Large Cook - 300 People - Check My Math, Please!

[SmokinBourbon]

So I was voluntold... false, I volunteered because I like doing ridiculous things, to cook pulled pork for 300 people at a golf tournament.

Just want to run my math by you all and make sure I'm not overlooking something.

I have estimated 200lbs raw pork butt for this cook. Pork will be on standard buns (not the larger kaiser style rolls). Plenty of sides such as baked beans, green beans, mac and cheese, etc.

We estimate that 5-10% of the tournament participants won't show up for dinner, they'll just hit and run from the tournament.

Thoughts?

 

[SmokeOCD]

30% shrinkage, 1/4 to 1/3 lb per person. Should be more than enough even with seconds.

 

[Jim6820]

I agree. And, I applaud your courage to take this on. I’ve never cooked for a group that large and am not sure I would be up to it. Smoke on!

 

[Motodad1776]

Good on you, good luck and happy smoking!!

 

[SmokinBourbon]

Awesome! Thanks for the second look on those numbers. This is a fundraiser for a fire department that I've been a member of since 2004. I haven't been very active over the past 10 years or so after getting married and having kids. Just now starting have the time to help out with this sort of stuff again so I'm super stoked!

If I can remember I'll revive this thread when the cook is over and done with results and pictures. July 13th!

 

[RPopeilFan]

Might I suggest pre cooking and freezing in 2lb food saver bags. A turkey fryer pot full of rolling water for reheating. Mixing that with what comes out of the cooker cuts down on work.

 

[Smagnus]

You’re gonna need a bigger grill but good luck. I cooked up 8 butts last year for a friends wedding. About 125 people or so. All I provided was the meat so I didn’t have worry about the sides. Grill was packed and the drip bucket overflowed once. It was a long cook - thinking 14+ hours. I don’t wrap at the stall but you may. No judgement here. Pulled all butts and doubled wrapped in foil and into a cooler with towels. Held up for over 3 hrs that way til I got to venue and could access their kitchen. Pulled all pork effortlessly as it was still piping hot, trayed, foiled and into their warmers til they needed a new pan.

 

[SmokinBourbon]

You’re gonna need a bigger grill but good luck. I cooked up 8 butts last year for a friends wedding. About 125 people or so. All I provided was the meat so I didn’t have worry about the sides. Grill was packed and the drip bucket overflowed once. It was a long cook - thinking 14+ hours. I don’t wrap at the stall but you may. No judgement here. Pulled all butts and doubled wrapped in foil and into a cooler with towels. Held up for over 3 hrs that way til I got to venue and could access their kitchen. Pulled all pork effortlessly as it was still piping hot, trayed, foiled and into their warmers til they needed a new pan.

100% my grill isn't big enough to do it all in one go. I really need the 2500. Fortunately I only have to do the meat as well. We have a commercial kitchen at the firehouse and have the means to preserve and reheat come serving time. Fingers crossed all goes well. I've done smaller cooks with the same set up and all went according to plan. Well see how it goes. I may come out on the other side with the 2500!

 

[SmokinBourbon]

Might I suggest pre cooking and freezing in 2lb food saver bags. A turkey fryer pot full of rolling water for reheating. Mixing that with what comes out of the cooker cuts down on work.

I like this idea and have the means to do it. Will definitely consider this for reheating. Thanks!

 

[SmokeZilla]

I think you will succeed. Especially if you stage your cooks and check the oven in the commercial kitchen to see if it can hold at 145-155F. I would fill the smoker with ~8 butts that are tied tightly to keep them uniform in size for similar cooking times and it will also keep them from fragmenting as they will probably be shuffled around quite a bit. Although each will be different, if you can keep them at about 10lbs each (trimmed) at least you may not have to wake up every 15 minutes to take another one out. As soon as the first batch completes the stall, wrap in foil with additional butter, herbs, honey, rub and add about 4 ounces of apple juice and put it the 245F pre-heated kitchen oven. Then, put in batch 2 and rinse and repeat. If you run out of oven space post cook at 155F, wrap in towels and use some old turn-outs to act as an insulated blanket (or real insulation blankets, haha). I commend your efforts to serve those that run into the danger we civilians run away from. Good luck with your cook. You have a heart as big as Texas for taking on this task.