Very important cook. Need a few things

[DR]

One of my best friends on this earth will be turning 60 at the end of September. My father was killed in an accident 13 years ago and this man has stepped in and is very much my Dad now. So at his bday party, i am going to take the lead on all the foods. Party will start friday night and goes until sunday afternoon (He is known for huge parties). We are expecting about 75 people will be my guess. We are going to cook home raised pork chops (We have these cut to 1-1/2" thick and are like eating ham. So we have the meat part covered on friday.

What i need advise on is the following:

1. I need a great cole slaw recipe. I am going to use the bean recipe i found on here called Keri's Hog Apple Baked Beans. Everyone seems to rave about that recipe.

2. Also, i need help deciding on the amount of meats on Saturday night. I am leaning toward brisket (As we have about 20 of them and this is a great place to use them), pulled pork and maybe some chicken. For the chicken part, i am only going to do about 10 or so of them just for the health nuts that won't eat anything besides chicken and i don't expect but about half of them to be eaten. So if i focus on brisket and pulled pork, i could really use some help with the amounts i will need. ALso, leftovers will not be waisted as there are a few single men that will die for them so we can over estimate on the amounts.

This cook is very important to me because of what this man means to me. I could use any help and its greatly appreciated.

Thanks Brethren, DR

 

[Smokin' D]

Sounds like a fun time you have planned and good luck with the cook and the event in general. Whenever I do a large cook, I take the number of people times 5 oz and then divide that number by 16 (oz in a pound) and multiply by 2. That gives me the amount of raw meat to cook and allows for 50 % shrinkage/loss during the cook. Always have had plenty of meat. So for your example with 75 people. 75x5= 375 375 divided by 16 = 23.4375 23.5 x 2 = 47 pounds of raw meat to cook. That will be enough given there will be sides and beer being consumed. Add in another20 pounds for left overs and you will be good to go.

 

[DR]

Sounds like a fun time you have planned and good luck with the cook and the event in general. Whenever I do a large cook, I take the number of people times 5 oz and then divide that number by 16 (oz in a pound) and multiply by 2. That gives me the amount of raw meat to cook and allows for 50 % shrinkage/loss during the cook. Always have had plenty of meat. So for your example with 75 people. 75x5= 375 375 divided by 16 = 23.4375 23.5 x 2 = 47 pounds of raw meat to cook. That will be enough given there will be sides and beer being consumed. Add in another20 pounds for left overs and you will be good to go.

Now when you say "Raw Meat", is that trimmed and ready to go on the pit or is that 47 lbs untrimmed and still in the package?

Thank you so much for the help.

 

[landarc]

Part of your answer required knowing what the crowd composition is, families versus men etc...kids eat less yadda yadda...none the less, my normal figuring for a generous event is to figure 1/3 pound of each type of meat per person, finished product. For brisket and pulled pork I assume a 50% yield, so figuring that...

75 people x .66 pounds raw, cooker ready meat=50 pounds raw meat of each type

By cooker ready, I mean trimmed and ready to cook. Although the number would hold pretty well for most packers and butts, right out of cryo as well. And yes, you may have a lot of meat, but, the event you are planning will have a fair amount of grazing, and that always increases consumption.

 

[bizznessman]

I believe my Brethren have the meat aspect covered very well so I am diving in on the Cole Slaw side. This is an old family recipe (no I don't have to kill you cuz I gave you the recipe :wink and it has served us well with family and bizzness for years. It is a "sweet" vinegar sauce style slaw.

--------------------------------------------------------

Old Fashioned 9-Day Cole Slaw

Ingredients:
1 three pound head of cabbage (finely chopped)
1 medium green pepper (finely chopped)
2 medium sized white onions (finely chopped)
1 cup salad oil
1 cup white or cider vinegar
1 ½ cups sugar
2 Tbsp celery seed
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Instructions:
Using the electric blender or grinder, chop the three vegetables finely. If you use the
electric blender, place about one-half cup water in the blender and then add about one cup of very coarsely chopped vegetables. Turn on and off very quickly using a low speed. Drain the vegetables as soon as chopped and repeat until all are chopped. (If desired, the onion can be chopped without the water).

Boil together the oil, vinegar, sugar and celery seed over high heat.

Season the cabbage mixture with salt and pepper. Pour hot dressing over the
vegetables and let stand at least two hours before serving.

This salad will keep nine days longer. If refrigerated.

 

[JoeMap]

Nothing to add to the great responses here so far, except: Kudos to you for honoring the man who filled a valuable role in your life. That's a great example to the younger men in your life who may be watching.

My stepfather was a great man whose influence still guides me. One of my only regrets is that I never mastered the art of bbq/smoking before he passed away, so i could honor him the way you're going to honor this man.

Much respect to you. I'm sure you'll do fine. Enjoy the celebration!


Joe

 

[DR]

Sorry to be ignorant here guys but the numbers above are considerable different

Smokin D says to cook 47lbs of total meat and Land arc says to cook 50 lbs of each.

SOrry but I'm confused.

And thanks to everyone for the help as i want this to be a party he won't forget.

DR

 

[wnc-bbq-guy]

Nothing to add to the great responses here so far, except: Kudos to you for honoring the man who filled a valuable role in your life. That's a great example to the younger men in your life who may be watching.

My stepfather was a great man whose influence still guides me. One of my only regrets is that I never mastered the art of bbq/smoking before he passed away, so i could honor him the way you're going to honor this man.

Much respect to you. I'm sure you'll do fine. Enjoy the celebration!


Joe

Everything this guy wrote x2. Well said.

 

[yakdung]

I have made this one several times with great success:
http://www.slapyodaddybbq.com/2012/04/slap-juice-coleslaw/

 

[bizznessman]

Sorry to be ignorant here guys but the numbers above are considerable different

Smokin D says to cook 47lbs of total meat and Land arc says to cook 50 lbs of each.

SOrry but I'm confused.

And thanks to everyone for the help as i want this to be a party he won't forget.

DR

Landarc is giving you the numbers for combined total raw meat needed, assuming an equal size serving of EACH meat.

I believe that Smokin D is giving the total amount of either meat assuming a 50/50 serving size split (i.e 47 lbs to achieve one serving of brisket OR pork). So in Smoking D's post he is saying you need to cook 47 lbs raw of EACH meat. :biggrin1:

 

[bizznessman]

I have made this one several times with great success:
http://www.slapyodaddybbq.com/2012/04/slap-juice-coleslaw/

Hey yakdung, that looks GOOOOOOOOD!!! Adding it to my recipe file now. :clap:

 

[landarc]

I am saying to cook 100 pounds total raw meat, 50 pounds of brisket and 50 pounds of pork butts. This assures that you can be unfailingly generous of either meat for the party. I would not cook this much for a normal event, but, since you mentioned that this guy is special to you, the idea of running out of one meat or the other seems undesirable.

 

[DR]

Gotcha my man. thanks a ton for all the help.

 

[yakdung]

Hey yakdung, that looks GOOOOOOOOD!!! Adding it to my recipe file now. :clap:

I like to tweak it a little I don't add all of the sugar indicated. Add some Frank's and cayenne whatever you use for heat. Leave as is for the faint of heart.

 

[DR]

First off, thank you for all the help here fellas, i really appreciate it.

Another question. how many of you would inject these briskets and pork butts? The added cost doesn't matter nor does the extra work but i am used to injecting because of the competitions but haven't cooked for the masses like this and need to make sure i put out the absolute best product possible.

Thanks, DR

 

[bizznessman]

First off, thank you for all the help here fellas, i really appreciate it.

Another question. how many of you would inject these briskets and pork butts? The added cost doesn't matter nor does the extra work but i am used to injecting because of the competitions but haven't cooked for the masses like this and need to make sure i put out the absolute best product possible.

Thanks, DR

We inject butts but not briskies. The brisket muscle is denser and the muscle filbers are longer. We find that the injection doesn't spread out much through the meat and drains back out the injection holes. But many do. It is just our choice not to.

 

[DR]

Ok fellas my cook is 2 weeks away and i have my final numbers which are a bit bigger than original thought. Can y'all look at my numbers below and let me know if i am close or if i need to adjust my numbers.

125 People have RSVP'd for Saturday nights festivities. I am serving sliced brisket (along with burnt ends) and pulled pork butts and my sides will be coleslaw and potato salad.

-From what y'all have said, i should count on about 5.25oz of each meat per person (1/3 of a pound of each).
-For the sides i am thinking about 4 oz of each per person.

Does everyone figure 50% loss from packaged to cooked or is it more like 55% loss?

MEATS:125 people X 5.25 oz=660 oz=42 lbs of each cooked meat which equates to 84 lbs in the package of brisket and 84 lbs of pork. Probably add in a 10% buffer and that takes me to roughly 95 lbs of each meat (In the package pre trimmed).

SIdes:125 people X 4oz=496oz=31 lbs of each side.

I am making my slaw and potato salad from scratch so i am figuring them by weight and not volume.

PLEASE give me any advise on the above numbers as this is a very important cook. I would rather have too much as i have a vacuum sealer and can save the leftovers for Sunday fun day.

 

[landarc]

I think your numbers are good, given your stated goals.