How Many Pounds of Pulled Pork in a Quart? A Guide to Portioning

Pulled pork is a classic dish that is always a crowd pleaser. When making pulled pork for a gathering, it can be tricky to figure out how much you need. Pork shoulder or butt shrinks dramatically when cooked, so you can’t just go by raw weight. In this article, I’ll provide a guide on how many pounds of pulled pork fit in a quart container. You’ll also learn some tips and tricks for portioning pulled pork so you make the perfect amount.

How Much Does Pulled Pork Shrink When Cooked?

Raw pork butt or shoulder loses a significant amount of moisture when cooked low and slow to make pulled pork. According to this source, you can expect around a 50% loss in weight from raw to cooked.

So if you start with 10 lbs of raw pork you’ll end up with approximately 5 lbs of pulled pork after cooking. This is because all the fat and collagen melts out, the meat fibers tighten and moisture evaporates.

Always buy about twice as much raw pork as you think you’ll need. It’s better to have extra than run short. Leftover pulled pork also keeps and reheats very well.

Typical Serving Size of Pulled Pork

A common serving size for pulled pork is around 1/3 lb or 5 oz per adult. For kids, plan on 1/4 lb or 4 oz.

Of course serving sizes can vary a bit depending on the meal and occasion. But the 1/3 lb adult portion is a good rule of thumb for estimating purposes.

Pounds of Pulled Pork in a Quart

Now that we know typical portion sizes, we can look at how many portions fit into a quart.

1 quart = 2 pounds
There are three 1/3 lb adult portions in 1 pound
So in 2 pounds (1 quart) there are 6 adult portions

Therefore, 1 quart container holds approximately 6 adult servings of pulled pork.

You can use this handy reference to estimate how many quarts of pulled pork you need for any gathering. Some examples:

For 10 people, you’ll need about 2 quarts
For 15 people, plan on 3 quarts
For 30 people, you’ll want around 5 quarts

Use your best judgment on portion sizes depending on the occasion. And remember, it’s always better to have extra pulled pork than not enough.

Tips for Portioning Pulled Pork

Here are some tips to help you nail the portions when cooking pulled pork for a crowd

Weigh out portions using a food scale for accuracy
Use containers like quart zip top bags to portion
Label bags with permanent marker for easy identification
Refrigerate or freeze portions for grabbing later
Reheat individual portions as needed
Use leftovers for pulled pork sandwiches, omelets, casseroles, etc.

Sample Math for a Party

Let’s look at a sample scenario to see the math in action:

You’re having a backyard BBQ for 25 adults and 10 kids. Using our 1/3 lb adult and 1/4 lb kid portions, here’s how much pulled pork you’ll need

25 adults x 1/3 lb = 8.3 lbs
10 kids x 1/4 lb = 2.5 lbs
Total cooked pulled pork needed = 10.8 lbs

Since pork shrinks by about half, you’ll want around 22 lbs of raw pork butt or shoulder. Cook it all, then weigh out and portion the 10.8 lbs of finished pulled pork into quarts for your party.

Easy as that! Now you can relax knowing everyone will get a hearty serving.

Figuring out how much pulled pork to make can be confusing due to the drastic shrinkage during cooking. By using quart containers as a guide, you can easily scale portions for any size gathering. Plan on about 6 adult servings per quart.

Apply the simple math of doubling raw weight and using appropriate serving sizes. You’ll never have to stress over not having enough pulled pork again. Guests will be happy, and you’ll have some leftovers to enjoy later on.

How To Make 30 Lbs of BBQ Pulled Pork

FAQ

How much will 2 lbs of pulled pork feed?

Serving size: This recipe will yield about 2 pounds of cooked pulled pork; enough to serve about 6 people (5 oz per serving). See the post above for my tips for calculating how much pulled pork you’ll need for a larger group.

How many pounds of meat in a 6 quart slow cooker?

There’s a good range of sizes (capacities) available in various brands, from a quart up to 6 or 7 quarts. You can expect to need 1 quart per pound of meat being cooked in a slow cooker.

How much does 1lb of pulled pork serve?

How many people does a pound of pork feed? Well, it depends on the person, but on average 3-5 people.

How many sandwiches will 10 pounds of pulled pork make?

I like to put ~6 oz on a sandwich, so a 10 lb bone in should give me ~20 sandwiches, boneless about 25. Yield and cost will determine which you decide to use. If you can get boneless at a cost that makes up for the less yield, that’s likely the way to go….

How much pulled pork should I Cook per person?

BBQ experts, including me, recommend planning for 1/3 pound of cooked pulled pork per person if you’re serving it as the main dish. Remember, this is the weight of the cooked meat. Pork tends to lose about half its weight during cooking, so you might need to start with up to a pound of raw meat per person to end up with enough pulled pork.

How do you calculate cooked pulled pork?

The number of guests / number of servings per pound = pulled pork you’ll prepare (in pounds). Then, pounds of cooked pulled pork / 0.5 (50% yield) = raw pork you’ll need (in pounds). We understand how confusing everything must be looking to your right now.

How many pounds of cooked pork per person?

With 1-3 Sides: 100 Pounds Of Raw Pork to serve at least 50 Pounds of Cooked Pulled Pork for 100 people. With 3+ Sides: 66.6 Pounds Of Raw Pork to serve at least 33.33 Pounds of Cooked Pulled Pork for 100 people. How Much Pulled Pork Per Person For Sliders? Nobody likes a slider that’s skimping on the meat.

How much pulled pork should I buy for a cookout?

Let’s say you’re expecting about 18 people for your next cookout. When you divide the number 18 into thirds, you get 6. That’s the amount of pulled pork you’ll want to end up with, so multiply this number by 2. Using this formula, you should purchase about 12 pounds of raw boneless pork shoulder.