How Much BBQ Sauce Do You Need For 20 Pounds of Pulled Pork?

Pulled pork is a classic staple at many barbecues, potlucks, and summer gatherings. When slow cooked until tender and pulled or shredded into strands, the smoky, savory pork makes delicious sandwiches, tacos, nachos, pizza and more. But when cooking pulled pork for a crowd, it can be tricky to figure out how much BBQ sauce you need. If you’re cooking up 20 pounds of pulled pork, how much BBQ sauce should you plan for?

Factors That Determine How Much BBQ Sauce You Need

There are a few factors to consider when deciding how much BBQ sauce to use for 20 pounds of pulled pork:

• Personal Preference Some people like their pulled pork absolutely dripping in BBQ sauce while others prefer just a light coating. Think about the preferences of those you are serving.

• Other Foods Being Served: If the pulled pork is a standalone main dish or there are only light sides, you may want more BBQ sauce. If there are other saucy dishes or heavy sides, less sauce may be needed.

• Serving Style Pulled pork sandwiches require more sauce than pulled pork served in a bowl for example. Sandwiches allow the pork to really soak up sauce.

• Leftovers: Will you have ample leftovers? Leftover pulled pork often gets tossed or repurposed into dishes like sandwiches, pizza, tacos, etc where more sauce is ideal.

Taking these factors into account will help you determine the ideal amount of barbecue sauce for your specific needs when cooking 20 pounds of pulled pork.

A Light Coating – 1/4 to 1/2 Cup Per Pound

If you prefer a milder BBQ flavor, start with about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce for every pound of pulled pork. You can always add more sauce later if needed.

For 20 pounds of pulled pork:

• 1/4 cup per pound = 5 cups of BBQ sauce
• 1/2 cup per pound = 10 cups of BBQ sauce

This amount of sauce lightly coats each strand of pork and provides great flavor without overpowering the meat. The pork still has a smoky, savory shine. This amount of sauce is ideal if serving alongside multiple other barbecued meats or saucy sides.

A Medium Coating – 1/2 to 3/4 Cup Per Pound

For a bolder, sauce-forward BBQ flavor, use 1/2 to 3/4 cup of sauce per pound of meat.

For 20 pounds of pulled pork:

• 1/2 cup per pound = 10 cups of BBQ sauce
• 3/4 cup per pound = 15 cups of BBQ sauce

With this quantity of sauce, the pork takes on a sticky, finger-licking texture and satisfying flavor. The sauce becomes an equal partner to the pork. This amount provides great coverage when served on BBQ sandwiches or bread rolls.

Heavy On The Sauce – 3/4 to 1 Cup Per Pound

BBQ fanatics who love really saucy pulled pork should go for 3/4 cup to 1 full cup of BBQ sauce per pound of meat.

For 20 pounds of pulled pork:

• 3/4 cup per pound = 15 cups of BBQ sauce
• 1 cup per pound = 20 cups of BBQ sauce

Here the tender pork strands are fully coated and swimming in sauce. The meat acts as a vehicle for the sweet, tangy, and savory BBQ flavors. This amount is ideal for serving pulled pork open-faced on plates, loaded into tacos or nachos, or as a pizza topping where you want juicy, sauce-laden pork.

Tips for Serving Saucy Pulled Pork

Here are some tips to ensure moist, flavorful pulled pork when using larger amounts of barbecue sauce:

• Mix and heat the pork and sauce together before serving to allow the flavors to mingle.

• Reserve some of the cooking liquid or broth from the pork and stir in. This adds moisture and prevents the pork from drying out.

• Keep the pork moist when reheating leftovers by adding splashes of water, stock, soda, or more sauce.

• Let guests add extra sauce themselves so they can customize to their preferences.

• Provide extra napkins for messy fingers and faces!

Homemade BBQ Sauce for Pulled Pork

While you can certainly use a store-bought sauce, homemade BBQ sauce takes pulled pork to the next level. It’s also healthier and cheaper than buying sauce. This barbecue sauce recipe packs a delicious balance of tangy, sweet, smoky and spicy flavors that complement rich, tender pulled pork perfectly.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups ketchup
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3⁄4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons each honey and molasses
• 1 tablespoon each Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder
• 12 drops liquid smoke

Instructions:

1. Whisk all ingredients together in a saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat and allow sauce to cool before using or storing.

This makes about 2 1⁄2 cups of sauce. Scale the recipe up as needed for your 20 pounds of pulled pork. The sauce keeps for 1-2 weeks refrigerated or 2-3 months frozen.

How Much Pork Per Person?

When planning your purchases, here is a helpful guideline for how much pulled pork to prepare per guest:

• Small appetite: 1⁄4 pound per person
• Average appetite: 1⁄2 pound per person
• Big appetite: 3⁄4 to 1 pound per person

So for 20 guests, plan on cooking 10-20 pounds of raw pork, assuming leftovers are welcome. Remember that pork reduces 25-30% in size after cooking and pulling.

Cook Time for 20 Pounds of Pulled Pork

With a large 20 pound pork shoulder, allow 1-1.5 hours of cooking time per pound. This long, slow cook is what makes the pork ultra-tender.

• 20 pounds at 1 hour per pound = 20 hours
• 20 pounds at 1.5 hours per pound = 30 hours

Use a low temperature like 225-275°F on a smoker, grill or in the oven. The pork is done when it reaches 200-205°F internally and the bone slides out easily. Allow resting time before pulling.

Tips For Cooking Large Batches of Pulled Pork

Cooking up 20 pounds of pulled pork is an ambitious endeavor! Here are some tips:

• Trim excess fat to reduce cook time and prevent greasiness

• Cook in batches if needed across multiple days

• Use large cookers like smokers, turkey fryers or commercial roasters

• Maintain even, consistent heat for best results

• Monitor temperature carefully with a meat thermometer

• Let pork rest for 30-60 minutes before pulling

• Pull pork in batches instead of all at once

• Keep pork moist when reheating by adding liquid

• Refrigerate or freeze leftovers promptly within 2 hours

Delicious Ways to Use 20 Pounds of Pulled Pork

With a huge batch of pulled pork ready to go, the possibilities are endless! Here are some fun ways to use up all that meat:

• Classic BBQ sandwiches
• Tacos or burritos
• Nachos, taco salads, walking tacos
• Enchiladas, tamales or empanadas
• Omelets, breakfast tacos or hash
• Pizza, flatbreads and calzones
• Stuffed potatoes or twice baked potatoes
• Casseroles or pot pies
• Salad or grain bowls
• Pasta bakes or lasagna
• Soups, chilis or stews
• Oven-baked potatoes or fries
• Lettuce wraps
• Sliders or mini sandwiches
• Quesadillas
• Loaded fries or tots
• Biscuits and gravy

With the right amount of tangy, sweet BBQ sauce, 20 pounds of savory shredded pork will disappear fast! Adjust the sauce to your crowd’s preferences and get ready for mouths to water over your sensational smoked pulled pork.