How Much Pulled Pork Do You Need For 50 BBQ Sliders?

Sliders are the ultimate crowd-pleasing appetizer for a backyard barbecue or party. Their small size makes them easy to eat while mingling Figuring out how much pulled pork you need to make sliders for 50 people does take some calculations though. You want to have enough so every guest gets their fill of these tasty little sandwiches.

When cooking for a large group, it’s important to accurately estimate how much meat you’ll need. Making pulled pork sliders for 50 people requires factoring in a few key details to get the portions just right.

Determining How Much Pork Per Slider

To determine how much pork you need total, you first need to calculate:

• How many people you are serving
• How many sliders each person will eat on average
• How much pulled pork goes on each individual slider

Once you know these amounts, you can calculate the total pork required.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to figuring portions for 50 bbq sliders

Calculate Number of Guests

First, determine how many people you need to serve. For this example, there are 50 guests attending the event.

Having an accurate headcount is critical to properly estimating meat needs. Make sure your per person calculations are based on the right number of people.

Estimate Sliders Per Guest

Next, estimate how many sliders each guest will likely eat. For slider-sized sandwiches, plan for approximately 4-6 per person as an appetizer.

If also serving other appetizers, assume guests will eat 3-4 sliders on average. To be safe, let’s estimate 4 sliders per person.

Determine Total Sliders Needed

Now calculate the total number of sliders required:

• 50 guests
• 4 sliders per guest
• 50 x 4 = 200 total sliders

So you’ll need about 200 slider sandwiches for a group of 50.

Meat Amount Per Slider

How much cooked pulled pork should you use per sandwich?

For a properly piled bbq slider, plan for 1/4 pound of pork on each. This gives a good amount of meat per bite-sized sandwich.

Calculate Total Pork Needed

Finally, do the math to figure out how much pork you need total:

• 200 total sliders
• 1/4 pound pork per slider
• 200 x 0.25 = 50 pounds of cooked pulled pork

So to make 200 sliders for 50 people, you’ll need 50 pounds of cooked pulled pork.

Since pork shoulder loses about half its weight when cooked, start with about 100 pounds of raw pork shoulder.

That gives you plenty of delicious pulled pork for topping juicy little bbq sliders for your crowd!

Procuring and Prepping the Pork

Obviously, getting 100 pounds of pork requires a trip to a specialty butcher or warehouse club. Be sure to order the right amount with enough time to spare.

Choose high-quality pork butts for optimal texture after pulling and piling onto slider buns. Rub the meat with your favorite spices and injections to amp up the flavor.

With this much pork, you’ll likely need to cook it in batches. Allow 10-12 hours of smoker time for the pork to fully break down. It should pull easily and have great moisture.

Mix your favorite bbq sauce into the pork when pulling to keep it extra juicy for sliders.

Serving Up Those Tasty Bites

When party time comes, set up a slider station for guests to build their sandwiches. Keep the warm pulled pork in slow cookers or chafing dishes, replenishing as needed.

Offer delicious slider toppings like pickles, slaw, onions, cheese and spreads for customizing.

You’ll be surprised at how quickly 200 sliders vanish when starting with the proper amount of meat!

Having the right pork-to-guest ratio ensures everyone gets their fill. With 100 pounds of raw shoulder yielding 50 pounds cooked, you’ll have plenty for 50 happy guests to each enjoy 4 perfect little bbq pork sliders.