How Many Cups of Pulled Pork Come from a Pound?

Pulled pork is a classic BBQ staple that can be used in all kinds of delicious recipes. But when you set out to make shredded pulled pork at home, how much will you yield per pound of raw pork shoulder? Here’s a detailed look at the typical cups of pulled pork per pound of pork, plus tips for maximizing your results.

The Short Answer

On average, one pound of raw pork shoulder will produce about 2-3 cups of pulled pork once it’s fully cooked and shredded. However, the yield can vary depending on factors like cooking time, moisture loss, and accuracy of your kitchen scale and measuring cups. For the most precise portion information, it’s best to weigh and measure each batch.

Understanding the Conversion Rate

The reason the cup yield from a pound of pork can fluctuate is because raw meat changes in weight and volume during the cooking process. Here are some of the key factors that affect pulled pork yield per pound:

• Cooking time – The longer the cook time, the more moisture is evaporated, reducing volume. Pork cooked for 8+ hours may yield less than quicker cooking.

• Temps and tools – Cooking at high heat like grilling causes more moisture loss versus low slow cooking like in a slow cooker.

• Preparation – Trimming excess fat before cooking results in a better meat to fat ratio in the finished pork.

• Shredding intensity – The more finely shredded the pork, the more it compacts down resulting in fewer cups per pound

• Scales – Inaccuracies in scales means 1 pound shown may actually weigh slightly more or less.

• Measuring cups – Heaping cups versus lightly packed cups also change the results.

Given all these variables it’s impossible to give an absolute conversion rate. The 2-3 cup yield per pound of raw pork shoulder provides a reasonable estimate in most cases. But for true precision weighing and measuring each batch is best.

Helpful Tips and Reference Chart

To help estimate your pulled pork needs, here are some useful tips along with a handy reference chart:

• Start with a boneless pork shoulder roast for easiest shredding.

• Trim excess fat before cooking to maximize the meat that ends up in the finished pork.

• Weigh pork after trimming to determine the exact starting poundage.

• Cook low and slow at 300°F or in a slow cooker to retain moisture.

• Allow pork to rest before shredding so juices are reabsorbed.

• Shred pork while still warm using two forks or meat claws, not too fine.

• Measure lightly packed cups for the most accurate yield per pound.

![Pulled Pork Conversion Chart][]

As shown, you can reasonably expect 1 pound of raw pork shoulder to make 2-3 cups of pulled pork depending on your specific cooking methods. But for the best results, weigh and measure each batch!

Helpful Hints for Using Pulled Pork

Now that you know roughly how many cups to expect per pound of pork shoulder, here are some handy ways to use up pulled pork:

• Portion into freezer bags to reheat for quick sandwiches, tacos, etc.
• Toss with barbecue sauce for sliders, pizza, baked potatoes, etc.
• Make pulled pork nachos by topping chips with pork, beans, cheese, salsa, etc.
• Stuff into peppers, potatoes or hollowed bread loaves for fun presentations.
• Top salads, baked potatoes, omelets, waffles and more for a protein boost.
• Mix into mac and cheese, rice dishes, pasta bakes and quesadillas.
• Simmer with broth and veggies for easy pulled pork soup.
• Use as a topping for burgers, dogs, fries and other classics.

The possibilities are endless for integrating shredded pulled pork into all kinds of recipes! Just use the handy yield estimates above to determine how much raw pork to start with. Then get ready to enjoy tasty pulled pork meals for days.