Smoking for the crowd...

[mow_delon]

Hey all, I have a party comming up on the 18th of June and got nominated to make the meat.  Gonna make pulled pork butts.  Expecting 40-50 people.  This will probably be the only meat on the menu and I do not have to worry about any vegitarians being around (read this as lots of big guys and lots of big eaters).  How do you decide how many pounds of butt to smoke?  I really don't want to run out and even though I know how good left overs are, I don't really want to freeze a bunch of left overs, since someone else is supplying the butts (a little is ok, though, for the trouble).

Thanks for any info!

[Quarlow]

One of the guys who does large crowds worth of pork butt should be along soon. They have it down pat as to how much to cook.

[FLBentRider]

Figure 50% loss in weight from raw to cooked. It's closer to 45%, but 50 is easier to figure and leaves you a little wiggle room.

For big eaters I usually figure 1lb raw per person, that will give an 8oz cooked portion (2 4oz sammies) to each person.

I would do about 50lbs of raw pork. A four rack Bradley will only hold ~30lbs of pork - about 4 butts, and you may have to finesse them in there.

I would then FTC, pull and bag, repeat until you have your 25lbs of pulled pork. It will take at least 2 sessions, maybe three.

If I wanted to get all the butts done as quick as possible, I would smoke 4 for 4 hours, then move them to the oven and put four more in the Bradley. I cook them to an IT of 195-200F

I reheat in a crock pot or covered foil pan in an oven, with a splash of Vaunted vinegar.

An alternative to freezing the leftovers is to offer 1lb bags to your guests.

[KyNola]

'Nuff said.  FLBR has your back on this!

[beefmann]

50 lbs or so raw and allowing for  shrinkage and flb has you  set  right

[ghost9mm]

Hey!!! when you do this, keep notes and take lots of pictures, we like pictures... :D Oh !!! and good luck..