Planning your summer blowout but asking yourself, “How much meat per person?”
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when feeding a large group of people or even just a typical family weeknight dinner. Serving too little meat will leave people hungry for more, while too much meat will leave you feeling overworked and not knowing what to do with all of it. Never mind the trips to the grocery store!
By purchasing meat in bulk, you’ll have your meat cuts ready to go in the freezer! All you need to do is calculate what you need, defrost what you have, and you’re ready to start cooking.
If you’re a fan of summer grilling, download our Summer Grilling Recipe Book! You’ll find recipes for keeping your family happy all summer!
How much meat per person?
If meat is the central part of your dish, you will most likely want 1/2 of a pound per person. When cooking for 8 people, you’ll want 4 pounds of meat. On a typical week night when you’re cooking for just 2, 1 pound of boneless meat should be sufficient.
If you’re grilling short ribs, consider that the bones can be larger than other rib cuts. This will contribute to the pounds you are weighing. Try serving 3/4 of a pound per personto factor in the extra weight. If you’re dishing up some ground beef for taco night, ¼ of a poundper person should be sufficient.
You might want to consider ¾ of a pound for those with heartier appetites. A half a pound might not be enough. Similar thinking with children, who tend to have smaller appetites. Think about cooking half the portion you would for an adult (except for teenagers, who tend to eat more than anyone!). Demographics play a more significant role in meal prepping than you might think.
The graphic below is an excellent place to start when planning your meals for different types of meat:
With a larger group, consider the number of adults and children when planning your meal. This will determine if you need a half or a quarter pound of meat per guest. If you’re feeding 20 people and are unsure about age ranges, 10 or more pounds of meat is a great place to start.
When measuring weight, you will also want to determine if your meat has bones. Some times we forget a rack of ribs or a bone-in steak contain more than just meat. This means less meat per guest as the bones occupy space, so plan accordingly. Uncle Al might eat a whole rack of ribs himself while Aunt Pearl may only eat two ribs, and your teenage cousin will demolish anything that’s left on the table.
A cooked rib bone will weigh about ½ a pound without meat, so consider adding an extra ½ to ¼ pound per person. A steak bone can make up about 30% of your total steak weight. Adding about another half-pound will ensure no guest leaves hungry.
Whether you’re feeding your family, close friends, or a herd of people, plan accordingly but make a little extra just in case. And here’s a party-pro tip – cook a bit more than you think you need and give your guests the leftovers as they leave. Karin always says, “Feed ‘em right, and nobody goes hungry.”
How much meat per person? If meat is the central part of your dish, you will most likely want 1/2 of a pound per person. When cooking for 8 people, you'll want 4 pounds of meat. On a typical week night when you're cooking for just 2, 1 pound of boneless meat
boneless meat
Meat on the bone or bone-in meat is meat that is sold with some or all of the bones included in the cut or portion, i.e. meat that has not been filleted.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Meat_on_the_bone
A question we often get is “How much meat do I need?” The starting rule of thumb is: Boneless Meat: 1/2 lb.per person for adults and 1/4 lb.per person for children.
If cooking beef on the bone, a three-rib roast (about 3kg) will serve about seven to eight people. Calculate roughly 400g per person. If cooking beef off the bone, 1kg will serve four and 1.5kg will serve about six, so 200-300g per person.
For instance, plan for about 3-4 ounces of ground beef taco meat per person, which means a pound of ground beef can feed roughly four people. Use a similar scale when shopping for other proteins, and remember, it's easier to have a little extra at the end of the party than to run out of food for your guests!
A moderate amount of meat is no more than 455g cooked red meat (equal to about 700g raw meat) per week. This could be a small 65g serve of cooked meat each day or 2 serves (130g) 3-4 times a week. This would be approximately ½ cup lean mince, two small chops or two slices of roast meat.
Two servings, or 6 oz., of lean meat (poultry, fish, shellfish, beef) should be a part of a daily diet. Measure the right amount with your palm. One palm size portion equals 3 oz., or one serving.
You can expect most adult guests to eat ¼ to ⅓ pounds of meat each during your event. Adults will likely be drinking, grazing on snacks, and filling up on sides, too. That means you can cut down your pound-per-person total a bit or plan for leftovers. Remember, we're talking about ¼ to ⅓ pounds total—not of each meat.
The suggested total intake of meat on a weekly basis, according to the United States Department of Agriculture Dietary Guidelines, is approximately 23 to 33 ounces, depending on the total calories you eat per day. This recommendation includes meats, poultry, and eggs.
Micucci offers this advice for a full-course buffet: "When determining meat quantities, heres my good rule of thumb. If you are serving one kind of meat, order 8 to 10 oz. of raw meat per person, or 6 to 8 oz. of fish or chicken.
- Red meat: less than 2 servings per week. - White meat: 2 servings per week. - Eat red meat in smaller quantities and less frequently. - Processed meats are to be eaten only occasionally.
How much steak should I buy per person? The answer to this question entirely depends on how you're planning your meal. If the ribeye is the main event, then you'll want to have about ½-pound per person (about 8 ounces each).
When Meat Is the Main. When cooking something like steak, turkey or pork, where meat is the main dish of the meal and paired with a few side dishes, we recommend about 1/2 pound (eight ounces) per person, or up to 3/4 (12 ounces) pound for bigger appetites and those who love leftovers.
As a general rule of thumb, plan for the following portion sizes: For buffet-style events: Estimate about 1/2 to 3/4 pound of meat per person. For plated dinners: Plan for approximately 6 to 8 ounces of meat per person.
To calculate the meat per person, divide the total meat used by the total amount of people. For example, if there are 5 lbs of meat, and 10 people, the meat per person is . 5 lbs.
With a larger group, consider the number of adults and children when planning your meal. This will determine if you need a half or a quarter pound of meat per guest. If you're feeding 20 people and are unsure about age ranges, 10 or more pounds of meat is a great place to start.
If the meat is part of a bigger dish, like pasta or curry, plan for 1/4 to 1/3 pound (four to six ounces) per person. That means you'll want at least 2 1/2 pounds of meat if you're planning to have 10 people over to dinner, and 5 or more pounds of meat if you're cooking for 20 guests.
I like 6oz finished meat per person total + sides for an abundant meal with leftovers. You have to subtract loss during cooking which is about 50% for pulled pork and 35-40% for brisket. So it ends up looking like this for 40 people: 40 people*6oz per person = 240 oz or 15 lbs finished meat.
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