After looking at several sources on the web....I would definitely do more than 30lbs. of pork. You must consider the weight of each piece of meat before cooking. Pre-cooked weight and actual weight of cooked meat are two different things. So I would suggest 70 lbs or more of uncooked meat and you can freeze any leftover cooked pork. I would think teens would eat more than one slider-sized BBQ sandwich, especially the guys, no matter what they've already had at the other parties.

Will they stay all three hours at your party or will they arrive throughout the 3 hours? If yes, then I would serve the chips and cheese dip early on and wait until after 5pm to serve the BBQ, pasta salad, etc.

Pork shoulders instead of butt will give you more meat and less waste (fat/bone/etc.).

Teresa

I "did" the pork for a similar party for a friend. We used whole boneless loins, they were about as cheap as boston butt but for that quantity didn't have all the grease to deal with.
We had way WAAAY too much meat, but that was their choiice. they had invited 212 and I figured 5 sandwiches ( full sized buns) to a pound of meat.
The party was on a Saturday, from 4 to...?? and there were no other parties scheduled for that day, but I think a lot of people had dinner plans.

I would buy 20 pounds of whole pork loins ( not less than 20 pounds....depends on how the sizes work out) cook them whole on the grill to an internal temp of 140...not more than 150 for SURE...then slice as thinly as possible and cover with BBQ sauce and refrigerate.....or freeze if you do it a week or more ahead. Reheat and serve.

I am figuring 10 of those small buns to a pound and figuring 200 sandwiches. Some will take 2 or 3 and some will just eat a cup cake and leave....and I'll bet you will have a decent amount to freeze for later.

If you decide to do the Boston Butt, you will need another 5 pounds to allow for the extra fat....and if you get a bone in shoulder you will need to buy closer to 30 pounds.
but I am guessing 3 whole pork loins will do you just fine, figuring 5 to 7 pound loins....if you get a couple of 9 pound loins, 2 should do.

And I would add a veggie tray or slaw to the mix. I see you live in Iowa too....Iowans like to top their pork BBQ with a topping of coleslaw!
Linda c

I'd stick with the butt, it's juicy and "pulls" nicely and here is nearly always quite a lot cheaper than boneless loin. I usually figure 1/4 pound per serving, and if you want 200 servings, that's 50 lbs. I find here that at the local pig roasts that many people will eat the meat and leave the buns so I allow for generous servings, more than would fit on a slider bun.

However, your "butt" will have bones, so I'd go closer to Teresa's 70 pounds and at that I can almost guarantee you will have leftovers, but I have this problem with running out of food, I'd always rather have some left than to run out before everyone is served.

Leftovers freeze nicely, so that's good and if you don't want to freeze it, guests or a local shelter might appreciate it if you do have a lot of leftovers. Like LindaC, we tend to top our pulled pork sandwiches with coleslaw, but that's optional, I think your menu sounds good, I'd be happy to be served that.

Have fun and congratulations to the graduate.

Annie

Just so you know I am speaking from experience....go buy some of those slider buns you will be using.
Then go buy half a pound of BBQ pork or beef or something that is sort of like what you will be making. Then see how many of those little sandwiches you can get out of half a pound of the stuff. I am figuring my recommendations on 5 little sandwiches to the half a pound of BBQ pork. If you get less, then you will need more meat.
If you buy 20 pounds of pork loin, it will cook out to about 17 to 18 pounds of boneless lean meat. Then you will add about 2 quarts of BBQ sauce ( and I also add some chicken broth too...a quart...so it stays saucy)..
That's giving you 22 pounds of BBQ meat.....about 44 cups.
You will have more than enough. And remember, this isn't a group who are coming for a meal, but who are doing the "graduation party marathon" and easily half will just eat a little to be polite. However you will have some good friends who will do as boys do and hang around, stuffing their faces the whole time.

If you do decide to go with the butt roast you will need about 24 to 25 pounds to allow for the grease that cooks out. If you get a bone in butt you will need closer to 30 pounds to allow for the bone and the fat.

Remember, you have not invited these people to come for dinner. Some will make it dinner, but most either have a sandwich and call it good, or if they have eaten a lot previously, they will eat some fruit and a cupcake.

Is it only Iowa that does the graduation party marathon?? When my grand daughter graduated 2 years ago, she had a brunch party and she left at 1:00...because she had 14 other parties to go to that day!

Thanks everybody!
Linda - I had thought about coleslaw already. I'm just a little worried about keeping stuff stored cold prior to serving. I might store the pasta salad and coleslaw in ziploc bags so I have enough room in the fridge.
I'll do a trial run with a small amount.
I don't know is it only Iowa that has graduation marathons? I know I will not make all the parties. So far we know of three other ones that day but I'm sure the number will go up.
Annie - I think I will do either the butt or shoulder. I agree it will be juicier.
Theresa - it is an open house, people will be passing through.

FWIW I just cooked a 3lb boneless shoulder for pulled pork sammies and it made 8 good sized ones. If they had been slider size I would say it would have made 15-20.

So 30 pounds of boneless shoulder should do it and likely have some leftover...but if you are worried do more..it freezes so well.

Would also go with the coleslaw, how can you not with pulled pork!

As for this graduation marathon thing, I have never heard of a such a thing. We certainly don't do it here. Or if we do I've never been invited! LOL

Yesterday was the 1st communion marathon here. Five parties on one block alone, with neighbors and freinds going in and out from one to another. They all started at 1 pm and went until I have no clue. I went to bed at midnight....so I want to know how you get them out of the house at 7.

I also vote for the butt or shoulder. To get a loin to "pull" it would need to be cooked to death and beyond so you would have to slice it very thin. You need that conective tissue to melt into the meat for flavor.

Have fun. You are a good Mom to take this on.

Years ago, BIL and his volunteer firefighters always dod a pig roast for July 4th. He'd do it in his yard and would start something like 10-11 the night before. WOuld rent a box... kinda resembled a coffin?? Once coals were ready, tray with pig went on and... just cooked away all night, with no tending necessary. When they pulled the "gurney" off the top... it was fallin apart and totally yummy! After first wave or 2 of eateers came thru, coals were down to "low" and tray with meat just sat on top to stay warm.

If you make a marinated slaw, no need to worry about keeping it cold....it's pretty much pickled...;-Q.
Again, I like the loin because it IS lower fat....you don't cook it to death....and you don't "pull" it....slice it very thin and it sort of falls apart when you stir it on the tray while it's heating in the BBQ sauce.
Peppi, you must live in a Catholic...or Lutheran neighborhood...
The marathon's here are all graduation. And, then it becomes a game...who's party is first?? You having pizza???!!!....well we're having grilled burgers!....and then those who try to 2nd guess when everyone else will have the party.
I am helping with one the Monday of Memorial weekend, 2 days after Graduation.....they think no one else will have a party that day!! LOL! I am making hot turkey and gravy for 100 sandwiches, the grandparents are making pulled pork for another 100 sandwiches...Momma is ordering desserts ( did I really say that???)
Happy days as we celebrate the accomplishments of these wonderful young people!

Chase, they weren't common here a million years ago when I graduated, but by the time Amanda graduated a decade ago, everyone had a graduation "open house". I still get invited to a dozen or more a year. I don't go to many of them, only close friends and family, and sometimes not family. Mostly the graduates want that cash gift that's also traditional here, they're partying with their friends and could care less about the adults who do or do not attend.

As for the pig, we had a pig roast for Amanda and Dave's wedding. By the time the meat was pulled from the bones there was about 130 pounds. 213 guests and not very many leftovers. I made the buns, about half the size of a McDonald's regular burger, so maybe a smidge bigger than a slider, but not much. Many people made sandwiches and some made a sandwich and had extra pork on the side and some just ate pork. There was a mix of small children, young adults, old farmers and teens. We also served a nacho bar before the meal, then the pork, a couple of different salads, au gratin potatoes, green beans and a dessert buffet. There was lots of dessert left, but not much pork. And not much beer either, LOL, so maybe the "stragglers" just had pork and beer instead of desserts, but there were no other parties before where they could get food either.

Annie

As for keeping the salads cold, You can always use coolers and ice. Save a couple of empty, clean milk jugs and fill 3/4 full with water, then freeze. It will keep the cooler good and cold with out melting and getting everything soaked. As for keeping them cold for serving, I bought a small hard plastic kiddie pool for the last one and filled with ice. If you have a nice looking wheel barrow, you can use it. I did for the first one, but by the time the second one graduated, the wheel barrow was in no condition to use for that! Set the bowls of salad, partially covered in plastic wrap, in the ice in the pool. It worked great!

As to amounts of meat, one of my cook books says for hamburger 25 servings = 9#, for 50 servings = 18#, & 100 = 35#. That's the closest type of meat listed. I know Lindac and many others here have much more experience than I do with serving crowds.

Tami...who has also done the rounds of graduation party marathons, we just never called them that