Quantity question!

[kinyo]

A quick question for you guys,

I was asked to do a pulled pork sandwich dinner for my wife's family annual party.

There will be 30 adults & 10 kids. I'm also planing on doing fresh Italian sausages (probably 50 of them).

How many pounds of raw pork butt do you think I need? I never did a meal for that many people!

Also How many sandwich buns do you think I need to buy?

Thanks a lot for you help. 

Kinyo

[SoCalBuilder]

Kinyo, you are a brave soul! I might try to pull this off for a bunch of my buddies, but my wife's....Thanks, but no thanks! Anyway, I can't be much help on how much pork you would need, but I know that I always worry about not having enough food. I always have those disposable tupperware things in hand to send home leftovers. I would think that two buns per person should be safe. There are those delicate eaters that will just need one and then the ones with the hollow legs that will power thru three. Are the sausages something that they might put on a bun?

This probably isn't of much help, but I look forward to the pics of the final spread.

Goos luck!

[KyNola]

Kinyo,
Let's assume 30 pounds of raw butt. You will lose approximately 35% of the raw weight when cooked.  That equates to 19.5 pounds of cooked meat.  Assume 4 ounces of meat per sandwich, that equates to 78 sandwiches.  Should be plenty for 30 adults and 10 kids, especially when coupled with those sausages I would think.  Might even have a little left over. 

[FLBentRider]

Question:

Are you hot smoking the sausages?

I figure 50% raw-to-cooked weight loss for pork butt. The actual figure is 40-45%, but I don't like to run out.

When you mention kids, (picky) 4-5 year olds or 17 year old boys. That will make a big difference. If its little kids, I figure 50% of adult portion.

I usually calculate at least 1/4lb cooked per person (when serving on a bun, if on a tight budget you could go to 1/3lb), so we need at least 35 servings x 4oz = ~8lbs of pulled pork *1.5 = 16lbs of raw pork butt. That is the minimum I would cook. I'd probably do 20lbs and have leftovers.

[squirtthecat]

And get the smaller buns..   Slider sized.  That will make the pork go farther. (more leftovers for you to enjoy  ;))

I get ones called 'dollar rolls'.  They look like a dinner roll, but are round.

[GusRobin]

Yeah I would go with 20 lbs - better to have leftovers. Either case at least assume 50% loss between raw and cooked. That is what I experienced.

[kinyo]

Thanks for the great advises guys!

I think I'll go with 3 butt of approx 8# & keep the left over for myself.  ;)

FLBentRider, the sausages will not be smoked. They'll be done on the gas grill. 

Thanks again & will post the pictures when I'll start cooking this project.

Kinyo