Pulled pork is a delicious and popular barbecue dish that is often served as sandwiches, tacos, nachos, or on its own as a protein side. But how much pulled pork comes from a pound of uncooked pork? How many servings can you expect to get from a pound of pork butt or shoulder once cooked and pulled? These are common questions for those looking to prepare pulled pork and ensure they make enough for a party or gathering. In this article, we’ll break down how many servings you can expect from a pound of uncooked pork once it’s cooked, pulled, and ready to serve. We’ll look at key factors like the raw weight, cooking method, amount of bone, and desired serving size that impact yield. Let’s dive in and find out how many hungry guests that pound of pork can feed.
Key Factors that Impact Servings per Pound
How many servings you get from a pound of pulled pork depends on several key factors:
1. Raw Weight
The raw weight of the pork prior to cooking is the starting point. Pork shoulder and butt are the most common cuts used for pulled pork, and they are sold in a range of sizes from 4-10 lbs or more. The larger the raw weight, the more meat there is to cook down and pull. A full 6-8 lb pork butt will yield more pulled pork than a smaller 3-4 lb one.
2. Cooking Method
Typical cooking methods for pulled pork include smoking, roasting, braising, or slow cooking in a crockpot. The cooking method impacts moisture loss. Dry heat methods like smoking and roasting will result in more moisture loss versus moist cooking methods like braising or slow cooking. More moisture loss means less finished cooked weight.
3. Amount of Bone
The amount of bone also impacts finished cooked weight. Cuts like pork shoulder and butt do contain a good amount of fat and bone. Some butts are sold bone-in and others are boneless. Boneless cuts will yield a higher percentage of edible cooked meat.
4. Desired Serving Size
Finally, the desired serving size for each guest factors in. A standard serving size is about 4 ounces or a 1/2 cup of pulled pork. Smaller servings like in sliders or tacos would be 2 ounces. Sandwiches are typically 4-6 ounces. The number of servings per pound is the total cooked, pulled meat divided by your target serving size.
So in summary, a full-size bone-in pork butt smoked or roasted to pull and serve will yield less than a smaller boneless pork roast braised to pull. But with the variables above accounted for, let’s look at some typical yields.
Typical Servings per Pound of Pulled Pork
Based on typical pork cuts, cooking methods, waste, and serving sizes, here are some guidelines for the number of servings to expect per pound of uncooked pork:
| Pork Cut | Cooking Method | Servings per Pound |
|---|---|---|
| Bone-in pork butt or shoulder roast | Smoked or roasted | 3-4 |
| Boneless pork butt or shoulder roast | Braised or slow cooked | 5-6 |
| Boneless pork loin | Braised or slow cooked | 6-7 |
As you can see, a bone-in pork butt smoked or roasted will yield about 3-4 servings per pound. Trimming some bone before cooking can boost this. Opting for a boneless cut like pork loin can yield up to 7 servings per pound if braised or slow cooked.
Let’s look at a few examples:
Example 1
A 5 lb bone-in pork butt is smoked and yields 3.5 lbs of pulled pork after cooking. With a target serving size of 4 oz/1/2 cup, this would provide about 14 servings (3.5 lbs x 16 oz/lb / 4 oz per serving = 14 servings).
Example 2
A 3 lb boneless pork shoulder roast is slow cooked for 8 hours and yields 2.5 lbs after cooking. With a target serving size of 6 oz for sandwiches, this would provide 10 generous sandwich servings (2.5 lbs x 16 oz/lb / 6 oz per serving = 10 servings).
As you can see, understanding the key factors that contribute to servings per pound allows you to estimate well for your needs.
Guidelines for Purchasing Pork for Pulled Pork
To ensure you purchase enough pork for your gathering, consider these guidelines:
- For smaller gatherings of 4-6 people, a 3-4 lb pork roast is sufficient.
- For medium gatherings of 8-10 people, a 5-6 lb pork roast is adequate.
- For larger gatherings of 12 or more, choose an 8+ lb pork shoulder.
- Allow for more if providing generous portions or having other sides and dishes.
- Choose a bone-in or boneless cut depending on cooking method.
- Remember, you can always reserve leftover pulled pork for another use.
Also keep in mind if serving slider sandwiches or several sides, less meat might be needed.
Cooking Time for Pulled Pork
A general guideline for smoking or roasting pork shoulder or butt is:
- 8 – 12 lbs: 12 – 18 hours at 225°F
- 5 – 8 lbs: 9 – 12 hours at 225°F
- 3 – 4 lbs: 6 – 8 hours at 225°F
For braising or slow cooking, plan for 1 – 1 1/2 hours per pound on low.
The pork is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 195°F and the bone (if bone-in) slides out cleanly. Use a meat thermometer to monitor doneness. The pork should pull and shred easily when poked and cooked sufficiently.
Allow the pulled pork to rest for 30 minutes before pulling by hand into shreds and serving. Moisten it with pan juices, barbecue sauce, or other desired finishing sauce.
Serving Ideas for Pulled Pork
Pulled pork is incredibly versatile. Here are some ideas for how to serve it:
Sandwiches
Pile pulled pork on buns and top with coleslaw, pickled onions or peppers, barbecue sauce, aioli, crispy fried onions, or other desired toppings. Serve with fries or chips.
Nachos
Top tortilla chips with pulled pork, shredded cheese, beans, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream or other taco toppings.
Baked Potatoes
Stuff baked potatoes with pulled pork and favorite accompaniments like cheese, bacon, scallions, barbecue sauce.
Salads
Toss pulled pork with greens, vegetables, beans, cheese, nuts and a vinaigrette.
Breakfast
Add pulled pork to scrambled eggs, breakfast sandwiches, hash, or omelets.
Pizza
Use pulled pork as a topping on pizzas in place of or along with sausage or other meats.
The possibilities are endless! Pulled pork is very versatile.
Storing and Freezing Pulled Pork
Properly stored, pulled pork lasts 3-4 days refrigerated and 4-6 months frozen.
To store:
- Allow pork to cool completely before storing.
- Place in airtight containers or resealable bags.
- Refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
- Freeze for 4-6 months.
- Reheat gently before serving if using refrigerated or frozen pork.
Freezing in portions is useful for pulling out just what you need.
Conclusion
So how many servings come from a pound of pulled pork? Depending on the cut, cooking method, and serving size, you can expect 3-7 portions per raw pound of pork. A general rule of thumb is 5 generous sandwich servings per pound if slow cooking a boneless roast. Understanding the serving yield allows you to purchase the right amount of pork for your party or dinner. With the proper guidelines, you can ensure you have plenty of delicious pulled pork on hand to enjoy in sandwiches, tacos, nachos, salads, and more.