Need help with Pulled pork for 50 people

[ptcgator]

Need some help from the experts.....I am new to the forums.

Have a graduation party this coming week and need to smoke enough pulled pork for 40-50 people.  Here is my crazy math that I found on the forums.....

50 X 8oz = 400oz / 16 = 25lbs

25lbs /.5 % yield = 50lbs Raw Butts (includes built in 10% buffer)

Do the above numbers look right?

I have a MES30.....has anyone done that much meat in one of those before?  Will if fit...and still get decent airflow... assuming I am using 8-9lbs Butts?

I have heard several different variants.....so what do you suggest?  225 and 1.5 hrs per\lb?  Should I use the largest of the Butts and use calculation above and add 20% time?

I have also seen some people suggesting using 250 and\or cooking for several hours and finishing in the oven..

Any advice is much appreciated.

John

 

[SmokinAl]

8 oz per person is an awful lot of meat, especially if you have sides.

I usually figure 1/4 -1/3 pound per person, so at that rate you would need 12-17 lbs. cooked.

Which would be 24 to 34 pounds of raw butt.

So I would think that 4-8lb. butts would be more than enough for 50 people.

I don't have a MES 30, so I can't comment on if 4 butts would fit in it.

But at 225 I would figure about 2 hours per pound of the largest butt.

So if they are all around 8 pounds then about 16 hours cooking time should do it.

Good luck!

Al

 

[3montes]

Al's got ya covered. I usually figure 5 ounces per sandwich when there are other sides and a second meat. I always have left overs. Pulled pork goes a long way.

 

[chef jimmyj]

That calculation is my math. I have been catering over 20 years. That figure of 8 oz portions is for a single protein as a plated meal. Think about it...Do you go to a steak house and order a 5 oz steak? Yes 5 oz is plenty for sandwiches if you are doing pork, burgers and dogs. But if the grad party includes 17-18 year old teens, pulled pork is the only protein, your family are big eaters and Aunt Jose expects to take some home, you are going to need more than 4-5 oz. Five Butts are going to be a bit tight in a MES and still have good convection to cook fast and evenly. Pulled Pork reheats well so you can do three and two if you need all that meat. Congrats to the graduate and have fun...JJ

 

[jokensmoken]

My experience after smoking butts for two events of about 45-50 folks for 3 summers in a row now is:
One 8 lb butt per 12 people and I've usually got just enough left over for a couple sammies the next day.
But Chef Jimmy is right...if you've got a lot of hungry teens you might want one more butt to be safe. Or some really good sides so they graze on a little of everything. Just my 2¢.
Good luck and congrats to the grads.

Walt