Barbecuing is a great way to cook meat outdoors, but serving too much food can cause problems. You will be eating leftovers for days to come. You may even need to throw some food away, which is quite wasteful. On the flip side, if you do not have enough food then your guests will go home hungry.
If you want to ensure everyone has enough to eat, you’ll need to know how much each guest should get. Fortunately, this guide will help you to prepare and serve your pulled pork so that everyone loves it.
What Is Pulled Pork?
If you are unfamiliar with it, pulled pork is a type of barbeque or smoked meat dish made from pork shoulder (or other cuts). It is usually served in slices on top of buns with coleslaw and/or potato salad. Some people also add beans and cornbread to their sandwiches. Pulled pork is commonly drizzled in sauces.
Pulled pork is quite rich in pork, making it ideal for gaining muscle. People seem to love the rich taste of pork. It gets this rich taste and juicy texture from its high fat content.
How Much Pulled Pork Should Each Guest Get?
The amount of pulled pork per person depends on the number of people in your group. After all, the more people there, the more food they will consume. Moreover, you will need to take into account how many people will actually eat pulled pork.
Vegan and vegetarian guests should be ruled out, as they will be unable to eat pork. Any guests that you know do not like pulled pork or who have a pork allergy should also be taken out of the equation. Plus, most Jews and Muslims will be forbidden from eating pork.
Once you have taken this into account, you should have an idea of how many people will be eating pork. This means you can determine what size pot of pulled pork you need to buy.
Generally, it is recommended that you serve about 1/3 pound/ 150 grams per guest. Therefore, if you have 12 guests, you should get approximately 4 pounds of pork. You should bear in mind that this is a rough estimate.
If you are providing other foods, such as sausages, burgers, salad, and side dishes, people may want to have less pork. After all, they may want to try the rest of your delicious cooking.
Moreover, if you have a lot of young guests, you may want to prepare slightly less food. Children tend to have smaller portions than adults, as they are often capable of eating less. Some older people may also have smaller appetites as their age increases.
You should always make sure that you have enough food to cater to any dietary requirements. As mentioned, if you are catering to vegetarians, you should plan accordingly.
Vegetarianism is becoming increasingly popular, especially among younger people. It is therefore important to adapt your menu for these special diets.
How To Serve Pulled Pork
When preparing your pulled pork, remember to keep it warm. The best way to do this is by placing it in a roasting pan with a lid. Alternatively, you could use a slow cooker. However, if you do not own one, you can still heat up your pulled pork using a grill.
Alternatively, you could place the cooked pork in a large bowl and allow everyone to help themselves. Make sure you provide plenty of napkins and utensils to cleanse your hands before digging in.
After all, pulled pork can be quite messy to serve. This is particularly true when it is covered in a sauce, such as barbecue sauce.
Because pulled pork is often put in burgers and sandwiches, you may want to leave some buns and slices of bread near the pulled pork. This will allow your guests to build their own sandwiches. You may also want to leave salad nearby so that people can add this to their meals.
What To Serve with Pulled Pork
The most common accompaniments to pulled pork are coleslaw, potato salad, and cornbread. These can be served alongside the main dish or even eaten separately.
Cornbread goes particularly well with the smoky taste of pulled pork. In addition, you can offer ketchup, mustard, pickles, and relish. These barbecue essentials can be used to add some flavor and moisture to the pork.
Pulled pork is a great accompaniment to salads. For example, you could serve it alongside coleslaw, potato salad, bean salad, or garden salad. By serving the dish with salad, you can enhance the nutritional value of this meal.
Corn on the cob also makes for an incredible accompaniment to pulled pork. After all, they are both barbecue foods. You can also try serving it with macaroni and cheese if you love cheesy food.
If you plan on serving pulled pork burgers, a handful of fries with each burger will go down well.
How To Cook Pulled Pork
If you are serving pulled pork at home, you should cook it until it is tender. To achieve this, you should start off by cooking the meat slowly over low heat. Then, once it starts to brown, increase the temperature. Once the meat is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool.
Alternatively, you can cook the pork quickly over high heat. This method is ideal for those who prefer their pulled pork well-done.
However, some people prefer to cook their pork medium. As long as you cook the pork thoroughly, you should find that it tastes great.
Pulled pork gets its name from the fact that it is shredded, or “pulled”, after it has been cooked. This is often done by using two forks to pull the meat apart. If you want, you may want to cover the pork in a complementary sauce.
Safety Tips
When cooking meat, such as pulled pork, you need to follow some essential health and safety rules. These include:
Wash your hands whenever they come into contact with meat. To sanitize your hands, wash them thoroughly with soap and warm water. This should be done for a minimum of 20 seconds. This should be done with both cooked and raw pork.
Be sure to keep uncooked meat away from other foods. This will include during the storage stage.
Make sure that meat has been cooked throughout. Pulled pork should not be pink once it has been cooked. If you are unsure of whether the pork is finished, you should use a food thermometer. The internal temperature should be at least 165°F.
What To Do With Pulled Pork Leftovers
If you have any leftover pulled pork, fear not. Simply transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge. You can use it as long as it is within the use-by date. However, if you want to increase the longevity of the pork, you can instead stick it in the freezer. There, it will last for approximately 4 months.
You can either reheat the pork and eat it on its own or make another dish with it. For example, you may choose to add it to a burrito or pour it on top of some nachos.
Reheating pulled pork can be quite hard, as you do not want it to become dry. Fortunately, by following these steps you can ensure that it never happens. You can use either an oven or a microwave to safely reheat it.
Oven
Heat the oven to 250°F. Put the pork in a dish, preferably one that comes with a lid. Add some juice to the pork meat to stop it from drying. Cover the pork and put it in the heated oven for around 30 minutes. Before you take it out of the oven, ensure that the pork has been cooked to a sufficient temperature.
Microwave
Simply pour the pork into a microwavable dish. Add some water to the pork to prevent it from becoming too dry. Heat in the microwave for approximately 2 and a half minutes. Serve the pork once it has reached a safe temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Pulled Pork Will I Need for 30 People?
If you have 30 guests, you will need around 10 pounds of pork meat. Of course, you will need to take into account the appetite of these people. If they eat quite a lot of food, you may want to go for around 15 pounds.
Having a few extra pounds will not hurt, as you can always cook it as leftovers (more information on that above). The more meat that you buy, the more money you will need to spend. You may want to bear this in mind if you want to avoid overspending.
What Should I Serve at a Barbecue?
This is entirely up to you. Alongside pulled pork, some of the foods that are most commonly found at these meals include:
Beef sliders
Boneless chicken breasts
Chicken wings
Sausages
Kebabs
Coleslaw
Corn on the cob
Couscous
Salad
Fruits
Ice cream
How Much Pulled Pork Can a Child Eat?
The answer to this question will vary depending on their age and appetite. As a general rule, you should aim to give a child roughly 1/4 pounds of meat. So if you have 4 children, you will need to serve a pound of pulled pork.
Final Thoughts
Portioning can be tricky. It is hard to know just how many pounds of meat per person you should serve. If you miscalculate, you can end up with way too much or too little meat for your guests.
Thankfully, this guide can be used to ensure that you have appropriate portion sizes. Feel free to consult this guide the next time that you have a barbecue or party where pulled pork is a crucial part of the menu.
