Pulled Beef Sliders, how much meat per person?

[BigD]

All, I am entering a backyard people's choice competition that is for charity. I'm going to be making pulled beef sliders with chuck roast. I have to make enough for 150 samples. Normally, on a big sandwich, I would account for 1/3 lb. of raw meat per person. Would it be okay to take half of that amount if I am doing sliders? Also, does anyone have a good sauce recipe that would compliment the beef? Normally, I just make a horseradish mayo. Thanks for the input

[Mr. Bones]

Are yer samples gonna be each a slider, or sliders portioned out in halves, quarters? Yer math sounds purty safe, to me, jus curious.

Any sides goin out on th sample table? This makes a difference, as well...

Here's a few threads where we were all sharin some sauce, an glaze ideas fer chuckies, not too awful long back...

Doubtless, some more folks will chime in with some additional ideas, an receipts...

Best of Luck in yer Comp Cook, very cool it will benefit a charity!

Chuckie Sauce

Chuckie Glaze

Karon Adams excellent tutorial on makin an awesome, umami sauce base

[BigD]

Mr. Bones, I was just going to serve them up on King's Hawaiian Rolls to make it easy! One roll per person.

No sides, but I think there are around 12-15 different competitor's that will be serving over all of the categories.

I'm definitely going to give your 001 sauce a try, it sounds delicious!

[Sweaty Paul]

Missed this discussion and now I’m hungry again.

[smokinsteve]

Is that number factoring in the shrinkage you get with chuck? Mr. Bones Chuckie Sauce is awesome!!

[BigD]

I figured I could calculate it like I do pork butts, 1/3 lb raw meat per person. Does a chuckie shrink more than a pork butt? Should I be safe and plan on a higher ratio?

[Mr. Bones]

Never mistake, though; Loves me some horseradish, along with any kinda beef...yer horseradish mayo would be high up, on my list, as well...

Reckon if it was me, might put out a few different ones, but I do unnerstand time is at a premium, durin a Comp scenario...

[jecucolo]

Figuring out portion to serve has sort of been my latest obsession. Figuring out within reason what different meats produce in waste and moisture loss to purchase the right amount of raw meat to cook. I have seen 1/3 pound of cooked meat as a good portion. I have been watching what people eat that I cook for and it seems to be about right. Of course how much sides does impact this some.


I read recently also that most meats loose about 25% moisture. Pork but dose have a bone and some fat trimming. I use 1.5 multiplier for but. So if you need to serve 10 lbs of cooked meat buy 15.

Thats my 2 cents worth.

[gcdmd]

An excellent burger joint in San Antonio (Bigz) puts out chipotle mayo (mayo mixed with pureed chipotle in adobo sauce, I think), which is great on burgers and as a French fry dip. It might go well on pulled beef and should be easy to make.

[jecucolo]

I eat at Bigz regularly!

[Steve R.]

I made up a batch of Aaron Franklin's classic sauce last weekend and REALLY liked it on smoked turkey breast. I imagine it would be even better on beef.

[Troutman]

With beef sliders I'm in favor of going without sauce. Have some on the side. I went to this year's Houston BBQ Festival and one of the venues was serving about a 3 oz. slice of fatty brisket on a King's Hawaiian Bun just plain and it was delicious just like that. I think trying to get 5 oz. on a KHB may be too much, I'd experiment with that a little first.

Like you I do them with pulled pork. These were probably 3-4 ounces. Doing a quick slaw may also help fill the sandwich and reduce your yield. Good luck with your effort regardless !!

[jfmorris]

I think you should plan for at least 3 oz of COOKED meat on each slider. Butts lose about 40% of their weight during the cook - I almost expect chuck roasts will do the same. That means, for 150 sliders, you need 450 oz post cook weight of meat, 630 oz pre-cook (adding 40%), which is 39 pounds of beef! Heck, this is why I do pulled pork, not pulled beef!

If you change the math to 2 oz cooked meat on each slider it reduces your pre-cooked weight of meat to 26 pounds. Still a lot of chuck, which goes for $4.98 a pound today at my local Sam's Club.

Pricey backyard competition!

[mnavarre]

I've seen around 30-40% loss on choice chuckies depending on the marbling and which cooker I cook on. I seem to lose a bit more on the PBJr. than the kettle/SnS.

[Slice169]

I think you're safe to stay with that 1/3# per person figure. You know you'll have enough that way and worst case scenario you'll simply have leftovers! I understand the expense- at nearly $5/lb you're looking at another nearly $60 in product, but I always err on the side of caution. Better to have too much than not enough! That's my nickel's worth of free advice!

[jfmorris]

He is talking about 150 sliders - a lot more than $60 in product at $5 per pound! More like $250 at 1/3 pound precooked weight per person, more than that if we are talking 1/3 pound post cook weight.

[Slice169]

jfmorris, you are correct about $250 for the entire portion of meat. I was saying it's an extra $60 roughly if he stayed at 1/3# vs cutting it back to 1/4#

[jfmorris]

Gotcha Slice169

[BigD]

Thanks all for the suggestions. Would anyone have any other cost efficient options for the beef category? Obviously, I could smoke up a couple prime briskets but I was trying to think a little more outside the box. Any input would be greatly appreciated!

[Slice169]

BigD if you're not going with Brisket, I would think Chuck would probably be the next best thing. The problem you run into is the price. I'm not sure where in Nebraska you're from, but Super Saver and HyVee in Lincoln have brisket priced at approximately $2.30/#, whereas Chuck is gonna run you anywhere from $4.50-$4.90/# depending on quality and where you get it.
You might just try and be a little creative with what you top your brisket sliders with... Coleslaw? You can get creative that way..

[BigD]

Slice169, I live in SW Omaha. I do most of my meat shopping at Costco, Sam's and Fareway unless the ads are favorable somewhere else. I purchased a case of chuckies from Fareway a month ago for a graduation party and it was like $3.59/lb. Not a bad price, but I can get prime brisket for cheaper than that usually. Maybe brisket is the smarter play.

[jecucolo]

I found this on a catering web site.

For each item below – take the total starting weight (from the package) and multiply it by the percentage. This will give you a good estimate for what the trimmed, finished and cooked product weight will be: Brisket (Whole packer): 43% Brisket (Flat only): 52% Pork Butt: 50% Pork Loin: 65% Whole Roaster Chicken (4 – 7lbs): 34% Whole Turkey: 50% In addition to these, we often are asked to provide other meats that are less of a poundage calculation and more of a quantity. Though it varies by order – these are generally our rules: Pork or Beef Ribs: 2 people per rack if this is the only meat item, otherwise 3 people per rack Featherbones: 1 person per uncooked lb if this is the only meat item, otherwise 2 people per pound Chicken Pieces (any): 2.5 pieces per person if this is the only meat item, otherwise 1.5 per person Sausage: This is never our main meat item, but as an accessory we figure about 4 people per lb of uncooked sausage, sliced into bite sized chunks r