How much pulled pork for 15 people
Short answer
Buy 4.5 kg (10 lb) of raw pork shoulder for 15 people. That yields about 2.25 kg (5 lb) of pulled pork, or 150 g a head — a generous sandwich each with a little to go round again.
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Your results
Raw pork shoulder to buy
4.5 kg (9.9 lb)
Cooked pulled pork
2.3 kg (5.0 lb)
Buns
23
Approximate smoking time
13 h 14
Pork shoulder loses about half its weight. Some of that is the bone, some is fat that renders out over eight hours, and a lot of it is water leaving as steam. Buying 2.25 kg because that is what you want to serve is the single most common way a party runs out of pork.
One shoulder or two? A 4.5 kg butt is a normal single cut and will cook as one piece, but two 2.25 kg halves cook in about two thirds of the time and give you twice as much bark, which is the best part. If your smoker has the room, two is the better answer.
Fifteen people at 150 g each is a main-course portion. If pulled pork is one of two meats, or the table is heavy on sides, 125 g a head is plenty and 3.75 kg raw will do it. If it is the only thing and people are building big sandwiches, go to 175 g and buy 5.25 kg.
Around it you want twenty buns for fifteen people, about a litre of sauce, and a kilo of slaw. Slaw is not decoration on a pulled pork sandwich — the acid and the crunch are what stop the third bite tasting the same as the first.
Related questions
How long does 10 lb of pork shoulder take to smoke?
About 15 hours at 225°F as one piece, or 10 hours as two halves. Add an hour of rest either way, and start early — the stall does not keep to a schedule.
Can I make pulled pork the day before?
Yes, and it reheats well — better than most barbecue. Pull it, mix in the rendered juices, cool it, then warm it covered with a splash of stock or apple juice.
How many buns for 15 people?
Twenty. People come back for a second half-sandwich more often than they take a second full one, and buns are the cheapest thing on the table to over-buy.