Meat Per Person Calculator
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Raw meat to buy = guests × raw lb per person — then see cooked yield after smoking, roasting, or grilling loss.
Rates last reviewed: July 2026
Guests & meat portions
Raw meat to buy
10 lb
6.5 lb cooked yield (65%)
- Raw weight
- 10 lb
- Cooked yield
- 6.5 lb
- Raw ounces
- 160 oz
- Cooked ounces
- 104 oz
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Planning meat for BBQ and brisket
BBQ and cookout planning starts with how much raw meat to buy per guest, then adjusts for shrinkage during cooking. Brisket, pork shoulder, and ribs lose significant weight as fat renders and moisture evaporates — cooked yield is often 50–75% of the raw weight depending on cut, trim, and cook method.
For pulled pork or brisket sandwiches, many hosts budget ½–¾ lb of raw meat per person when meat is the main event, or ¼–⅓ lb when it shares the table with several sides. Enter your cooked yield percentage to translate raw purchase weight into estimated servings on the plate.
Example: 20 guests at 0.5 lb raw brisket each with a 65% cooked yield needs 10 lb of raw meat and yields about 6.5 lb of sliced brisket (10 × 0.65) — roughly 5.2 oz of cooked meat per person before sides.
Official sources
Rates and formulas in this calculator reference the documentation below. Confirm current numbers on the source site before relying on them. Links do not imply endorsement by those organizations of Calcometry or this tool.
Common questions
What cooked yield should I use for brisket?
Brisket often yields 50–60% after a long smoke once you trim fat and account for moisture loss. Pulled pork shoulder is commonly 65–75%; chicken and burgers run higher.
Is the per-person amount raw or cooked weight?
Raw (purchase) weight per guest. The calculator multiplies by your cooked yield percentage to show how much edible meat you should expect after cooking.
How much meat per person for a mixed BBQ spread?
When brisket shares the table with ribs, sausage, and sides, ¼–⅓ lb raw per person is often enough. Bump toward ½–¾ lb when one smoked cut is the star of the meal.