One of the biggest problems before large gatherings and parties is making all the right purchases. Time and time again, you end up with surplus food, beverages, and so on. On the other hand, you definitely don’t want to run out of anything.
Pulled pork is particularly tricky in this respect. And you’ll definitely want to nail the right amount here. So, how much pulled pork per person do you need?
Why Is Pulled Pork So Tricky?
Look, even if you’re trying to calculate how much beer you require for a gathering, you’re going to have a rough time. The more people you invite, the more questions arise. Does he drink beer? Which beer does she prefer? How much do they need?
People are different in this respect. Some will sip a 7-ouncer for hours, while others will chug half a gallon in 45 minutes.
But what does pork have to do with beer? Well, beer is fairly simple. With pulled pork, there’s both the question of the amount as well as the preparation. An ounce of beer is an ounce of beer. Ten pounds of bone-in-butt pork, however, yields 5 lbs. of pulled pork.
The Rule(s) of Thumb
Generally, you don’t buy your pork pre-cooked. The entire point of your gathering, or a large portion of it, is the barbecue itself.
Everyone loves outside barbecues. Good fun in the sun, some beer, and freshly prepared meals. Now, if you’re a meat connoisseur and a fan of pork, chances are that you’ve already started salivating from reading this.
But the main problem with barbecues is calculating how much to make. This is often done on a pound-per-head basis. However, if you’ve ever been a part of a barbecue, you know that the raw meat never equals the prepped meat in weight.
The Main Rule of Thumb
The main rule of thumb to keep in mind is that cooked pulled pork tends to end up half the weight of its raw “predecessor.” So, you’re looking at the final product.
If you get 40 lbs. of raw pork, you’re looking at roughly 20 lbs. of pulled pork. Unfortunately, this is way more complicated than you might think, depending on the raw meat type. But more on this later. The first rule of thumb is: Make an educated guess on the pulled pork weight.
The Second Rule of Thumb
The other rule of thumb pertains to how much a person will eat. Now, this will vary, and you absolutely have to generalize, especially with large gatherings. On average, however, a single cooked pulled pork pound is enough to feed three people. So, to get to that magic number, take your guest list, make a headcount, and divide the guest number by three.
This is the number of pounds of cooked pulled pork you’ll need. Still, we’re talking about prepped pork. You still need to take into account the first rule of thumb. Plus, you need to consider the fact that the first rule of thumb isn’t set in stone.
The Final Rule of Thumb
The final factor to consider is second helpings — how many of your guests will ask for more? All of which is difficult to calculate. Still, ending up with an overwhelming surplus of pulled pork will eventually lead it to the trash can, which is both ecologically and economically irresponsible.
The best way to go, once you have a pretty much exact number of pounds of cooked pulled pork that you need, would be to add about 10-20% to it, just to be safe. Anything more than this will leave you with a lot of waste.
What About Kids?
Imagine a barbecue without kids. Not a problem? If that’s the kind of barbecue you’re planning great, feel free to skip this part, as it will only further confuse matters for you.
But if there are kids invited, you’re in for more calculations. Yep, it’s a pain in the butt. Still, you need to keep everyone satisfied.
You may hear people say that their kids eat a lot, or you may even think that your kid does likewise, but this isn’t generally so. Children simply eat less than adults. Typically, they tend to eat half the amount of the average adult. Some kids even eat two-thirds of the amount. So, before diving into math, here’s a bit of cool advice: Don’t calculate in bulk. This will only complicate things. Set aside the adult guests from the children when making calculations.
As mentioned, three adults will eat a pound of cooked pulled pork on average. Go ahead and make that calculation. Now, take a list of the children that are going to attend your grill, and do the same calculation as you did for the adults. Now, you could take the amount in pounds and count half of it for the children. But, to be on the safe side, multiply that number by 2/3.
What About the People Who Don’t Eat Pork?
There are vegans, there are vegetarians, but there are also people who don’t eat pork for religious reasons. If you fail to include them in the equation, you’re going to end up with a lot of surplus meat. Plus, they’re going to end up hungry.
There isn’t some magic formula here – you simply have to count out the people who won’t eat pork here. But what if you don’t know who doesn’t eat what? Well, find out. It’s much better to call the people you aren’t sure about and ask them directly, than assume, and end up with a failed barbecue.
Plate vs. Sandwich
Pulled pork is an immensely tasty delicacy that, if prepared correctly, simply melts in your mouth. Whilst you wouldn’t eat a burger without a bun, pulled pork can actually work as a plate dish. But the question of serving may seem a tad overwhelming. Should you go with sandwiches? Are plate-served portions better? Should you do both? How much time will that take?
Luckily, however, the solution is extremely straightforward — let the guests decide on the spot. How do you go about it? You allow them to make their own meals. All you need to do is provide them with buns, some sauces, and voila! Serve the pulled pork meat inside large dishes with all the necessary silverware and serve the buns separately. Your guests will make their own meals.
This is also a great thing for non-pork eaters. They’ll take their buns and add the other options you prepared for them.
Here’s another idea. Don’t limit your barbecue to plates and buns. Consider offering tortillas, for example. They’re easy to make on the spot and many people prefer these over buns. If you want to, you can add instructions for those who’ve never made them before – it’s simple and great fun.
Other Considerations
Unfortunately, things aren’t that simple all the way through. Here are some things to keep in mind.
Other Dishes
It’s all fine and dandy when you’re planning a barbecue that’s all about pulled pork in terms of meat. However, what about the side dishes? Maybe you plan on serving some fries. Maybe you plan on making burgers or some hot dogs, as well. The best rule of thumb to abide by here would be to divide all types of main dishes equally. Still, we’re talking about pulled pork here, there are similar capacity limits for other meat and food types to think about.
Time of Day
Are you making dinner or lunch? You may find it logical that the dinner portions are going to be smaller. Well, maybe that’s the healthy way to go about things, but barbecue is rarely about healthy options. Dinner portions, in fact, tend to be bigger than lunch portions. So, if you’re serving pulled pork during lunchtime, maybe go with a pound per four people instead of three.
Event Type
No, we aren’t talking about whether it’s a birthday or a random gathering. We’re talking about whether you’re planning on making a poolside party or a sit-down dinner. If you’re planning on making a cookout that’s in a bit more of an active setting, lower the amount of food necessary for it. Now, this doesn’t have to involve a pool. If you’re outside and people are mostly standing, they’ll no doubt be more interaction.
When sitting down, however, people are more likely to eat more and even go for seconds. So, keep this in mind, as well.
How Much Raw Pork to Buy?
Wait, didn’t we already answer this question? Well, remember when we talked about various raw pork types? Yes, as it turns out, this makes for a big difference. For instance, a bone-in-butt 10-pounder yields around 5 lbs. of pulled pork.
On the other hand, 10 lbs. of boneless loin yields around 9 lbs. of pulled pork. Here’s more about the three main types of pork used in making pulled pork: Boston butt, picnic shoulder, or pork loin.
Pork Loin
Pork loin is a leaner meat cut and has much less fat than, say, pork shoulder. Commonly, you’ll find pork loin in the form of pork chops. This is because pork loin comes from the back of the animal, and you have the option to buy it boneless. Clearly, the simplest way to make pulled pork is to go with pork loin. It’s leaner than other choices, but it all comes down to your taste.
As mentioned before, 10 lbs. of boneless loin will land you with 9 lbs. of pulled pork, which makes pork loin the best budget choice for a large gathering.
Boston Butt
Boston butt, or pork butt, doesn’t actually come from the animal’s butt. The pork’s butt is called ham. Boston butt is a part of a pig’s shoulder. Pork butt is the most common form of pork meat. It’s located above the shoulder blade and is quite fatty. If you prefer your pulled pork to be on the fatty side, Boston butt is an excellent choice. Still, expect the weight of the raw Boston butt to half.
Picnic Shoulder
The picnic shoulder is also a bone-in type of pork meat. It will take roughly the same time to strip off bones as the Boston butt would, and the cooked meat yield is roughly the same. However, the picnic shoulder is significantly cheaper than the butt. This doesn’t mean that the meat isn’t quality. If properly cooked, it brings a lot of flavor and meaty texture to the table.
The Picnic shoulder can stand up to smoke for a long time – much longer than Boston butt. It’s still pretty much a matter of preference, though. Well, unless you’re looking to make your barbecue quickly.
Pulled Pork Tips
To finish things off, we present you with a couple of useful pulled pork tips.
Season Before Cooking
You don’t need a lot — some salt and pepper will do. These basic spices will bring out the true pork flavor. If you prefer a sweeter taste, add some brown sugar. If you want it spicier, add red pepper flakes. In any case, do it before cooking.
Don’t Undercook
Of course, overcooking isn’t ideal, but it’s much better to overcook than to undercook pulled pork. In fact, when compared to other pork cooking styles, pulled pork should be a little overcooked.
Add Coleslaw
Whether you’re enjoying pulled pork on a plate or in a bun, coleslaw can do wonders for both the taste and crunchy texture. Plus, the coleslaw’s tanginess goes hand-in-hand with barbecue sauce. And, of course, you’re going to add barbecue sauce to a pulled pork serving.
Don’t Be Afraid of Toasting the Bun
Here’s an idea, why don’t you toast the bun before serving? It will add to the general crunchiness and make for a tasty, tasty dish.
The Art of Pulled Pork
Pulled pork is the perfect idea to help spice up that barbecue gathering. Still, as you’ve seen, there are many factors to take into account here. From the type of meat to the serving techniques, there are many factors to consider. Don’t be afraid of experimenting with your pulled pork barbecues. You aren’t likely to fail with such a mouth-watering dish.