How Much Pulled Pork for 80 People (Raw & Cooked)
Prices checked Oct 2026, average US grocery prices. Portions follow common catering rules of thumb; safe temperatures follow USDA. How we calculate
For 80 people you need 40 lbs (18 kg) of raw pork butt (about 22 lbs cooked · 5 butts), about $585 for the whole party with drinks, sides and charcoal. Treat it like a catering job: two cooks, a holding plan for cooked food and a written timeline.
Raw vs Cooked Pulled Pork for 80 People
| Per person | For 80 guests | Metric | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw bone-in pork butt to buy | 0.5 lb | 40 lbs | 18 kg |
| Cooked pulled pork | about 4.4 oz | 22 lbs | 10.0 kg |
| Sandwiches (4 oz each) | 1+ | about 88 | — |
| Pork butts | — | 5 × about 8 lbs | 3.6 kg each |
Buy by raw weight. If pulled pork is one of two meats, 0.33 lb raw per person is enough; for big eaters, use 0.75 lb.
Plan for Exactly 80 Guests
| Smoker space | 5 butts: a large offset or two smokers |
|---|---|
| Cook time | about 12 hours at 225°F (cook time depends on each butt, not on how many), plus a 1-hour rest |
| Start time | light the smoker about 13 hours before serving, so usually the night before |
| Thawing if frozen | 2 days in the fridge per butt (USDA: about 1 day per 4–5 lbs) |
| Holding pans | 5 half-size foil pans with lids for about 22 lbs of cooked meat |
| Drinks cooler | 5 × 48-quart coolers for 200 cans, plus 12 × 10-lb bags of ice |
| Serving help | 3 cooking, 3 on serving and refills |
Complete Shopping List for 80
| Item | Quantity | Est. cost |
|---|---|---|
| Pulled Pork (bone-in pork butt (shoulder), raw weight) | 40 lbs (18 kg) | $100 |
| Charcoal for a long smoke | 49 lbs (4 bags of 16 lbs) | $74 |
| Buns, one per sandwich | 88 (11 packs of 8) | $31 |
| Drinks, mixed (2.5 per person) | 200 | $220 |
| Potato salad (0.3 lb per person) | 24 lbs (11 kg) | $60 |
| Coleslaw (0.3 lb per person) | 24 lbs (11 kg) | $60 |
| Plates, napkins, cutlery, condiments | 85 plates, 170 napkins | $40 |
| Estimated total | $7.31 per guest | $585 |
Cooked yield: about 22 lbs (10.0 kg) of pulled pork. A pork butt loses roughly 45% of its raw weight to fat, water and bone.
Gear for This Cook
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Adjust for Your Crowd
The numbers above assume adults with pulled pork as the main dish and two sides. Scale them for your event:
| Situation | Multiplier | Pulled Pork for 80 |
|---|---|---|
| Main dish, no other meats | ×1 | 40 lbs (18 kg) |
| Served with two other meats | ×0.4 | 16 lbs (7.3 kg) |
| Big eaters or an all-day event | ×1.25 | 50 lbs (23 kg) |
| Self-serve buffet | ×1.2 | 48 lbs (22 kg) |
Cooking Details
Target temperature: 195–205°F, then rest 30–60 minutes before pulling
Cook time: about 1.5 hours per pound of each butt at 225°F
Food safety: don't leave cooked meat out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (USDA). Keep hot food above 140°F.
Want to change drinks, sides and sauces, or download a PDF shopping list?
Open Full BBQ Calculator →FAQ
How much pulled pork for 80 people?
Buy 40 lbs (18 kg) of raw bone-in pork butt for 80 people. After smoking it yields about 22 lbs of pulled pork, roughly 4.4 oz per person.
How many pork butts for 80 people?
5 pork butts of about 8 lbs each. Smaller butts cook faster and more evenly than one very large one.
What does pulled pork for 80 people cost?
The meat costs about $100 at average US grocery prices ($2.50/lb). With charcoal, drinks, two sides and supplies, budget about $585 in total, or $7.31 per guest.