# Graduation Party/Portion Size



## timh (Jun 18, 2018)

Had my daughter graduation party yesterday and going to post some learning experience. This is the first time I have cooked for this large of a crowd. 60 people reserved.
Let start off with the menu.
72 Buns(Costco)
Pulled pork
Pulled Chicken
Mac and Cheese(5lbs shells) GFS
Bake Beans(2- 7lb 8oz  cans) GFS
Cole Slaw (2-5lb bags of premix slaw) no dressing GFS
1/2 Sheet Cake(Costco)
Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce 1 gallon

I smoked 4 -8lb Boston Butts which yield out to 16lbs of cooked meat. Vacuum sealed in 1 pound and 4 pound packages and froze. I smoked 12 -5lb whole chickens and yield out 15 1/2 lbs of cooked meat. I laid all of it out Friday morning  in the bottom of the refrigerator for Sunday. All of it was thawed out besides the two 4lb packages of pulled chicken. I had to speed up the process.  Made the mac and cheese the day before and baked the day of the party. Made the cole slaw the day before also. Made the baked beans the same day of the party. Time for reheat of the mac and cheese, pulled pork and pulled chicken. I didnt know how much meat would fit inside of a full size pan or how long it would take to reheat the meat. I couldnt find many answers per pound at what temp. So here are the results that I am not happy with but you live and learn.

-Pulled Pork 12lbs to a full size pan should have stopped at 10lbs. Start temp was 225 f had to keep bumping up the temp to 400 f to get it done in 2.5 hrs. I think it would have took 4 hrs at 225 f to get it to 165 f IT.
- Pulled chicken, the same but started at 225 f went to 325 f to get it done in 2.5 hrs.
-Baked beans 4 hrs in the smoker at 250F. To get the consisted I wanted.
-Mac and cheese, uncovered for 1hr and covered for 2 hrs to get to 165IT.
Pulled pork was okay in the middle but burnt on the outside edges and bottom. Pulled chicken was okay but a little dry. Everybody commented on how they like everything(I think being nice) It was not my best pulled pork or chicken I have made in the past.
I had 40 people showed up to the party. I also provided left over take home boxes.
This is what I had left over.
1/2 lb of pulled pork.
8lbs of pulled chicken
1/2 of a pan of mac and cheese and baked beans.
3/4 of a pan of cole slaw.(not that many people like cole slaw I guess?
1/4 of a sheet cake
30 buns
1/2 gallon of BBQ sauce
Sorry no pictures I got side track and forgot to take them.
Did not heat the other 4lbs of pulled pork and chicken. Gave some of it away and still eating on the rest.


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## RiversideSm0ker (Jun 18, 2018)

I'm just impressed that you went for it with all of those people to serve. That's a lot of food for one person to try to wrangle. I'd recruit some assistance the next time around. Then again, I doubt that I would have the gumption to try cooking that much food for that many people. You are pretty damn awesome! Give yourself a pat on the back for the effort alone. Take care.

George


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## shawnc (Jun 18, 2018)

WOW, great job. Kinda wish I had this info prior to my sons grad party...ended up with 20 pounds of smoked BBQ shredded pork. But that is what freezers are for.


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## KrisUpInSmoke (Jun 18, 2018)

Goodness gracious! And ...now ...you need a vacation!


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## gmc2003 (Jun 19, 2018)

Nice job - that's quite the undertaking. 

Point for sure.

Chris


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## SmokinAl (Jun 19, 2018)

Nice work!
That is quite an undertaking!
Al


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## timh (Jun 19, 2018)

Thanks for all of the replies.


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