How much food do I prepare...

The Happy Wolf · Joined: 13 May 2008 Posts: 24

I am smoking ribs and pulled pork for my church on the fourth. There will be approximately 100 people there. I am just doing the meat. The sides will be "covered dish". This is the first time that I have done a cook of this size. Any advice on how many racks of ribs (baby backs) and lbs. of butts to prepare?

tinovr · Posted: Jun 26 2009 Post subject:

similar situation.. 80 adults and 40 kids for Labor day... I was planning on 6 butts and 12 racks of ribs.

my thought process..
100 people at 1/4 lb/per is 25 lbs of cooked pork. Butts are around 8 lb with 50% or 4 lb yield, so 25/4 = ~6 butts

100 people at 2 ribs pp, = 200 ribs.. 1 rack BBs is about 13 ribs so 200/13 = 15+ racks.. I have 2 WSMs.. I think I can only fit 12 racks max, if at all.

any other thoughts from the pro caterers out there.??
_________________
WSMx2, Genesis Silver B, & BabyQ

Doc1680 · Posted: Jun 26 2009 Post subject:

I'm with tinovr on the PP. 50# of raw will give you 25# of cooked. Enough for 100 4oz. sandwiches.

We differ on the ribs though. I do 12 bone St. louis cuts. Seeing that you're doing two meats I do agree with a 2 bone portion. That's 6 ppl per slab. So 17 slabs will do the trick.

If you're pretty sure 100 will show then expect a few more and cook a little more. Say throw on one or two more slab(s) and buy your butts so that it comes out to about 55# of raw. That's just my $.02.

Good luck and remember to give us the play-by-play if you have time.
_________________
Love the voodoo that Q do.

Doc

The Happy Wolf · Joined: 13 May 2008 Posts: 24

Thanks guys. This makes me feel good. You suggestions are right at what I was thinking. I apreciate it.