For Caterers Only!!!!! Amount of Beef and Pork needed?!
For Caterers Only!!!!! Amount of Beef and Pork needed?
I am helping a friend with her wedding and we are discussing the amount of hot beef and pulled pork needed. She is trying to keep cost down and go with a lesser amount and I am trying to ensure that they have enough food. How many full deep pans (the big ones) do you need of prepared meat to feed 400 ppl? The meat is for sandwiches and will be put onto buns by the guests.
Answers: 1/4 pound per person, is the best way to ensure that all will have enought to eat. I have been catereing for years, hope this help let me know Source(s):
Just a old texan cook At least 6 ounces per person. More is better, because the last thing you want is to run out of food at a wedding for 400!! would suggest about a four oz portion person if other things are being served also--would be more then enough to fill out sandwich-so for 400 people you are talking about 100 pounds of meat-if other sandwiches like chicken salad is being served you can do petit sandwiches and go down to a 2 oz portion--------chef for a living----enjoy the day---hope this helps
as for full pans it depends on how it is presented just use the weight guidelines and everyone should be happy-easiest way to cut down on portions is to use small buns First of all it's catering sin to ever serve messy food at weddings. People are dressed nicely and messy food messes all that up .
Second of all If you don't go at the very least 6 oz per person you will find yourself in the weeds so damned fast that you won't know what the hell just hit you.
Sometimes you have to be empirical about these things and physically verify the validity of any number that you are getting .You say that you have 400 guests
OK How many of them do you think are going to eat the pork or the beef ? How many of them do you think are going to go back for seconds ? The numbers just changed didn't they .?
Another thing that gets factored into all of this is who your guests are.It's one thing if your serving 400 old adies with blue hair .It's a whole 'nother story if all your guests are 200+lb males.
What you need to do is to make your product , get a scale , and stick a weighted portion on a bun and see what it looks like .
You can cheat mightly on this by using the size of the bun that you select as your portion limiting factor.Y'know you just can't put a lot of food on a small bun , now can you ?
You of course know that all buffet lines start with the cheap carbs and end with the expensive proteins.
You may also want to get a copy of Food for Fifty which is a fairly good reference text .A not terribly old used copy will do the job. I have worked for a catering and banquet hall. (Until my knee gave out permanently 9 months ago) My boss has a formula to figure out amounts of food needed. I assume that all caterers use a formula with a margin for error. They also know other handy information, like how many napkins and plates.
So, while I can't answer your question directly I am referring you to ask the caterer and then get a second bid. (To keep the caterer from gross over-estimating) There are also many packages, making it easier to fit any budget, and the caterer has dealt with the issue before, utilize their expertise when making any decision about food. (Others pointed out the types of food appropriate for a wedding, much different than a BBQ or even a funeral.)
We have a web page that helps the customer estimate amounts so I assume that other caterers do as well. Try there first, saves you a lot of leg work..
Also, the food that is left over is yours, you take it home.
Good luck.
Peace.