How Much Pulled Pork for a Party?

Plan ⅓ lb of cooked pulled pork per person for sandwiches. Pork shoulder loses roughly half its weight to trimming, fat, and moisture — so buy twice the cooked weight in raw pork butt.

Cook a whole extra pound or two: pulled pork freezes beautifully, and a shortage can't be fixed — shoulders take 10+ hours.

Adjusting for your crowd: kids eat about two-thirds of adult portions; knock 25% off any single item when several mains share the table; add 25% for teenagers and big appetites. When in doubt, round up on the cheap items (buns, chips, ice) and stay exact on the expensive ones.