How Much Pork Shoulder Per Person (Raw Weight to Buy)
Prices checked Oct 2026, average US grocery prices. Portions follow common catering rules of thumb; safe temperatures follow USDA. How we calculate
Pork shoulder is sold raw, but you serve it cooked, and it loses close to half its weight in the smoker. This page answers the buying question: how big a shoulder, or how many, to buy for your guest count. For buns, sides and a full party budget, see the pulled pork guides by party size.
Pork Shoulder by Party Size
Main-dish portions, 0.5 lb raw bone-in per guest. Smoke time is for each butt at 225°F, about 1.5 hours per pound; several butts cook at the same time.
| Guests | Bone-in to buy | If boneless | Butts | Pulled pork | Smoke time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 5 lbs (2.3 kg) | 4.5 lbs | 1 × ~5 lbs | 2.8 lbs | ~8 h |
| 12 | 6 lbs (2.7 kg) | 5.4 lbs | 1 × ~6 lbs | 3.3 lbs | ~9 h |
| 15 | 7.5 lbs (3.4 kg) | 6.8 lbs | 1 × ~7.5 lbs | 4.1 lbs | ~11 h |
| 20 | 10 lbs (4.5 kg) | 9 lbs | 2 × ~5 lbs | 5.5 lbs | ~8 h |
| 25 | 12.5 lbs (5.7 kg) | 11.2 lbs | 2 × ~6.2 lbs | 6.9 lbs | ~9 h |
| 30 | 15 lbs (6.8 kg) | 13.5 lbs | 2 × ~7.5 lbs | 8.2 lbs | ~11 h |
| 40 | 20 lbs (9.1 kg) | 18 lbs | 3 × ~6.7 lbs | 11 lbs | ~10 h |
| 50 | 25 lbs (11 kg) | 22.5 lbs | 4 × ~6.2 lbs | 13.8 lbs | ~9 h |
| 60 | 30 lbs (14 kg) | 27 lbs | 4 × ~7.5 lbs | 16.5 lbs | ~11 h |
| 75 | 37.5 lbs (17 kg) | 34 lbs | 5 × ~7.5 lbs | 20.5 lbs | ~11 h |
| 100 | 50 lbs (23 kg) | 45 lbs | 7 × ~7.1 lbs | 27.5 lbs | ~11 h |
Why Raw and Cooked Weights Differ
A bone-in pork butt loses about 45% of its raw weight: fat renders out, water evaporates over a 10–14 hour smoke, and the bone (about 8–10% of the weight) comes out when you pull it. So 10 lbs raw gives about 5.5 lbs of pulled pork, enough for roughly 22 sandwiches at 4 oz each.
Gear for This Cook
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FAQ
How much pork shoulder per person?
Buy 0.5 lb (0.23 kg) of raw bone-in pork shoulder per person when pulled pork is the main dish. It loses about 45% during smoking, leaving roughly 0.275 lb (125 g) of pulled pork each. Use 0.33 lb if there is a second meat and 0.75 lb for big eaters.
How much pork shoulder for 20 people?
Buy about 10 lbs (4.5 kg) of bone-in pork shoulder for 20 people. One 10 lb butt works, but two 5 lb butts cook faster and more evenly.
What size pork shoulder do I need?
Multiply your guest count by 0.5 lb. Butts are usually sold at 6–10 lbs each, so 10–16 guests is one butt, 20–30 guests is two, and 50 guests is about 25 lbs, or three to four butts.
Pork butt or picnic shoulder?
Pork butt (Boston butt) is the upper shoulder: more marbled, more even in shape and the standard for pulled pork. Picnic shoulder is the lower part: cheaper, with more bone and skin, so buy about 10% more by weight.