Planning a BBQ is hard, especially when it comes to figuring out how much food to buy.
Most people make the mistake of underestimating how much food they will need for their BBQ and end up running out of food or having to serve dry, overcooked brisket.
Smokey Grill BBQ has you covered. We will show you how much brisket per person you will need so that your next BBQ is a great success.
Understanding Brisket
Understanding brisket will help you to estimate your party needs. All the Briskets, commonly referred to as a Packer cut, weigh around 10-18 pounds. But the product is sometimes sold separately.
The flat-cut brisket is commonly utilized as braised and has much lower fat. The second-point cut is denser and generally the most preferred cut on grills and smokers.
A hot topic in the BBQ world is whether to cook brisket fat-side up or fat-side down. Many believe that when it is cooked fat-side up, the fat renders and naturally braises the brisket. But this is not true, and we recommend that you cook brisket fat-side down.
A simple trick to estimate your brisket needs is to consider 1 pound of meat per person. Any leftover brisket will keep for several days in the fridge or freezer and can be used for sandwiches or other dishes later.
If you are looking to feed a larger number of guests, use the following equation to help estimate your needs: (Number of People) X (1 Pound per Person). So for 100 people, calculate 100 pounds of uncooked brisket.
Remember to buy extra food for any drop-in guests and always better to be safe than hungry.
How Many People Will A Cooked Brisket Feed?
How many people a cooked brisket will feed depends on the size of the brisket and whether or not there are side dishes.
A general rule of thumb for a medium to large packer brisket depending on how much fat is in it is about 1/3 – 1/2 pound per person. This includes all bones and fat.
Additionally, take into account any side dishes that will be served with the brisket. If you are serving baked beans, mac & cheese, or coleslaw. Then take 1/3 pound per person plus enough space for each side dish.
How much beef brisket to buy per person also depends on how many other meats you are serving. If you are serving a variety of meats such as ribs, chicken, pulled pork, and smoked brisket. Then it is always best to estimate 1/4 pound per person total for all meat dishes.
This will allow guests to have as much brisket as they want.
How To Calculate Brisket Weight Loss During Cooking
Although an entire whole packer brisket weighs up to twenty pounds, the meat production remains lower. Meat is shrunk when it is cooked because of water evaporation. The brisket carries a large amount of fat on the flat end.
During the process, your whole brisket will shrink to about half the weight. So keep that in mind when you calculate how much you need to buy. Wrap your brisket before cooking to ensure all those juicy flavors stay with the meat.
If you are cooking or serving a larger-sized brisket, calculate 1/2 pound of cooked brisket per person.
So when you are planning your next BBQ, make sure to plan ahead and estimate how much food to purchase. Using these simple techniques will help in avoiding the mistake of having too little food to serve your guests.
How Much Brisket Per Person Do You Need?
To figure out how much brisket to buy per person, take the total number of people attending and that’s how much raw brisket you need depending on if you are just serving brisket or brisket with other meats.
This will give a rough estimate of how much meat is needed. If you’re afraid that’s not enough then round up and buy a little extra!
However, raw brisket will shrink by about 50% when cooking brisket.
A raw brisket with an average weight of 10 pounds is likely to yield 5 pounds of the finished product. So keep this in mind when planning your party.
How Many Pounds of Brisket Do You Need For Sandwiches?
One cooked pound of brisket can make 6-10 sandwiches. This depends on how big the meat is sliced and the size of the bread used for the sandwich. You should always have plenty of leftover brisket though!
Your family and friends will be so happy you took this into consideration when planning your BBQ!
What Type Of Event Are You Hosting?
If you are hosting a large party and you want to be extra safe in your food buying, then for every 10 people attending, buy 1 extra pound of brisket.
Butchers and other cooks recommend about ½ pound per person, cooked weight. We recommend you get at least two pounds over the recommended amount which allows for guests to take larger portions while hopefully leaving you with some nice leftovers!
Don’t trim away any of that delicious fat either- it’s what makes your dish so insanely rich in flavor!
If you’re hosting a party, make sure to buy plenty of drinks and food. You never want to run out of anything at any party!
Know Your Guests
As a general rule, we recommend about 1/2 pound of cooked meat per person depending on what’s being served and whether or not there are other kinds of meats.
If you have determined that you need more than 1/2 pound of cooked meat per person, it is important to remember that your guests may not eat all the food you serve them.
It is also important to account for any dinner guests you have invited along with your BBQ.
Smokey Grill BBQ has prepared a chart to help you figure out how much brisket to buy per person depending on the size of your expected guest list! The more guests you have, the greater amount of brisket required.
The first step is to learn how much meat your guest eats on average. We are primarily talking about adults here so don’t forget to take kids into consideration as well. A good rule of thumb would be one pound of raw brisket per adult guest.
What Else Are You Planning To Serve
You must take into account what else you are serving with your brisket. Mac and Cheese, coleslaw, potato salad, and baked beans usually pair well with brisket.
If you are serving multiple side dishes, take into account how much food to buy for those as well.
Your smoked brisket also goes with a variety of sauces, most notably BBQ sauce and au jus. So if you plan on buying more than 1/4 pound per person then anticipate the extra supplies needed to make those sauces!
What To Do With Your Leftover Beef Brisket
When you are preparing for the big BBQ, make sure to account for what to do with your leftover beef brisket. Leftovers can be made into an entirely new dish! Have taco night by making tacos or quesadillas with your leftover meat.
Do not stress about the leftovers. It’ll help to have more than nothing. The leftover brisket is great for countless uses. The simple sandwich of briskets is the best. Reheat the brisket, put it on bread or a big Kaiser bun, and sprinkle some of our barbecue sauce.
You will no longer be interested in eating ground beef again. Leftover brisket can also be combined with beans and cheese to make a delicious bowl of chili! Just make sure to plan ahead by keeping your meat in the freezer until you are going to use it or else it will go bad!
You can also try our favorite complete packer brisket recipes!
Quick Serving Guide
How Many Pounds of Brisket Per Person For 5 People?
You should plan on about half a pound (or 8 ounces) for each adult, so you will need 2.5 pounds of cooked brisket when cooking for 5 people; that means the meat weight should be at least 5 pounds raw!
How Many Pounds of Brisket Per Person For 10 People?
One pound of raw meat per person is the same amount needed for 10 people. This ensures that your guests will be well-fed and happy with their meal! That’s 10 lbs of raw brisket and 5 lbs when fully cooked.
How Many Pounds of Brisket Per Person For 20 People?
For 20 people you will need 20 pounds of uncooked brisket. That’s 10 pounds of brisket when fully cooked.
Brisket Cooking Tips And Things To Consider
Remember that your guests may not eat all the food you serve them. It is also important to account for any dinner guests you have invited along with your BBQ; we recommend about 1/2 pound of cooked brisket per person depending on what’s being served and whether or not there are other kinds of meats.
Smokey Grill BBQ has prepared a chart to help you figure out how much brisket to buy per person depending on the size of your expected guest list! The more guests you have, the greater amount of brisket required.
The first step is to learn how much meat your guest eats on average. We are primarily talking about adults here so don’t forget to take kids into consideration as well. A good rule of thumb would be one pound of raw brisket per adult guest.
Wrapping Up Your Juicy Brisket
Today, we’ll take a look at how much brisket you need for your next party so that it’s not too little or too much. It all comes down to the number of guests and their appetite! The amount of brisket per person is going to vary depending on who you’re cooking brisket for and what type of cuts they prefer.
Remember, chefs never skimp on meat because no one wants an empty stomach! Go ahead and plan accordingly as this will make sure there are plenty of leftovers once everyone gets full from eating up those delicious appetizers.
