How Much Pulled Pork Do You Need for 50 Sliders? A Helpful Guide

Pulled pork sliders are a delicious option for any party, potluck, or casual get-together These tasty little sandwiches are a crowd-pleaser, but preparing enough pulled pork to make 50 sliders can be a daunting task if you’ve never done it before As an avid griller who loves hosting, I’ve made my share of pulled pork and have a good system in place. In this article, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to ensure you have the right quantity of pulled pork for 50 perfect sliders.

Determining How Much Raw Pork to Buy

The first step is figuring out how much raw pork you need to purchase. There are a few variables that go into this calculation:

• The number of sliders you want to make (in this case 50)
• The size of the rolls or buns you’ll be using
• How much pulled pork you want in each slider

For rolls, I recommend using mini brioche buns or small Hawaiian rolls that are 2-3 inches wide You’ll want a nice heaping pile of pulled pork on each bun, around 3-4 ounces per slider

Given those slider specs, for 50 sliders you’ll need:

50 sliders x 3-4 ounces of pulled pork per slider = 150 to 200 ounces total

Converting ounces to pounds:

• 150 oz = around 9.4 pounds
• 200 oz = 12.5 pounds

So for 50 sliders, you’ll need 9.5 to 13 pounds of raw pork shoulder or pork butt before cooking. I usually get a 10-12 pound pork shoulder which gives me a little extra as a safety net.

Choosing a Good Pork Cut

The best cuts of pork for making pulled pork are the shoulder and butt. They contain more fat and connective tissue that breaks down into succulent, fork-tender meat after slow cooking. Some specifics to look for:

• Pork shoulder – This comes from the upper part of the front leg. It’s marbled with fat and is my go-to choice for pulled pork.

• Pork butt – Despite the name, this comes from the upper shoulder. It’s similar to the shoulder in fat content and texture.

• Bone-in or boneless – Bone-in pork shoulder or butt adds extra flavor, but boneless is easier to pull and shred after cooking. Either works great.

I recommend choosing a pork shoulder or butt that has some marbling but isn’t overly fatty. Too much fat can make the pulled pork greasy.

Calculating Cook Time

Now that you know how much raw pork to buy, the next factor is cook time. Pork shoulder needs to cook low and slow in order to break down the collagen into succulent pulled pork. There are two main methods:

Oven:

• Cook at 300°F for about 1.5 hours per pound
• For a 10 pound shoulder, that would be 15 hours

Slow cooker:

• Cook on low for about 1 hour per pound
• For a 10 pound shoulder, cook for 10 hours

Smoker:

• Cook at 225-250°F for about 1.5 hours per pound
• For a 10 pound shoulder, expect around 15 hours

The internal temperature you’re aiming for is 190-205°F when the pork is done. At this temp, the pork will pull and shred beautifully.

Estimating How Much Pulled Pork You’ll End Up With

It’s hard to give an exact amount of finished pulled pork you’ll end up with, because moisture loss during cooking can vary. However, here are some general guidelines for yield:

• Shoulder – Expect a 55-65% yield. So for a 10 pound raw shoulder, you’ll get around 5.5 to 6.5 pounds pulled pork.

• Butt – Expect a 70-80% yield. A 10 pound raw butt will yield around 7 to 8 pounds pulled pork.

The bone in a bone-in cut will account for about 20% loss. I like to estimate on the conservative side when calculating how much pork to buy. It’s better to have extra than not enough.

Pulled Pork Sliders Timeline

To recap, here’s a sample timeline for 50 pulled pork sliders:

• Friday morning: Buy a 10-12 pound bone-in pork shoulder.
• Friday late morning: Season and rub the pork shoulder. Let it marinate in the fridge until the next day.
• Saturday 7 AM: Take pork out of fridge and let it come to room temp for an hour before cooking.
• Saturday 8 AM: Put pork in a 300°F oven or on your smoker at 225°F. Start the long cook!
• Saturday 10 PM: After about 14-15 hours, pork should be fork tender and hit 205°F.
• Saturday 10:30 PM: Pull pork and loosely shred, mixing in barbecue sauce and any other flavorings.
• Sunday noon: Slider time! Pile high 3-4 oz of hot pulled pork on mini buns and dig in.

Tips for Delicious Pulled Pork

Here are a few final tips for your perfect party-ready pulled pork:

• Really let the pork get tender and fall-apart – don’t rush it!
• Use a flavorful dry rub the day before. I love brown sugar, chili powder, paprika and cayenne.
• Add sauce at the end after shredding so it doesn’t burn. Sweet and smoky barbecue sauce is perfect.
• Keep pulled pork warm in a slow cooker on low until serving time.
• Top sliders with creamy coleslaw and extra sauce for even more deliciousness.