would do if I wasn’t sure what people would like.
Pulled pork sandwiches are a classic barbecue staple. When the tender, juicy pork is piled high on a buttery bun, it’s pure bliss. But figuring out how much meat you need per person can be tricky. You want to make sure everyone gets their fill of tasty pulled pork without ending up with loads of leftovers.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through everything you need to know to get the pork portions just right for your next pulled pork sandwich gathering.
The Basics: 1/2 Pound Per Person
A good starting point is to allocate about 1/2 pound (or 8 ounces) of pulled pork per person. This estimate assumes that you’re serving several sides along with the sandwiches. Sides like coleslaw, baked beans, mac and cheese, and cornbread will help fill up your guests.
With a hearty 1/2 pound pork sandwich and 2-3 side dishes each, most adults will leave happily satiated.
If pulled pork is more of a standalone highlight with minimal sides, you might want to increase the amount to about 3/4 pound per person. The extra meat will make up for the lack of sides.
Consider Your Bun Size
The type of bun you choose will also impact how much pork you need. A standard hamburger bun holds around 4 ounces comfortably. Larger buns like brioche or ciabatta can hold 6 ounces or more.
For a classic barbecue sandwich on a hamburger bun, plan for 1/4 pound or 4 ounces of pork per person. You can pile it high, but much over 4 ounces will cause messier eat-ability.
On a larger bun, you could safely bump it up to 6 ounces or even 8 ounces per person. Just keep in mind that overstuffed sandwiches can be unwieldy to eat.
If you want lots of extra for leftovers, then by all means max out those large buns! They make excellent vessels for piling on the pork.
Factor In Your Guests’ Appetites
Consider the demographics of your group when deciding on portions. Children, seniors, and petite women will likely be satisfied with less meat than hungry teenagers or large adult men.
For lighter appetites, scale back to 1/4 pound per person. Most will still want a whole sandwich, just with a bit less meat. For heartier appetites, having extra meat on hand isn’t a bad idea. Those who want more can build towering sandwiches.
If you’re feeding a crowd with diverse appetites, it’s smart to have a meat assortment. Go with 1/4 pound sandwiches for more moderate eaters and 1/2 pound sandwiches for the hearty eaters. Provide both small and large buns to accommodate preferences.
Determine How Many Sandwiches You Need
Once you’ve settled on the right portion size, determining how much meat you need for your group is simple math.
Here’s the basic formula:
(Number of people) x (portion size per person in lbs)
Let’s break down a sample scenario for a backyard party of 25 adults:
- 25 people
- 1/4 lb sandwiches
- 25 x 0.25 lbs = 6.25 lbs of cooked pulled pork
To figure out how much raw pork shoulder you need, double the cooked amount to account for shrinkage. So for this party you’d want about 12-13 lbs of raw pork shoulder.
If you opted for 1/2 lb sandwiches, simply plug those numbers in:
- 25 x 0.5 lbs pork per person = 12.5 lbs cooked
- Double for raw: Around 25 lbs raw pork shoulder
The math works seamlessly whether you’re feeding five or fifty. Just scale up or down based on your headcount and preferred portion size.
Pork Shoulder Servings Per Pound
As a general rule of thumb, one pound of cooked pulled pork will make:
- 3 to 4 sandwiches on hamburger buns
- 2 to 3 sandwiches on larger sandwich rolls
You can tweak these numbers based on how much meat you pile on. This should give you a helpful starting point.
So for a party of 10 people where you want to serve 1/4 pound sandwiches:
- 10 people x 0.25 lb per person = 2.5 lbs cooked pork
- One pound yields 4 sandwiches
- So 2.5 lbs of cooked pork will make 10 sandwiches (2.5 lbs x 4 sandwiches/lb = 10 sandwiches)
Factor in Leftovers
Having some extra pulled pork on hand is rarely a bad thing. Leftovers make excellent sandwiches, tacos, omelets, pasta dishes, and more.
It’s better to have too much than run out. If you do have extras, pulled pork keeps well in the fridge or freezer.
When cooking for a larger group, preparing too much is better than not enough. Go up to 3/4 pound or even 1 pound per person if you want a nice leftovers haul. The meat reheats beautifully, so no need to worry about waste.
Cooking Time Per Pound
A general guideline is to allow 1 hour of smoking time per pound of raw pork shoulder at 225°F. A 10 lb pork shoulder will take roughly 10 hours. This is just an estimate though, as cook times vary.
The pork is ready when it hits 205°F and probes tender. Use a leave-in meat thermometer and monitor both temp and tenderness. This ensures melt-in-your-mouth, pull-apart pork texture.
Don’t worry about getting dinner on the table at a certain time. Pulled pork is very forgiving. As long as you hold the temp at 225°F, a longer cook just makes it more tender.
Prepping the Pork Shoulder
Choose a boneless pork shoulder in the 8 to 10 lb range for easiest prep and smoking. Look for good marbling throughout the meat. Trimming off excess fat before rubbing with spices and smoking.
Apply a sweet and savory dry rub at least 2 hours before smoking, or even the night before. Smoked paprika, brown sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder make a stellar basic rub.
Smoke with indirect heat, allowing the pork to gradually come up to temp. Apple, cherry, pecan, and hickory wood all pair wonderfully. Spritz with apple juice or cider vinegar every 1-2 hours for extra moisture and flavor.
Rest the finished pork for at least 30 minutes before pulling. This allows the juices to redistribute. Pull, chop and season the meat before piling it onto your buns.
Perfectly Portioned Pulled Pork
We hope these guidelines give you confidence to nail your pork portions for upcoming pulled pork sandwiches.
The average adult has a happy 1/4 to 1/2 pound sandwich. Adjust for demographics, sides, and bun size to dial in the right amounts. Legacy the math to determine how much raw pork shoulder to buy and smoke.
With this knowledge in your back pocket, you’ll be everyone’s favorite pulled pork provider! Satisfy their cravings without a pile of leftovers or scrambling for more.
How Much Pulled Pork Per Person?
Okay, now that we’ve talked about everything that needs to be thought about, let’s do the simple math!
It’s important to remember that the amount will depend on the event and the people who are eating it, but as a general rule, you should plan to give each person ⅓ to ¾ pounds of raw pork.
So to determine the exact amount needed, use this simple equation: Number of guests x 0. 33 (minimum) – 0. 75 (maximum) pounds of pulled pork per person = weight of pulled pork required.
For instance, if you’re having a party with 20 people, the amount of pulled pork you would need is 20 people times 0. 33 pounds = ~7 pounds (minimum estimate) 20 guests x 0. 75 pounds = 15 pounds (maximum estimate).
Based on these calculations, preparing 7 to 15 pounds of pulled pork should be enough pork.
I usually plan to serve ½ pound of raw pork (boneless) to guests and ¼ pound per serving when I’m making it for meal prep and using it in recipes.
Event and Time of Day
You also have to think about the type of event and the time of day.
For early afternoon gatherings, guests might have lighter appetites, but for dinner events, guests may have heartier appetites.
Lastly, think about whether you want to have leftovers.
Pulled pork that has been left over can be kept in a container that won’t let air in, frozen well, and used in many recipes.
Check out this post to learn exactly how to store and freeze leftover pulled pork.
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How Much Pulled Pork Do You Need To Feed A big Group
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