Shoulder serving size?

[will615]

Is there a good rule of thumb for how many servings per pound of shoulder/bone in? Thanks!

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[old sarge]

Good question.  I get the bone in butts and they average 8 to 10 lbs in the Army commissary. I have never weighed the finished product but guessing a loss of 1 lb or so from the cook, 1/2 lb per person, assuming you have a variety of side dishes, should be plenty. We use regular, not BBQ, sized buns for the sandwiches.  That helps stretch out the meat. Slider buns stretch it out even further.

[will615]

Thanks!

[pappabear]

I've been reading that you will lose 40-50% after the cook.

[old sarge]

I did some checking on another forum I belong to.  One fellow weighed before and after smoking and averaged 33.8% across two butts.  Someone else averaged 40% loss but included boning and trimming off the fat. So I guess it is variable.  One thing for sure, I was not even in the ball park with my guess; more interested in eating it than counting servings.  I will certainly break out the scale on the next go around.

[will615]

I counted the servings that I got out of the last butt that I smoked. An 8 lb butt yielded 8 servings so my new rule of thumb is 1 lb per person before cooking, bone in. I've got a big crowd coming in May so I will test this between now and then. Thanks!

[Jsamet]

I just smoked about 15 pounds of butts (2 x 7.5 lbs each). My first cook in my brand spankin' new model 4. After pulling the meat, I was left with exactly 8 pounds. Figure 4 oz. per serving - that's 32 sandwiches. How's my math? I'm new here!

[EFGM]

Is there a good rule of thumb for how many servings per pound of shoulder/bone in? Thanks!

Depends on how many sides your having and # of meat choices. For my church cooks I plan on 5/6 oz per and always have left overs which is better than running out. You would probably be fine figuring 4 oz with a lot of sides.
I don’t do butts very often but I calculate a 50% shrinkage. Brisket I figure a net of 60% of trimmed weight going in. Always pretty close. If more show up than planned, I always have the meat last in the food line.

[old sarge]

Your math is good. Sounds like a successful first run.

[jclifton]

Yield numbers I had in the past.

Two 8 1/2-pound butts yielded 10 lbs., measured on a scale and vacuum sealed bags, of pulled pork.

Jason

[Pork Belly]

Total yeld is subjective to personal taste. If I pull it everything but the bone goes in the mix. I have seen others that pick out every scrap of fat and extra dark bark, that affects the yield. Personally all that flavor belongs in the mix.