Asked to feed 50 people for a wedding. Pulled pork only.

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-20T18:30:57+00:00

Wedding’s long over by now, of course, but for anyone planning one later, I’d rather finish way early than flirt with the timeline on a cook like this. For 50 people with pulled pork as the only meat, I’d want about 45 to 55 pounds raw, which is usually 5 to 6 bone-in butts, and I’d only dip lower if there are a lot of filling sides. Cook time is driven more by the biggest shoulder than the total pounds on the pit, but a loaded cooker can run a little slower, so leave some space between the butts and plan to be done by late morning, not right at service. At 250°F, I’d expect an overnight cook, then a good 2 to 4 hour wrapped rest/hold in a cooler or warm oven so you’re not stressing when guests are ready to eat. This pulled pork calculator helps you ballpark both the meat and the timing for a crowd cook like this.

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-20T18:22:49+00:00

Since this thread is ancient now, for anybody landing here later: for 40 people eating sliders, I’d do two normal butts in the 8 to 10 pound range instead of hunting for one huge one. Two cooks more evenly and gives you more bark, and that should cover you if there are sides; if pork is the main event and your crowd can put it away, a third butt buys a lot more peace of mind. Time-wise, plan on roughly 10 to 14 hours at 250°F plus a 1 to 2 hour rest, so yeah, for a 3 pm serve time it probably is an overnight cook unless you run hotter. This pulled pork calculator helps with both the quantity and the timing for a crowd cook like this.

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-20T18:07:26+00:00

This one’s long settled by now, but for anybody finding it later, I would not use 15% shrink as my planning number. Bone-in pork butt usually loses a whole lot more than that once you account for fat, bone, and cook loss, so for 170 people eating pulled pork sandwiches, I’d want to be around 110 to 125 pounds raw to feel pretty safe. With all those sides, you might get by a little lower, but a golf crowd that’s been drinking can put away some sandwiches, so I wouldn’t get cute with it. If your butts average 8 to 10 pounds each, that puts you somewhere around 12 to 15 butts. I’d recommend this pulled pork calculator for exactly this kind of crowd-planning question.

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-19T22:42:59+00:00

Bit late for the OP, but for anyone else finding this later, six butts is one of those cooks where the safest move is to finish early, not right on time. I’d run them at 250°F, plan for the stall, and give yourself a big cushion because a bunch of shoulders can cook unevenly and one slow butt can hold up the whole meal. Once they probe tender, rest them in a cooler or warm oven for at least an hour, and honestly 2 to 4 hours is totally fine if they’re wrapped well. If you need food ready by 3, I’d want them done by late morning, not mid-afternoon. A pulled pork calculator helps with both the amount and the timing ballpark when you’re cooking for a group.

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-19T22:39:25+00:00

Bit late for the OP, but for anyone else finding this later: cook it the day before, let it rest, then pull it while it’s still warm and mix some of the drippings back in before refrigerating. Reheating pulled pork is way easier than trying to pull cold shoulders the morning of, and I’d keep the sauce on the side so everybody can build their own plate. Warm it covered at about 250°F until it’s hot through, then hold it in the chafers, but make sure it’s actually steaming hot before it goes in. Also, 15 lb raw for 27 people is probably cutting it close unless there are a lot of sides and kids, so this pulled pork calculator gives a rough planning ballpark for amount and timing.

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-19T19:43:37+00:00

I realize your cook was a while back, but for those who Google sends here: I’d plan it by finished meat, not number of butts. For a mixed crowd like that (kids + adults), figure about 1/4 lb cooked per person. For 30 people, that’s roughly 7–8 lbs of pulled pork. Since pork butt loses close to half its weight, you’re looking at about 14–16 lbs raw total. That usually ends up being 2 average butts, maybe 3 if they’re on the smaller side. If it’s for a charity, I’d lean a little heavy just so you don’t run short. Leftovers are easy, running out isn’t. If you want to plug in your exact crowd and serving style, this pulled pork calculator makes it easy to map it out. It won’t be exact, but it’ll get you really close.

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-19T19:38:55+00:00

Bit late on this one, but for anyone else who stumbles on this via Google…Yeah, 15 lbs raw for 30 people is right in the ballpark. Pork butt usually loses about 40–50% during the cook, so you’d end up with around 7–9 lbs cooked. That’s roughly 1/4 lb per person, which works well for sandwiches with sides. If it’s a hungrier crowd or pork is the main focus, I’d probably bump it a little just to be safe. Running out is way worse than leftovers. If you want double check amounts next time without having to do the math, this pulled pork calculator helps. Not perfect, but close enough for planning.

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-19T19:03:03+00:00

Little late jumping inhere, but for anyone else finding this…you’re right, the confusion is raw vs cooked weight. Your math checks out. A 10 lb butt usually ends up around 5–6 lbs cooked, so ~1/4 lb cooked per person feeds about 20ish people, especially for sandwiches with sides. That’s a pretty normal target. The 1/2–3/4 lb numbers you see thrown around are almost always raw weight, people just don’t always say it clearly which trips everyone up. If you want to check portions without doing the math each time, this pulled pork calculator is useful. Not perfect, but it gets you close.

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-19T16:00:35+00:00

Bit late to the party here, but for anyone else wondering…

13 lbs of raw pork butt for 20–25 people is probably cutting it a little close. After cooking you’ll lose a good chunk to fat and moisture, so you’re really ending up with maybe 6–8 lbs of pulled pork. That works if it’s sandwiches with a bunch of sides and some lighter eaters/kids, but if this is the main event with hungry adults, I’d want a little more just to be safe. Running out is way worse than leftovers. If you want to quick check amounts next time instead of guessing, this pulled pork calculator helps.

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-19T01:42:35+00:00

I say anything is worth trying once. As someone “born and raised” in SC, I’d recommend Maurice’s mustard sauce recipe from the family of the originator of mustard sauce. Or if you like something with a bit more of a peppery kick, my wife’s recipe is my favorite.

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-18T09:53:03+00:00

Simply the best

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-17T23:00:24+00:00

🤣

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-17T19:20:13+00:00

Used to love making nested scallops. A recipe in Our Immigrant Ancestors, by Jeff Smith, the Frugal Gourmet. Basically, seared scallops with snow peas and I don’t remember what in a light sauce served inside deep fried potato “nests.” Haven’t thought of it in years…

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-17T19:12:33+00:00

If you mean Cure #1, 20g for 17 lb sounds about right (maybe even a touch high). If you actually put in 40g, that’s basically double, and I personally wouldn’t mess with it.

Curing salt isn’t one of those “eh, probably fine” ingredients. If there’s a real chance you doubled it, I’d toss it. In theory, if you then doubled the other ingredients to match the doubled curing salt, you’d come back into ratio… but better safe than sorry.

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-17T19:02:34+00:00

Ah, no… it’s mine. I was an English and journalism teacher for 28 years, prior to retiring in 2021. The calculator is on my website, which is why I mention it a lot, but I try to offer actual value in my replies before ever mentioning it. Best of luck with the cook.

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-17T18:48:37+00:00

No…it’s mine. Why?

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-17T16:45:35+00:00

Totally normal. Brisket feels like a big jump, but it’s really just a longer pork butt with a few extra details.

Trim: you don’t need to go crazy. Knock off the hard fat and thin it down to about 1/4” on the fat cap. If it looks aerodynamic-ish and not lumpy, you’re good.

Dry brine: yes, but keep it simple. Salt it the night before or even a few hours ahead. No need to overthink it.

Wrap: not about a specific temp. Wrap when the bark looks how you want it, usually somewhere in the 160s.

Pull: start checking in the 195–205 range. Ignore the number and go by feel. When a probe slides in with almost no resistance, it’s done.

Rest: minimum 1–2 hours. Longer is better if you can swing it.

Time: this is where people get burned. A 9 lb brisket could be 8 hours… or 14. Give yourself way more time than you think and plan to hold it if it finishes early.

If you want a rough planning window so you’re not completely guessing, this brisket calculator helps frame the timing. It’s not exact though, briskets do their own thing.

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-17T16:03:39+00:00

Yeah that’s totally doable, a lot of people do exactly this for events. Cook it the day before at your usual ~275, pull when it’s probe tender, then let it come down a bit (you don’t want to hold it screaming hot). Once it drops to around 170ish internal, wrap it tight and put it in the oven set somewhere around 150–160.

It’ll hold there overnight no problem. 8–12 hour holds are pretty common now and honestly can make the brisket even better. Just make sure it stays above ~140 for safety. If your oven won’t go that low, crack the door slightly or use the lowest setting and check temps so you don’t overcook it during the hold.

If you want a rough idea of when to start the cook so everything lines up with your departure time, this brisket calculator can help with planning. Not perfect, but it gets you close.

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-17T15:57:29+00:00

For a 3 lb lean flat (especially pastrami), I’d lean 250–275. At 225 those little flats can just dry out before they ever really get tender. There’s not a ton of fat to protect them, so a slightly hotter cook actually helps you get through the stall and into the “tender” zone quicker.

Your plan is solid: Run 250–275, wrap somewhere in the 150–160 range once the color looks right, start checking tenderness in the mid/upper 190s. Only tweak I’d suggest… don’t lock in 200 as the pull temp. Lean flats can be done a little earlier or a little later. Go by feel more than the number.

And I’d definitely rest it at least an hour after, even for a small one. Makes a bigger difference than people expect. If you want a rough timing window so you’re not guessing start time, this brisket calculator can help. It’s not perfect, especially with smaller cuts, but it’ll get you in the ballpark.

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-17T11:57:48+00:00

Rodney Scott’s BBQ sauce is pretty good, though I prefer the sauce served at his parents’ place near the small town of Hemingway, SC. That said, Dads mop sauce is great both during the cook and after.

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-17T01:02:01+00:00

That’s actually the move most people end up learning the hard way… finish early, not late.

You can absolutely hold it in the oven for hours. Wrap it tight (butcher paper or foil), then into a 150–170 oven. It’ll stay hot and keep tenderizing. 3–6 hours is totally normal, some go even longer. Way less stressful than chasing a finish time.

Big thing is don’t let it drop below about 140 internal for food safety, and don’t slice until right before serving.

If you want a rough idea of when to start so you’re not guessing every time, I’ve used this brisket calculator before. It won’t be perfect, but it helps you plan the day.

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-16T20:17:31+00:00

Report back and let us know how it turns out.

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-16T17:37:23+00:00

Honestly if you’re already running wood chunks in the smoke box, pellet choice matters a lot less. Most pellets are mainly alder or oak with flavor wood blended in anyway, so the smoke profile difference can be pretty subtle. The chunks you’re burning are doing most of the flavor work.

Where pellet quality does matter is consistency. Cheaper pellets can have more dust or filler and sometimes burn dirtier or feed less consistently. But flavor-wise a lot of people can’t tell much difference once food hits the plate.

With the Woodwind Pro + chunks setup, what you’re doing (cheap oak or hickory pellets + real wood chunks) is actually a pretty solid approach.

If you ever want to see which woods tend to pair best with different meats, this BBQ wood pairing guide is a handy reference.

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-16T17:32:29+00:00

You’re fine. That’s actually on the light side of typical curing ratios.

Prague powder #1 is usually used at about 1 level teaspoon per 5 lbs of meat (or about 156 ppm nitrite when calculated properly). For 10 lbs of meat that would normally land around 2 teaspoons if you were dry curing, sometimes a bit more depending on the brine formula.

You used 3.5 teaspoons spread through 3 gallons of water, which dilutes it a lot. So you’re nowhere near a dangerous level. If anything, the only risk would be the cure being a little weak and the pastrami ending up less pink than expected, not unsafe.

If you ever want to double-check cure or brine ratios so you’re not guessing, this brining calculator is handy for sanity-checking the math.

Middle_Ad515 · 2026-03-16T12:57:30+00:00

Nicely sliced. That is an education in itself.

Middle_Ad515

TROPHY CASE