BBQ Tool
BBQ Serving Calculator
BetaPlanning a backyard barbecue, cookout, or get-together? Figure out exactly how much meat to buy. Enter your guest count, pick your protein, and we’ll handle the math, including shrinkage, cook time, and optional cost breakdown.
Whole packers run 10–20 lbs; most are 12–16 lbs
Minimum 14 guests for the smallest practical brisket purchase
Your Shopping List
14 guests · Brisket (whole packer) · average appetite
Raw Meat to Buy
10.5 lbs
Whole packers run 10–20 lbs; most are 12–16 lbs
Cooked Yield
5.3 lbs
~50% yield
Est. Cook Time
10h 30m – 15h 45m
at 250°F
Pro Tip: Plan for ~50% yield after trimming and rendering. A 15 lb packer feeds ~20 people.
Stretch Your Protein With Heavy Sides
Serving 2–3 hearty sides lets you reduce meat per person by 15–20% without anyone leaving hungry. Load the plate with starch and you spend less per head on the most expensive item on the table.
Mac & Cheese
Filling and starchy — the single biggest protein reducer on any BBQ lineup.
Potato Salad
Dense and satisfying. Guests who load up on potato salad eat less meat.
Baked Beans
Adds its own protein. Pairs especially well with pulled pork and brisket.
Cornbread
Great for soaking up sauce. One piece fills a plate corner fast.
Coleslaw
A creamy slaw cuts through rich meat and stretches each sandwich.
Corn on the Cob
Crowd favorite that keeps hands busy. One ear per person adds real volume.
Rule of thumb: with 3 heavy sides, reduce raw meat per person by ~0.15 lbs. With lighter fare (slaw, pickles only), no reduction needed.