Cooking for about 20-25 people. How much food?

[FishInTheDesert]

So preparing for my first "big" cook for a family gathering on sunday....and im starting to get nervous! lol I dont wanna run out of food...unacceptable! I want people to be stuffed when they leave!

So far here is the menu:

Meat-----16.74# Brisket Pre-Trim
2-5# racks of spare ribs (still need to trim)

Sides----BBQ style frank and beans
Potato salad
Nachos/Chile con Queso


Im thinking for sure 20 people....but likely will have 25(maybe another 1 or 2) stop in. How much food should I be making for that many people? Im wondering wether I should go with another rack or 2 of ribs.....figure 2-3 slices of brisket and 2 ribs per plate? Wondering if I should go 2 racks of ribs.....or just go with a pork butt for pulled pork sandwiches. I figure if I go pull pork ill definitely have enough....but not sure I wanna do brisket, ribs and pork....just seems like a lot to run on my little smoker (masterbuilt MES 40)....PLUS im gonna be running mesquite for the brisket....might have to compromise with oak or hickory (dont wanna cuz I LOVE mesquite on brisket) if I do all 3 tho since I hear mesquite is no good on other things?

Let me know smokingmeat family! Super excited for this opportunity to cook for a lot of people!

 

[dcecil]

I think your good on the brisket, I usually figure 1/2 pound per person. Using your math sounds like you will need two more racks of ribs. One thing I always do make sure to get the sausage going as a starter. Everyone loves sausage right off the grill and that will put a dent in there appetite Plus it gives them a sample of the Q and they wont be bugging you lol. As far as the sides go I go over board because its cheap and I can eat on it the rest of the week if theres left overs for lunch and dinner. Well thats my 2 cents. Hope there was something helpful in there .

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

I’d throw another 2 racks of ribs and a 8-9 lb pork butt on just to be safe.

If you want people stuffed pulled pork is the cheapest easiest way to do it and if they don’t eat it all it’s good leftovers.

I’ve done that much in my mes40 at once but if you are concerned you can do the butt in advance.

Just my opinion. Good luck!

 

[young j]

When I serve a lot of people I think its always safe to buy too much than to not have enough. In your case I do think it would be challenging to add a pork butt on top of ribs and brisket, so Id either suggest to get some more ribs or serve an appetizer that would help fill people up before all the foods served.

 

[FishInTheDesert]

So heres the new plan....and I took a little from all your advice! thanks!

Taking out the ribs and going pulled pork. Deciding against ribs....cuz I think I really need 3 or 4 more for everyone to be happy. Id hate to tell people they can ONLY have 2 ribs...or have an extra couple people show up and not have enough. Pulled pork will be cheaper (helps the decision, but not the deciding factor), and theres the bread for them to help fill people up...even if the sandwiches are loaded with meat, I think it will go far.

Going an appetizer type route too, and gonna add some sausage. will likely be smoked but will be grilled if theres no room in the smoker. Prolly do at least 5 packages. Definitely gonna have plenty of sides too...and some cornbread!

We usually do a self serve type thing...well we are mexican so the moms will get up and serve the plates...but i think i will serve the plates to control the food more. Im planning on buying those styrofoam plates with the entree+2 sides divided up in the plate. 2-3 pieces of sausage, 2 slices of brisket (would 1 be too little, thinking it has to be 2 minimum), pulled pork on bottom bun so they can sauce or pickle themselves....ALL on the entree side so its pretty loaded up...then a healthy scoop of potato salad and a nice scoop of beans. Top it with a piece of cornbread and give them a self serve nacho bowl.

What do you all think about that plan? I think ill just have enough food to get by if I get a good size butt and the 16# brisket. The sausage, sides and cornbread should make a pretty filling plate I think. Its a family gathering.....but thats gotta be a $10-15 plate at a BBQ joint and that should be more than enough to stuff someone pretty good...right? Thats kinda how im thinking about it cuz I spend about that much when I go to Dicky's and I think I get less there and never usually finish it

 

[gmc2003]

I think your better off going with PP instead of ribs(more bang for the buck) plus PP can be done the day before.

If your also doing appetizers here's a couple that are usually a hit at our parties.

Pork shots:
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/pork-shots.276391/

and

Moinks:
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/moinks.276989/

Chris

 

[FishInTheDesert]

Status update! Thank you all for the help!

So ran into some MAJOR...MAJOR roadblocks. So much so, that I thought i F@&K'ed it up and ruined a family get together! Like I was feeling bad the last 6 or so hours of the cook! lol

My MES40 can NOT handle that much meat...at least not in the winter! I ended up running 2 pork butts, about 7 and 8 pounds and 1 16# pretrim brisket. Im used to my smoker starting real slow....like it will max out under 225 for the first hour or 2 of a smoke....so far hasnt been a problem beside prolonging cook time.

This time it almost cost me big time! Smoker temp started at 178 for about 20 minutes, before it started climbing into the low 180s.....but it would not go anywhere near 200! I ended up smoking the first 3-4 hours hovering below 220. After about hour 4 I got into the low 200s. It was bouncing between 190-205 another few hours.

So you can imagine what my IT was like on the meats. Im just thankful I was able to get it to rise steadily past the danger zone. About 9 hours in, and ONLY 1 butt wrapped....the heat in the smoker was not rising and neither were IT of the brisket or the bigger butt (wrapped one was slow too but thats expected since it hit 165 and was in a stall). this was at about 6am.....family was coming over at 2pm. I knew I was not gonna have the food ready if left in the smoker.

So I pulled the trigger and went sac-religious....I finished the bigger butt and brisket in the oven!!!!! I removed the brisket first, put it in a roaster pan and foil wrapped. In that few minutes it took....the smoker temp had risen a few degrees. Then removed the bigger butt and put in roaster pan and foil wrapped. Once both of those bigger pieces of meat was out....the smoker temp hit 225. Ended up cranking it to about 250 the last 4 hours or so and finished the small butt in the smoker.

I pretty much thought i had ruined the meat and the texture and prolly taste would be garbage.....WRONG! Gotta love the TEXAS CRUTCH! Ran 100% mesquite pellets on my AmazeN pellet tray, and went double smoke (lit both ends)....brisket was perfectly smokey....and SURPRISINGLY, (cuz it was a gamble on my part since everywhere I read said no)the butts were GREAT with mesquite! I always toss a little ACV and apple juice in my butt wrap...really balances and mellows the mesquite!

Everything was tasty as can be, and VERY moist thanks to the wraps! I got mad at my family cuz a few of them came in and were taking pictures of me when I was slicing....they were in aww of all the juice! Bark was good on the brisket too except for the bottom part that sitting in some juice from the pan. All was well, and thank you all for your words cuz I took a little from each of you. Ill look up those appetizers for next time GMC, didnt get to them this time!

 

[FishInTheDesert]

the amount of meat was spot on! at least 25 people came....and prolly just under 30 were here. Only had about 4 slices of brisket left and about 1/3 of pork butt! just enough to hold us over till i put my bird in on thursday!!! gotta love smoking!