How Much Meat Per Person at a Cookout?
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Cookout-Math-How-Many-Burgers-Hot-Dogs-and-Ribs-to-Buy-Per-Person-FT-BLOG0525-809a3245e86d4546bac868cf356ba081.jpg?w=780&resize=780,470&ssl=1 "How Much Meat Per Person at a Cookout?")
If you’re firing up for the grill for Memorial Day, Juneteenth, the Fourth of July, or another summer occasion, you might be wondering just how many burgers, hot dogs, and brats to stock up on per person.
When buying meat for a cookout, think in terms of weight. Buy a total of 1/2 pound (8 ounces) of boneless meat per person, or 3/4 pound (12 ounces) of bone-in meat. (For these purposes, count children under 10 as half a person.)
This formula generally works for any combination of items — hamburgers, hot dogs, sausage, chicken, seafood, steak, and even meat substitutes. But there are some exceptions. Here’s a guide to common cookout items, and just how much you’ll need of each. When in doubt, err on the side of generosity. Leftover chicken, steak, shrimp, and even burgers can be refrigerator gold over the next few days.
Hamburgers
Burgers are a crowd-pleaser, so you’ll want to serve one to two patties per person. If you’re forming your own, plan on about three burgers per pound of ground beef. Choose an 80/20 (80% lean meat, 20% fat) ground beef mix and form them wider than your buns to account for shrinkage.
Hot dogs
Whatever types of franks you buy, plan on two hot dogs per person. You can always use leftover cooked hot dogs in scrambled eggs, fried rice, or chili. You’ll also want to account for guests who request a hot dog and a burger.
Pork ribs
An exception to the rule above is pork ribs, which have a higher ratio of bone to meat; buy 1 pound per person, regardless of type. Baby back ribs have more meat than spare ribs or St. Louis-style ribs, but they also tend to disappear quickly since they’re small. Keep in mind that racks of pork ribs vary in weight. A rack of spare ribs or St. Louis-style ribs will serve three to four people, and a rack of baby backs (which are smaller racks) will serve two to three people.
Beef ribs — aka short ribs or dino ribs — aren’t ideal for casual barbecues since they require long, slow, indirect heat, but the rule is the same: 1 pound per person, which equates to one rib each.
| How much meat per person | |
|---|---|
| Type of meat | Amount per person |
| Hamburgers | 2 patties |
| Hot dogs | 2 hot dogs |
| Pork ribs | 1 pound |
| Steak | 12 ounces bone-in; 8 ounces boneless |
| Whole chicken legs (with thighs attached) | 1 whole leg |
| Chicken thighs | 2 thighs |
| Chicken drumsticks | 2 drumsticks |
| Italian sausages or bratwurst | 2 links |
| Fish | 1 (8-ounce) fillet |
| Whole lobsters or tails | 1 lobster or tail |
| Pulled pork | ⅓ to ½ pound |
| Scallops | ½ pound |
| Shrimp | ½ pound |
Chicken
When grilling chicken, bone-in, skin-on thighs and drumsticks are most forgiving, ensuring moist meat with charred and crispy skin. Thighs are exceptionally moist and flavorful, and drumsticks make for easy eating in a casual social environment. Go for both by buying whole legs — thigh with drumstick attached — and serve one per person. If buying individual pieces, plan for two thighs or drumsticks per person.
Sausage or bratwurst
Even though Italian sausages, bratwurst, and their relatives might be larger and more filling than your average hot dog, they also tend to be the things that disappear first. Count on two (about 8 ounces total) per person.
Seafood
The best seafood for the grill is fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, meaty steak-like fish such as tuna and swordfish, and shellfish like lobster, shrimp, and scallops. With finfish, ask your fishmonger to give you more or less equally sized boneless fillets, approximately 8 ounces each. Whether serving whole lobsters or lobster tails, count on one per person. Scallops and shrimp vary quite a bit in size; opt for about 2 pounds for every four guests.
Steak
There are two schools of thought for steak at a barbecue: individual steaks or huge gorgeous steaks that are sliced and placed on a platter to be served family-style. Tell your butcher which you plan to do, and stick with the rule of 12 ounces bone-in and 8 ounces boneless per person — they will be able to give you appropriately sized steaks per person, or beautiful slabs that will serve the whole party and look gorgeous on the grill.
Pulled pork
Pulled pork is typically made from the pork shoulder or pork butt, which might be called Boston butt. If you’re making pulled pork or chicken sandwiches, plan for about ⅓ to ½ pound per guest.
No matter how many people you’re serving, remember that you can always ensure guest satisfaction with sides and more sides.
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