Large Cookout question

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ngasmokehead

Fire Starter
Original poster
Jun 27, 2009
73
12
Cartersville, GA
Okay guys and gals........Planning to smoke some shoulders for a large gathering next month and need to know, roughly, how much to order. Numbers are not finalized yet, but at most, it would be 50 people (we hope!). So, that being said, if we need to plan on 50 folks coming, any ideas on how much pork shoulder we need? Taking into account lost weight during cooking.....

Thanks in advance!!
 
50% loss I do 1/4 lb per bun but we like the stuff, I have put less on when running low
 
I serve a third of a lb per person. Butts loss is about 50 %. So for a 10 lb fresh figure 5lb finished or 15 people. You can do the math from there but with sides a third of a lb is plenty.
 
Id do 40-50 lbs or 5-6 butts. You will have leftovers but thats what you have the foodsaver for
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We get that from about 40 pounds of Butt, Pulled and stocked (1 can of good chicken stock per 1/2 tray works for us) we usually get 1 - 1/2 tray full with 1 1/2 8 -9 pound butts. 1 - 1/2 tray at 6 pounds of meat will easily do 25 people.
 
Not to disagree but 3 7lb will yeild 10.5lbs of cooked. 50people times 4oz per person = 200oz or 12.5lbs of meat. 4oz is a minimal. if you figure 6oz per person that would be 300oz or 18.75lbs of cooked product. At 18.75 lbs cooked you would need 37.5lbs or just over 5 7lb butts.

If my math is not correct please feel free to correct me. To sum it up 2-3 7lb butts will NOT be enough to feed 50 people.

5butts at 7lbs will yield 17.5lbs of meat. If the minimal of 4oz is used you will have about 5lbs of meat left which is not a freezer full.
 
Thanks for your replies guys. Very helpful as usual. We'll probably plan on 40 lbs of shoulder to be safe. We will have several young men there that will surely put away some food if history is a good indicator.

Again, thank you for all your help!!
 
Since I'm smoking for friends and not profit I figure 1/2 lb per person cooked weight and know I'll have enough I often have some big eaters. I'd rather have leftovers and know everyone had all they wanted
 
Maybe I have been spoiled by my new to me Lang, but I haven't seen anywhere near that much loss in a butt anymore. I cooked 16lbs for 32 people (not gluttons, but hungry folks) and we barely got into the second butt. Too many variables to advise this accurately.
 
can be a hard question to answer, a lot depends on age bracket, elderly people will not require as much, as with kids. some people are petite eaters and some can be hearty appetites, I'd go the safe route and go between @ 35 to45 lbs. leftovers always freeze well in foodsaver for later. also 50 people are planned but sometimes they dont show, had that happen several times, just some ideas.
 
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