Pulled Pork Teriyaki for a Crowd
This recipe for fall-apart tender, succulent pulled pork teriyaki is for serving a crowd of 25, 50, or even 100 people. Cooked in advance in slow cookers or in the oven, this fail-safe recipe is suitable for beginners, easily scales up or down, and is great for church suppers, fundraisers, entertaining, large gatherings, and more.
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Why this recipe works
What is not to love about a recipe for juicy shredded pork that is SO easy to make that it can easily be made to feed dozens of people? Minimal, affordable ingredients, a forgiving cut of meat, and multiple cooking method options (either slow cooker, oven cooking, or BOTH) make this recipe a ride-or-die for feeding a crowd.
I keep pulled pork teriyaki in regular rotation when cooking my large church dinners (usually 60-80 people) and it has never done me wrong. The ingredients are all easily available and affordable. I made this for 85 people a couple months ago and, served with pineapple coconut rice, roasted veggies, roll, and salad, the meal cost came in at under $5.00 per person.
Also, when I cook, I do it alone. This recipe works for me because I can do it alone stress-free! The day before serving, I used 2 large slow cookers and 2 Dutch ovens in the oven to cook in batches (3 batches of meat for 80 people, for example). This let me cook all the meat in my own home on my schedule.
How to make pulled pork teriyaki
Boston butt cuts of pork are put in either a slow cooker or in a Dutch oven. Then we season the meat and add purchased teriyaki sauce.
Once cooked, we strain juices and make our sauce: just heat the juices and add some cornstarch to thicken. Spoon over the meat to moisten.
To reheat the pork for serving, put in a low oven covered with foil to warm through. This recipe could not be easier!
Tip! Use the cook times as indicated in the recipe card below as a guide. The key is we really want to cook the pork just until fall-apart tender. Overcooking, especially in a slow cooker, can result in mushy, mealy meat which is not our goal.
Which cut of pork is best for pulled pork
Boston butt. That’s the one. It goes by other names: pork butt or pork shoulder. Boston butt comes bone-in or boneless. I recommend bone-in because it costs less.
Boston butt should not be confused with picnic roast or any sort of ham. Picnic roast is cut from a different part of the pig and is leaner (i.e. less tender).
What is a serving size of shredded, pulled pork
A serving size of pulled pork averages to 1/4 lb cooked meat per person. But just like with pulled chicken, we have to account for shrinkage and water loss during cooking — so we actually need to start with 1/3 lb per person raw meat.
Use 1/3 lb per person as a start, but then ask yourself: is this a young crowd of hungry teens? Or is this an older crowd with smaller appetites? If hungry teens, scale up to 1/2 lb raw meat per person; if older crowd, consider scaling down to 1/4 lb per person. If a diverse crowd, stick with 1/3 lb.
How many pounds of pork should you cook?
See above for my primary guidance based on how many pounds of meat you need per person. But generally, we are going to start with 1/3 lb raw, bone-in Boston butt per person. For boneless pork butt, because there is no bone we want 1/4 lb per person.
Pretty much none of this math works out exactly, so here is a simple table to use as a guide. It is always better to make a little too much than to run out.
| Number of people | Pounds raw bone-in pork butt | Pounds raw boneless pork butt |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | 15-17 lbs | 13-15 lbs |
| 50 | 30-34 lbs | 25-30 lbs |
| 75 | 45-50 lbs | 38-45 lbs |
| 100 | 60-68 lbs | 50-60 lbs |
What to serve wither teriyaki pork
Here is the meal I pull together to go with this pork. All the flavors go well together, all the ingredients are easy to get in quantity, and all are affordable.
- Teriyaki Pulled Pork
- Pineapple Coconut Rice
- roasted vegetable medley
- Hawaiian sweet rolls
- salad
- Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
FAQs
Yes, chicken can be used in place of pork and I have done so. See my post for Mojo Chicken for how much chicken to cook. I do recommend using primarily chicken thighs rather than breast meat because dark meat has a better texture when slow cooked.
No, this recipe is not gluten-free due to the soy sauce ingredient in the teriyaki marinade. If gluten-free is desired, look specifically for teriyaki marinade that is GF.
Pulled Pork Teriyaki for a Crowd
Equipment
Ingredients
- 15 lbs bone-in, Boston butt pork roast see Notes
- black pepper
- all-purpose seasoning blend see Notes
- 12 oz Lawry's Teriyaki Marinade with Pineapple Juice see Notes
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch plus 2 Tbsp cold water
- garnish: sesame seeds, chopped green onion, flat-leaf parsley optional
Instructions
Prepare the pork
- Season the pork with black pepper and all-purpose seasoning. Divide meat between two slow cookers, Dutch ovens, or heavy roasting pans.
- Pour 6 oz (~1/2 bottle) teriyaki marinade over the meat in one cooker and the rest of the bottle over the meat in the other cooker.
Cooking in slow cookers
- Cover slow cookers with lids, cook on high heat for 4 hours until pull-apart tender.
Cooking in the oven
- Heat oven to 250℉.
- Cover Dutch ovens, if using, with lids or roasting pans with a double layer of heavy-duty foil.
- Cook pork in the oven until pull-apart tender (~6-8 hours)
To finish the pork
- Transfer meat to serving pans (such as hotel pans) and shred. Cover with foil to retain moisture.
- Into a bowl or glass measuring cup, strain juices from pan/cooker to end up with 2 cups reserved juice. Put in the fridge to solidify the fat layer on top.
- Discard the chilled, solid fat layer. Transfer juices into a medium saucepan. (Completely cold, the juices may gel up – this is completely fine and it will return to juice when heated.)
- Heat the juices over medium-high heat, stirring. Dissolve the cornstarch in an equal part cold water and add to the saucepan. Gently simmer, stirring, until thickened.
- Spoon teriyaki sauce over meat. Use just enough to moisten and flavor the meat.
- Reheat the meat in the oven at 250-350℉. Stir and check the meat regularly as it reheats. If desired, serve topped with sesame seeds, green onion, and parsley.
