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BBQ meat calculator: how much meat per person?

Plan how much meat to buy for a barbecue or cookout from the number of adults and children, their appetite and the side dishes you serve.

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Appetite
Side dishes

Results

Boneless meat to buy (raw)

6.0 lb

Or burger patties (1/4 lb)

24

Or hot dogs (8 per pound)
48
Or bone-in meat (ribs, wings, drumsticks)
12.0 lb

The basic rule

For a cookout, plan about ½ pound of boneless meat per adult and ¼ pound per child, weighed raw. Then adjust:

  • Appetite: × 0.8 for a light crowd, × 1.25 for big eaters.
  • Side dishes: × 0.8 when there are plenty of sides, salads and appetizers.
  • Bone-in cuts: double the weight, since bones make up a large share of ribs, wings and drumsticks.

Worked example

You are hosting 10 adults and 4 children with normal appetites and a few sides.

  1. Adults: 10 × 0.5 = 5 lb.
  2. Children: 4 × 0.25 = 1 lb.
  3. Total: 6 lb of boneless meat.
  4. As quarter-pound burgers, that is 24 patties.
  5. As hot dogs (about 8 per pound), 48 hot dogs.
  6. As bone-in ribs or chicken wings, about 12 lb.

Most hosts mix: for example 3 lb of burgers (12 patties), 1.5 lb of hot dogs (12 franks) and 3 lb of bone-in chicken.

Yield of smoked meats

Low-and-slow cuts shrink a lot, so buy by the raw weight:

Cut Cooked yield Raw weight for 1 lb cooked
Pork shoulder (pulled pork) 50 to 60% about 1.8 lb
Beef brisket 50 to 60% about 1.8 lb
Pork ribs 40 to 50% about 2.2 lb
Chicken thighs, bone-in 60 to 70% about 1.5 lb

Planning tips

  • Round up. Leftovers are easier to handle than running out, and cooked meat freezes well.
  • Count the mains. If you serve both burgers and hot dogs, guests take some of each, not a full portion of both.
  • Buns: plan one bun per patty or hot dog, plus a few extra.
  • Food safety: keep raw meat cold until it goes on the grill, cook burgers to 160 °F, chicken to 165 °F, and do not leave cooked food out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90 °F.

Frequently asked questions

How much meat do I need per person for a BBQ?

Plan about 1/2 pound of boneless meat per adult and 1/4 pound per child. Add 25% for big eaters and reduce by about 20% when there are plenty of sides and appetizers.

How many burgers per person should I plan?

With quarter-pound patties, plan about 2 per adult and 1 per child, or a bit less if you also serve hot dogs, chicken or other mains.

How much bone-in meat should I buy?

Roughly double the boneless weight, so about 1 pound per adult. Ribs, chicken wings and drumsticks lose a large part of their weight in bone, and pork shoulder loses 40 to 50% of its raw weight once smoked and pulled.

How long does cooked BBQ meat keep?

Do not leave it out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90 °F. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them.

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Results are estimates provided for information purposes. They do not replace professional advice.

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