# How much to charge per pound of smoked pork butt.



## devils choice

I've done small parties in the passed for friends, A friend's uncle asked me to smoke pork butt  for his party, he also said for me to name my price. I don't want to rape him, but I also don't want to take a loss as well.  I've gone on the internet to see what people charge per pound. Most people get 8  to 12 dollars a pound, now the question I have would  be, is that price the cost of the meat and smoking it? or is that just smoking it and they pay for the meat?  If anyone has comments on this please pass it on thanks.

I've attached a pic from my friends wedding 11 9.5 pounds pork butt.


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## themule69

I would charge $10.00 per LB cooked weight. That is for the meat only.

Happy smoken.

David


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## polishmeat

A reputable BBQ joint by me charges $10.95/lb for pulled pork.  The only reason I know that is because the mother in law was thinking of purchasing it for a party, before I talked her into me doing it for her.   

You'd want to be in that general range 8-12, but that takes everything into consideration (your time, meat, fuel,rehydration(beer,etc))


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## eman

when you charge by the Lb. Usually you buy the meat and smoke it and sell it by the Lb.

 Remember Butts loose about 30% weight when smoked an pulled.

 So a 3 oz portion for 50 people would be 150 oz finished product. or  200 oz of raw meat.


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## kathrynn

Folks around my parts charge $8-9.00 per pound...but that is not restaurants....these are folks that smoke at home and compete.

Kat


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## fusion smoke

I think it depends on where you live and your fixed expenses. We ln California and run a 40 ft Southern Yankee custom mobile kitchen with a Southern Yankee rotisserie smoke. We only burn black oak and buy it by the cord every time we can get it. We also burn diesel to run the rig. We smoke pork butt for 14 hours, so there is a time consideration. We charge $14 a lb and only one person mentioned it was high but when I point out the cost of processed meat at the deli counter it made since to them...repeat customer.


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## hardcookin

There really is no money be made with just doing 1-2 pork butts. You make your money cooking bulk.
Charge the guy what you feel comfortable with.


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## smokebuzz

Kinda tricky if your weighing after cooked/shredded/sliced, unless you just use an average loss after cooking weight, moisture, bone, so on...

I always done the X2 on butts, and X3 on briskets, of purchased prices. they  got it unsliced or pulled. Chicken, i cook for beer..


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## griz400

I cooked for 60 people at work before, for a Saturday lunch, I smoked 6 butts,bought 8, froze 1, and 1 for us, got case price at sams club, I smoked 10 whole chickens, made baked beans , A real large aluminum tray full of griz;s beans, made the same large tray of wife;s cole slaw,provided bbq sauce and 8 dozen rolls for pulled pork ..got chickens for 9.00 for 2 at sams, I got a check for 475.00, and made like 300.00, also provided aluminum trays and foil, ended up with leftover pans, leftover foil, 1 butt for us, and had a lot of fun, but, this being said, ... a 12:00 lunch, butts all took 8 hrs, 5 smoked and 3 wrapped in hot box, soon as I wrapped the butts,chickens went on, and beans, ... we started at midnight, and was anticipating a stall, but an 8 hr smoke usually puts my butts done at an 8 hr range when I wrap em and put in hot box..We cut chickens in 6 pieces each, leg quarter with thigh, then wing and partial breast, and then 3/4 breast ....


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## kerstingm

hardcookin said:


> There really is no money be made with just doing 1-2 pork butts. You make your money cooking bulk.
> Charge the guy what you feel comfortable with.



I am just getting into selling fully smoked and pulled butts, briskets and now I've been asked what I would charge for smoked turkeys. 
As you mentioned I would make my money on several butts, briskets,  or turkeys on the grill versus one or two. As mentioned above I don't want to rape anyone,  but I also need to make a profit also


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## noboundaries

I have no catering experience, but I've cooked and smoked meat for groups of 25-50, always donated. Let's figure rough costs. You can play with the numbers anyway you want and adjust as needed.

6 butts x 10 lbs each x $2/lb = $120 cost.
20 lbs charcoal @ 50 cents / lb = $10 cost
32 oz homemade rub @ $1 / oz = $32 cost
8 wood chunks = $5 cost
Total out of pocket = $167.
20 hours of pre-smoke prep, smoking time, and post-smoke prep at $15 / hour = $300.
Total $467.
Finished meat weight = 40 lbs, or $11.68 per finished pound.

Hmmm, interesting.

Edit: Forgot finishing sauce I always provided. Call it $12 / lb.


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## Danno44

I spent my 35 year career involved with manufacturing/import/export and/or distribution.
Standard selling pricing of anything is 3x total cost of what’s called Cost of Good Sold.  So as an example, COGS is your cost of meat, wood/fuel, pans, gloves, seasoning/sauces, buns and then your time, not to mention wear/tear on equipment as well as clean up for starters.
If word gets out that you turn out great Q, it won’t take long and you will be getting calls and if you start out pricing too low, a hobby to make a few bucks could turn into an expensive lesson.
So many businesses fail because they under price their stuff “just to get their name out there”.  Big mistake for many reasons.
Now if it was close family member, I’d probably go as low as 2x COGS.  And if this friend of your uncle is someone you know then “maybe” get family discount, but likely I would go 3x.
Good luck!


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## hardcookin

kerstingm said:


> I am just getting into selling fully smoked and pulled butts, briskets and now I've been asked what I would charge for smoked turkeys.
> As you mentioned I would make my money on several butts, briskets,  or turkeys on the grill versus one or two. As mentioned above I don't want to rape anyone,  but I also need to make a profit also


I would say $50 a turkey including the price of the bird.
As mentioned doing bulk is where you make your money.
Do them by the dozen.


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