Pulled pork sandwiches are a quintessential menu item for any barbecue, picnic or large gathering But determining how many buns you need to buy can be tricky when cooking pulled pork for a crowd You want to make sure every guest can enjoy a tasty sandwich without breaking the bank on leftover buns.
In this guide we’ll cover how to estimate the number of burger buns or rolls needed when serving pulled pork for anywhere from 10 to 250 people. You’ll also find tips on choosing buns keeping them fresh, and serving options to stretch your rolls even further.
Key Factors For Estimating Buns
Several factors come into play when determining how many buns or rolls you need to buy for pulled pork sandwiches:
- Number of guests
- Serving sizes – full sandwiches or sliders?
- Leftover pork for other dishes?
- Other main dishes being served
- Demographic – age, gender, event type
- Time of day
- Type of bun – burger, slider, etc.
We’ll look at how each affects the calculations. First up – estimating per person.
How Many Buns Per Person?
The typical serving size for pulled pork sandwiches is one full sandwich per person containing around 1⁄3 to 1⁄2 pound of pork.
Based on this, purchase one regular burger bun or roll per person as your starting estimate. Adjust up or down from there based on your specific event.
For smaller slider-style sandwiches, estimate 2-3 buns per person depending on slider size and quantities. More on sliders below.
Buying Buns For 10 People
For a small backyard barbecue for 10 people, purchase:
- 10 regular buns for full sandwiches
- 20-30 slider buns for mini sandwiches
Having a couple extra buns on hand is always wise for stragglers or leftovers.
Buying Buns For 25 People
When serving pulled pork for 25 guests, plan for:
- 25 regular buns for full sandwiches
- 50-75 slider buns if serving mini sandwiches
Add a few extra buns to be safe.
Buying Buns For 50 People
For a large party of 50 people, you’ll want to buy:
- 50 regular sandwich buns
- 100-150 slider buns for bite-sized sandwiches
Purchase a 5-10% surplus as buffer.
Buying Buns For 100 People
When feeding 100 guests, purchase:
- 100 regular burger buns
- 200-300 slider buns
Having extras allows for second helpings and Pork-on-a-bun to take home.
Buying Buns For 200+ People
For very large gatherings of 200+ people, plan for:
- 200+ regular buns
- 400-600 slider buns
Buy at least 10% more buns than your headcount as cushion.
Account For Other Menu Items
The number of buns needed reduces if you are serving the pulled pork in other dishes rather than sandwiches.
For example, if you are also offering:
- Pulled pork nachos
- Pulled pork baked potatoes
- Pulled pork pizza
- Pulled pork tacos
Then you may need 10-20% fewer buns than just straight sandwiches.
Factor In Other Main Dishes
Likewise, the bun quantity decreases if you are serving additional main course options like:
- Hamburgers
- Hot dogs
- BBQ chicken
- Ribs
- Brisket
With 2 or more entree choices, you can drop buns by 10-30% from the 1 per person baseline.
Consider Demographics
Seniors, women, and kids under 12 often consume less food than adult men. For events with mostly these groups, reduce buns by 10-20%.
Teen boys and athletes can pack away even more food than average. Consider buying 10% extra buns if they dominate your crowd.
Time of Day Matters
At breakfast or brunch events, fewer people take a pork sandwich so you can go 20% lower on buns.
Serve more food at dinner when appetites are heartiest. Lunch or afternoon events fall somewhere in between.
Choose Your Bun Type
Picking the right bun is key for both looks and practicality.
Burger buns are sturdy and hold up well to juicy pulled pork. Opt for brioche or potato buns for extra character.
Slider buns make easy finger foods but dry out quicker with so much exposed surface area. Stock up on extras.
Dinner rolls add a polished look for seated meals. Go for soft artisan rolls that won’t distract from the porky goodness inside.
No matter which you choose, having options for gluten-free guests is considerate.
Shop Early And Store Properly
Buy buns a day or two in advance so you aren’t stuck with whatever’s left at the store last minute.
Keep buns fresh by storing in a sealed bag at room temperature up to 4 hours before serving. For longer, refrigerate buns in a bag but bring to room temp before using.
Toasting Buns – Yay or Nay?
Opinions differ on whether toasted buns improve pulled pork sandwiches or just dry them out.
If toasting, butter or oil the insides first for extra moisture. And don’t toast too early or they’ll turn chewy.
You can also quickly grill or pan-fry just the insides for a touch of crunch without drying the bun exterior.
Serving Tips To Stretch Your Buns
Out of buns before everyone has eaten their fill? Here are some serving suggestions to make your buns feed more people:
-
Cut buns in half – makes 2 mini sandwiches per person
-
Offer open-faced sandwiches using just bun tops
-
Serve slider portions on lettuce leaves or crackers
-
Provide pulled pork only with fork and knife for DIY sandwiches
With some creative presentation, you can stretch your buns while keeping guests satisfied.
Pulled Pork Sliders For Crowds
When going the slider route, determine how many you plan to serve each guest, usually 2-3 per person. Then multiply by your headcount and add extra.
Plan for an 1/8 pound pork portion per mini sandwich. That translates to:
- 15-20 sliders per pound of cooked pork
- 60-75 sliders per 5 pound pork shoulder
Just like with full sandwiches, reduce quantities if serving other dishes. But sliders tend to disappear quickly at parties, so err on the side of excess.
Having baskets of piping hot pulled pork sliders ready to grab and go keeps the crowd happy.
Be Ready With Extras
Even after precise calculations and buying surplus buns, there’s always a chance you’ll run short if people are really loving the pulled pork.
Have an emergency plan in place to keep the sandwiches flowing:
- Grill or pan-fry extra buns on the spot
- Send someone on a bun run to the store
- Roll out tortillas, crackers, or lettuce as last resort “buns”
Staying flexible ensures everyone gets their fill of your mouthwatering pulled pork masterpiece.
Make Guests Go Hog Wild Over Your Pulled Pork
Serving up a delicious pulled pork sandwich buffet for a party or barbecue is immensely satisfying. With this handy guide to estimating buns for crowds of any size, you can feed the masses without breaking the bank or running short.
Stick to the 1 bun per person baseline, then tweak for demographics, menu options, and event specifics. Shop early, store properly, and have backups ready. Follow these tips and your guests will be begging for your bun-worthy pulled pork recipe!
I’ve Been Making This Pulled Pork Sandwich For 17 Years Straight
How much pulled pork for 10 people?
With 1-3 Sides: 10 Pounds Of Raw Pork to serve at least 5 Pounds of Cooked Pulled Pork for 10 people. With 3+ Sides: 6.66 Pounds Of Raw Pork to serve at least 3.33 Pounds of Cooked Pulled Pork for 10 people. How Much Pulled Pork For 25 People? To make sure you have enough pulled pork to serve all 25 of your guests, prepare:
How many buns should a pulled pork sandwich have?
Buns and Bread: If you’re planning to serve your pulled pork on buns, a good rule is to have 1.5 buns per person. This accounts for those who might want seconds or prefer to make smaller sandwiches with more variety of fillings. Sauces and Toppings: Don’t forget the condiments!
How much pulled pork do you need for a dinner party?
So rather than trying to nail the exact amount of pork based on those numbers, let’s simply go with a third of a pound of pulled pork for every attendee. So say you’re serving a group of 10 people. You’ll need roughly three and a third pounds of pulled pork to ensure everyone gets a third of a pound serving.
How much pulled pork do you put on a hamburger bun?
However, it is easy to put about 5 ounces of pulled pork per person on a typical hamburger bun. So if your plan is to make sliders using hamburger buns or another type of bread, calculate your raw pork, meaning use the bun’s serving proportions to calculate how much pulled pork per person you will need.