Wedding Reception Standard Questions

[Dadeo719]

Got a wedding reception coming up in a couple weekends. Bride to be says maybe 80 people so I figure I'd cook 100 to play it safe. Menu consists of pulled pork, pulled chicken, sausages, beans, mac-n-cheese, slaw, pickles, and rolls. I'll be using 2 UDS, and a 26in kettle. Dinner is at 7ish. Here's the questions:

Im thinking 70 lbs raw 35ish cooked pulled pork?

I will probably use boneless skinless thighs for the pulled chicken. Don't really know how much to get. Any Help?

Sausages, looking at 1 per person so ill probably get 100.??

Don't know how much to get of beans, mac-n-cheese, or slaw? I usually don't have to do sides? Would 2 pans (standard 4in deep)of each be enough?

I'm guessing I will put the butts on early enough to pull them and wrapped in cooler in enough time to get the chicken cooked and finished and pulled right around eating time or pre cook on Friday and vacuum seal? Thanks for all the help in advance.
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[Sneaker98]

A good rule of thumb when cooking for a crowd is to plan 8 ounces per person on protein and about 5 ounces per person per side dish.

 

[landarc]

For 100 peeps:
I'm thinking 70 lbs raw 35ish cooked pulled pork? Assuming 1/4 pound per person, reasonable considering you are offering three meats, you can look to needing 25 pounds finished product. (this is also reasonable, as you already bumped 20%). I would start with 50 pounds raw meat.

I will probably use boneless skinless thighs for the pulled chicken. Don't really know how much to get. Any Help? Again, figuring on 1/4 pound per person, which is plenty, you will want to have 25 pounds finished product, chicken loses less weight in the cook, you can probably get away with 35 pounds raw product. Personally, I prefer a mix of light and dark, but, thighs always win.

Sausages, looking at 1 per person so ill probably get 100.?? This would depend on the size of the links you get. However, a standard commercial sausage, yes, one per person. I would seriously consider slicing the sausage after smoking, and serving it that way, and I might figure on 1/8 pound per person, unless there are kids. As the pulled pork and chicken will be more popular typically.

Don't know how much to get of beans, mac-n-cheese, or slaw? I usually don't have to do sides? Would 2 pans (standard 4in deep)of each be enough? I would go as low as 3 ounces on the slaw and beans. Figure on 5 ounces for adults on the mac-n-cheese, more if there are kids.

Also, are you serving, or will it be self-serve buffet? That makes a big difference. If you are going with self-serve buffet, and you have already upped quantities by 20%, you might still want to bump 5% for a buffet. People always over-serve themselves at free-for-all buffets.

 

[peeps]

For 100 peeps:

God help anyone dealing with one of me, but 100???? Fuhgetaboutit!!!!!

 

[Jason TQ]

3 amazingly awesome brethren actually cooked for my wedding. We had 3 meats and 3 sides so pretty similar along with 85'ish people attended. I'd say, especially with 3 sides to choose from, 2-3 full pans of each should be plenty. There was food leftover at our wedding too.

I don't remember exactly how many of each side they had but I think it was 2. If you look at catering menus online for various restaurants most full pans are estimated to feed from 25-35 people depending on the menu you look at. With 3 sides you'll probably need 2 of each and maybe do 3 Mac because that typically goes the fastest :-D

 

[Drh7003]

Is the 1/2 shrinkage usual for Pork shoulders? I haven't had that much shrinkage with trimmed butts.

 

[landarc]

I wondered about that, and used to think it was more like 40% loss, so I started measuring. If I but the butts from Cash and Carry, I get nice, solid, and large butts, in the 8.5 to 10 pound range, After trimming, I lose about 1/2 pound, I always trim off yellow fat, soft tissue and anything discolored, I have no recent recollection of not having to do some trimming. After cooking, my most current cooks end up at right around 50% yield, allowing for bone loss, trimming loss, removal of excess fat after cooking. It's been a pretty accurate number for me over the past couple of years.

 

[qman]

I wondered about that, and used to think it was more like 40% loss, so I started measuring. If I but the butts from Cash and Carry, I get nice, solid, and large butts, in the 8.5 to 10 pound range, After trimming, I lose about 1/2 pound, I always trim off yellow fat, soft tissue and anything discolored, I have no recent recollection of not having to do some trimming. After cooking, my most current cooks end up at right around 50% yield, allowing for bone loss, trimming loss, removal of excess fat after cooking. It's been a pretty accurate number for me over the past couple of years.

I will second landarc on this. My long term track record is just at 50% actual loss from store to table.

 

[Dadeo719]

Thanks for all the advice. It will be a buffet style so that's why I was going ahead and uping it. I will vacuum seal all the leftovers. They (the ones getting hitched) said just make sure there was plenty and not run out. They are family friends so not to much worry on having leftovers for them. I think the 2 pans a piece of sides and probably 3 for mac-n-cheese is sound advice. What's your all thought's about doing the butts early on Friday then I will vacuum seal and re-heat Saturday. Thinking that will give me a cushion incase something happens and frees up grate real estate for everything else Saturday. Again guys thanks for all the advice.


And for God sake's if there is a chance of 100 "peeps", then I will quit BBQ, this forum, and resort to Lloyd's BBQ for the remainder of my life.

 

[landarc]

I heard that Peeps brings the party :thumb:


I think pre-cooking the pork makes sense, get a margin wherever you can