BBQ Tool

BBQ Serving Calculator

Beta

Planning a backyard barbecue, cookout, or get-together? Figure out exactly how much meat to buy. Enter your guest count, pick your protein, and the calculator handles 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 (whole packer) purchase

Appetite Level

Your Shopping List

14 guests · Brisket (whole packer) · average appetite

10.5 lbs

Raw to Buy

5.3 lbs

Cooked Yield

10h 30m – 15h 45m

Cook Time

~50% yield · cook at 250°F

From the Pit

Plan for ~50% yield after trimming and rendering. A 15 lb packer feeds ~20 people.

Fire Up the Pit

Recipes to Cook Next

Texas-Style Smoked Brisket

The low-and-slow benchmark: bark, smoke ring, and a full cook timeline.

Get the recipe →

BBQ Pork Butt

Pulled pork that feeds a crowd and forgives a long cook.

Get the recipe →

Beer Can Chicken

Crisp skin, juicy meat, and an easy win for a backyard cook.

Get the recipe →
More tools:Smoke Time CalculatorTemp Guide