How Many People Will A Brisket Feed?

Brisket is a beef roast that is cooked over a long period to reach that juicy flavor and unique slow-roasted texture. It’s often served at big BBQ feasts or dinner parties but one question you might be wondering is how many people a brisket will feed. 

We have luckily written this article to tell you all you need to know about serving sizes and brisket portions so you’re prepared next time you’re the chef at the big family dinner.

How Much Brisket Should I Serve One Person?

If you’re preparing a single portion of brisket you can easily feed one person with 1/2 pound of brisket along with some sides.

This holds true as the size of your group gets larger. The hungry eaters and the lighter eaters will even out the more people you add, making the 1/2 pound of cooked brisket per pound rule a great guideline for large groups.

Every person is different and it depends on personal preference how much brisket guests will eat. It’s also worth pointing out that average children will naturally eat less than your average adult. Plan about 1/3 pound of cooked brisket per child.

Planning Ahead

Brisket is a large cut of beef that can weigh up to 15-20 pounds. But when cooked, lose roughly 30-35% of your weight and size during the cooking process. This is because meat shrinks as it cooks due to moisture evaporation.

The loss can sometimes be far less than this, however, it’s best to be prepared as you always would rather end up with extra brisket than not enough.

In our mind, it’s always better to have too much brisket than not enough. Brisket is an excellent food for leftovers – check out our leftover brisket recipe ideas next for some inspiration!

Serving The Brisket

The meat will always weigh the same, whether you slice or chop the brisket, however, the presentation will differ and this can affect potion sizes.

When carved into neat slices, the meat tends to go down quicker than if you were to chop or shred the same amount. 

This means if you want to serve the meat sliced, you should be buying more than you think you will need. Sliced brisket looks nice served up at a dinner party and for this to work, we always recommend buying brisket flats.

Age Of Guests

One thing that might also affect how much brisket you will need to buy to ensure everyone gets enough is the age of your guests.

Younger children won’t necessarily eat as much brisket as older adults who tend to enjoy hearty meals. So if you know that most of your guests are going to be adults, you might want to consider purchasing slightly more brisket than you normally would.

But even with little ones, you should plan on preparing at least 1/4 to 1/3 pound per person of cooked brisket.

Time Of Day 

The final thing you will want to take into account is the time of day you will be serving the brisket. If you’re planning on having the meal during lunchtime, then you probably won’t need to worry too much about larger portions. 

However, if you’re expecting the meal to be eaten later in the evening, you may find yourself wanting to purchase more brisket as this is the primary feast of the day where guests are much hungrier.

What Is Brisket?

To remind ourselves, beef brisket is a type of beef roast that is usually cooked over low heat for several hours or overnight. The meat has a distinctive flavor and texture because it is slow-roasted. 

This means that the meat takes longer to cook than other cuts of beef. Briskets are often served at BBQ cookouts and special events. They are also commonly sold as a cut of meat from the supermarket.

Brisket is one of the leanest types of beef available. It contains less fat than most other cuts of beef. That’s why many people prefer to use this cut when they make their hamburgers.

Brisket is high in protein and low in calories. One serving of brisket provides around 20 grams of protein. It’s not only good for you, but it tastes delicious and this is why so many people love to serve it up at BBQs and dinner parties.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, we hope our guide helps you plan a successful brisket dinner party. We’ve covered everything from how many people you’d like to invite, to how much brisket you’ll need to buy, to how much-cooked meat you will need to serve each person, and even how to carve the meat so everyone gets an equal serving size. 

We promise if you perfect the brisket, you’ll be able to impress all your family and friends and leave them wanting more, so go and try it now! You won’t be disappointed!