Rookie meat question....Please help soon!

[that one guy]

Hi, I have my first "catering" gig this weekend, and the person whom I'm doing it for has requested a lunch of brisket and pulled pork for sandwiches. My wife and I have racked our brains over this for the past month, we've used the So Ezzy's calculator, and now a day away from the event, my "client" is beginning to wonder if we're cooking enough meat. According to the calculator, we have more than enough. I could really use some expertise! Thank you in advance for all of your help...Here's what we're planning: People: 80 Briskets: Approximately 40# uncooked (4 ten # packers) Boston Butt: Approximately 32# uncooked. (4 butts) We bought a lot more that I was just planning on freezing, so if we need extra, we can do it. We were figuring on approx. 5.33 oz per sandwich. I know you guys can put our minds @ ease! P.S. They also know that not everyone will get pork and not everyone will get brisket....but they wanted it split. / message

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[bpopovitz]

I plugged these numbers into So-ezzys calc and got the following.80 people 2 meats assuming a 50% yield on the pork and a 60 % yield on the brisket I show the following lbs of "uncooked" meat required.

Pulled pork from boston butts - assume bone in - 49.70 lbs

Brisket - 41.42 lbs

I hope this helps

Remember to adjust your yield and servings per lb of meat

 

[jirodriguez]

Being generous on portions at 1/3 of a lb. per person everybody would probably get some brisket, but pork might be a little short. Figure you are going to loose approx. 40% of the weight once it is all cooked, so if you start with 40 lbs. you will end up with about 24 lbs. of finished product. If the crowd is are big eaters and take approx. 1/3 lb. each, you are looking at approx. 26.5 lbs. each of beef and pork needed.

If you wanted to play it safe do one or two more pork butts, that will give you some overflow capacity. A lot will depend on the make-up of the crowd, if it's high class adults you will end up probably closer to 1/4 lb. per person, blue collar family folk w/ kids will be closer to 1/3 lb. per person.

 

[bmudd14474]

I think Brisket is good but Butt I would add more. If everyone has a sandwich and brisket you would be in trouble with the amount of butt you have now.

 

[dforbes]

I think you may be cutting it a little close. I always do extra when doing catering jobs,  I would rather have some leftover than to run short. Remember those 80 people are 80 potential customers, you don't want to run short to save a few bucks.

 

[eman]

If the client wants more cooked then cook it. As long as they are paying for it all.

 

[alelover]

And if there are any leftovers... the better.

 

[pit 4 brains]

I read on another post about this same subject and the big question was, " who's eating?". Is this a birthday party, a bachelor party, etc..

Mostly men, 50/50 men & women adults, how many kids? My bro and I did a donation gig for a highschool football game and i figured 1/4 lb per serving for 200 people. We lost track of the plate count but we were right around 200 plates and had very little meat left when the crowd finnaly cleared. We had pulled pork, beef chuck and 3 pulled chickens.. I personally wouldn't cater brisket unles it was brisket alone and my price would be 6-8 bucks a person.. BYO potato salad..

 

[tom37]

Sorry, I'm a little late on this one but maybe it will help in the future.

For a wedding present I cooked for a reception.

They told me 120 people. I was told they were the hearty type so he bought, and forgive me I dont remember the exact numbers. But he picked up about 70 # each of pork butts and also whole packer brisket. The pulled pork after cooked, each one filled 1 gallon zip loc bag. And the brisket I cut to flat and point serving both. I made 20# cream corn and one of the large pans of Baked Beans.

Others brought pasta, potato, and some other goofy salads.

I dont think there was any way that there was more then 150 max but not for sure.

At the end of the night there was enough meat to fill exactly one quart size zip loc.

When the line started it took like 2 minutes and the large pan of each meat was gone. I was so not prepared to refill it that fast. We had the line waiting so I went out and told them 3 more minutes and they could gather the other food items while they waited. I heard in response ( I ain't moving till the meat comes out )

I hope things turned out good for ya.

 

[pandemonium]

anyone have a link to this soezzy calculator?

 

[pit 4 brains]

I found this with a Google search..

http://www1.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=387563&sid=16fefedca8a1cc9d55a27bce146a9877

 

[pops6927]

how did it all turn out?  Did you have enough, too much, just right?

 

[cliffcarter]

anyone have a link to this soezzy calculator?

Click on either .xls or .zip in the second sentence to download the planner

http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6531

 

[pandemonium]

I found this with a Google search..

http://www1.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=387563&sid=16fefedca8a1cc9d55a27bce146a9877

i also found that on google but i dont see the app?

 

[pandemonium]

Click on either .xls or .zip in the second sentence to download the planner

http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6531

thanks cliff

 

[pandemonium]

How do you enter different number to it? maybe its because i dont have the full version of excell?

 

[chainsaw]

how did it all turn out?  Did you have enough, too much, just right?

I would like to hear how it went as well
 

 

[that one guy]

Thank you guys for responding....The event was a great success. I got sincerely rave reviews and I hear that the BBQ was the talk of the afternoon (and throughout the next week!)--thankfully, cuz I was up all night smoking it. ; ) I expected 80, but there were over 100 and still quite a bit leftover.

The expectation from the client was that the guests would be getting a BBQ sandwich and sides...They had the choice of sliced brisket, chopped brisket, or pulled pork...They weren't getting a third of each  (but the servers were being VERY generous), so we ended up with (IMHO) a perfect amount when this thing was done.  I definitely found your responses to be helpful...You guys rock!  I should come back here more often.  Very helpful.

To be perfectly honest, the experience absolutely sucked until it was over....Now I can't wait to do another!

 

 

[cliffcarter]

How do you enter different number to it? maybe its because i dont have the full version of excell?

I just double clicked on the cell I wanted to change and the cursor appeared, hit backspace to clear the cell and add your #. It may be that it is not working because you don't have the full version. You might try logging on to Microsoft Open Office(it's free) and try opening it there.