A few dumb questions (help please)

[fastalkintn]

I am cooking for around 15 people thursday and have a few questions:

1. I have 3 racks of baby backs and 2 shoulders(total of 14 pounds) plus sides, do you think this will be enough? Or should I only do 1 shoulder and get more ribs? I figure 3 or 4 ribs each plus sammie and sides should fill everyone up, am I wrong?
2. The rule of thumb is 1.5 hours per pound for pulled pork, so do I figure 1.5 x 14(total weight) or 1.5 x 7 (individual weight)? I know this is a general rule just trying to get an idea of how long.
3. When you do pulled pork in advance is it best to put the finishing sauce on when its fresh or when you re-heat it to serve? Usually I do pulled pork and cant stand the thought of not digging in that day so I've never tried it like this.

In the past, with crowds of 5-10 people, I always end up with way to much food and although left overs are geat it can cost a pretty penny to have to much extra.This is my biggest crowd yet, and just want to get it right. I will be doing the shoulders tuesday and then re-warming. The ribs and sides will be thursday. Thanks in advance for your help, I am sure you folks get worn out with questions like this.

 

[ron50]

First off, welcome to SMF. We don't get tired of questions like yours; that is one of the reasons we are here!


My recommendations are this:

14 lbs of shoulder means you will wind up with anywhere from 6 to 8 lbs of finished product. Rule of thumb is 1/4 to 1/3 lb per sammy. So you have enough for between 18 to 32 sammies depending on how much you wind up with and how much meat you use per sammy.

The ribs will work as long as you keep it to 3 ribs per person. That's a little on the small side as the bb ribs are kinda small. especially at the ends. I might throw in an extra rack but that's me and I usually have too many leftovers, lol.

I always add my finishing sauce right before I serve as it will break down the meat a little and I don't want it to get mushy.

Hope this helps and enjoy the Q!

 

[fastalkintn]

Thanks for the quick reply. I am just a little unsure this time because of the mix in menu. We do a cook out every 3rd thursday but it is usually a samller crowd and only 1 meat so I can guess that ok, but with the bigger crowd and mixed menu I'm just not sure of how much of each. Funny how word gets out and the crowd grows with warm weather.

 

[ron50]

I'm sure you will be fine. Nothing better then a big group of friends, some good food and a few adult beverages. Enjoy them all.

 

[smokin' joe]

Sounds like a great plan, depending on appetites you have plenty of food. As far as leftovers are concerned...Get a food saver or something similar and vac pac and freeze your leftovers, the pulled pork and ribs will freeze well but my guess is you wont have any leftover ribs. I always have leftovers and I offer them to my guests then freeze the rest.

I am a poet and didnt know it....lol

Enjoy your party!!!

 

[richtee]

Start early and wrap and cooler the butts. They'll be piping hot 4 hours later this way. Wrap in foil and a towel, and into a cooler.

 

[pyre]

1.5 x 7

You'd probably want to stagger your cook times. I wouldn't start the ribs the same time you start the shoulders.

 

[richtee]

Thanks Pyre...i'd have thought this obvious...but... I assume eh. Good point!

 

[pineywoods]

Think I might do another rack of baby backs. I usually put in a little finishing sauce when I pull my pork then more before reheating. Sounds like a good time good smokin and have fun

 

[fastalkintn]

wow, thanks to everyone for all the help. I am doing the shoulders on tuesday, and everything else on thursday. Last time I did a shoulder it took around 14 hours so I dont want to risk doing it thursday. I will prob do 1 more racks of ribs just to be on the safe side.

I am a paramedic and everyone coming over is people that I work with. Let me tell you EMS folks can be brutal on you when it comes to food so I want to make sure I get it right. As I said earlier, we do this every 3rd thursday and it started out with 6 people. As word has gotten out about the good times it has really gone. Think its time for a lang 60. My little vertical bbq grillware is getting smaller I think.

 

[bwsmith_2000]

Hey Fasttalkintn,
Don't want to confuse things because it sounds to me like you have some great advise and are well on your way to a great smoke. However, just some food for thought.......... last fall, I had the neighborhood over for pulled pork and ribs. In the process of getting everything together, I was over as Sam's. I found some boneless skinless chicken thighs. I got a tray of them (as I recall about three pounds or so) seasoned them up and smoked them just to be sure I had enough chow to go around. Those thighs were so easy to fix and they turned out great. They didn't upstage the butt or ribs but they came close. They're a great idea for a little something extra and they freeze well. Good luck with your buddies.

 

[fastalkintn]

Just wanted to thank everyone for all the help. Had everyone over last night and it went great. I wound up with just over 6 pounds of pulled pork and did 4 racks of baby backs, beans, corn on the cob, and pottato mix I make. Had 11 people show up, after everything was said and done we had 5 ribs left, about 1 pound of pulled pork, and a few sides. The ribs and pulled pork was a hit!!! Nothing lasted long enough for q-view, I guess thats a good sign. Once again thanks for all your help.

 

[pineywoods]

Great glad it came out good now write it down in your files so next time they decide it was so good you gotta do it again you can see how much you did.

You know your gonna have to do it again

 

[desertlites]

no q-view and it's sceptable that it really happened!

 

[fastalkintn]

We do this every 3rd Thursday. It started out with 5 people and gets bigger every time. Nobody will offer to do it at there house because I have the smoker! Think they are trying to tell me something