How much meat?
Lynn
05/24/10 		I am having a graduation party next week. I have 30 I know are coming. 30 that might come and 40 I don't knows. So I think I will be between 60-100 people. I am having lasagna and beef tenderloin. I am having the tenderloin catered. The cater says 1/2 lb per person but this seems like alot per person to me. How many pounds do you suggest?
Scott
05/24/10 		Im having a bbq for my childrens preschool gradation, im not sure how much tri-tip and pork ribs to get, we are projecting 250 people. im not worried about the sides others are handling them. How much would you suggest i get?
ellen
05/25/10 		Lynn, with this wide a variation in the possible numbers, I would get part of the tenderloins whole and slice them only as the extra guests arrived. With the lasagna, the very least you can do for the beef is 1/3 pound ready to eat per person which is 1/2 pound raw, so if he was talking raw weight, he is right on the money. I would get 30 pounds sliced, 20 whole.

Scott, 1/2 pound raw ribs per adult, 1/3 per little kid PLUS 1/3 pound raw tritip per adult and 1/4 per kid. You have picked two very popular meats; there probably won't be any left.

scott
05/25/10 		how much meat
that helps alot... thank you
Debbie S.
05/26/10 		We are serving 35 adults with brisket, bone-in chicken and hot links. We purchase the NON-TRIMMED briskets and smoke them. How much meat of each should we buy raw? Our side items include: potato salad, baked beans, chips and dips, fruit tray and relish tray.
ellen
05/26/10 		Lucky guests.
You want to end up with 1 pound ready to eat brisket for each 3-4, plus 1 pound bone in chicken for each 2. Hot links depends utterly on the crowd. The most would equal 1 3 to 4 ounce piece per person, but it could be half that.

You know better than I do how much you shrink the raw brisket- it varies quite a lot by type of smoker.

Debbie S.
05/26/10 		Ellen your advise is most helpful. Thank you!
Katie
05/27/10 		I am making King Ranch Chicken Casserole for 24 people. How many pounds of cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts do I need?
ellen
05/27/10 		You posted twice, see the other one.
Desperate
06/07/10 		So glad I found this site......PLEASE help...
Feeding 150 people for Graduation dinner (50 grade 6 students, 100 adults)
We are serving BBQ Beef Fillet, Honey Bbq Chicken. Side dishes are 2 different pasta salads, a bean salad, Ceasar Salad and dinner rolls. I looked at your table in big pots but totally confused myself. How much Chicken and beef should we buy. (Chicken Pieces and Fillet weight)
Thanks so much,
DESPERATE
ellen
06/07/10 		Ok. The 6th graders count as about 2/3 person for appetite, so you are looking at 135 people, 1 1/3 times the amount for 100.

Beef filet is VERY popular. You need 5 ounces per person ready to eat, which is 2 pounds and a bit raw for 6, PLUS 1 piece of chicken per person, or 3 ounces cooked ready to eat, which is 1 pound boneless skinless per 4 people. Be sure that someone is serving the beef; if it uis self serve, you will probably run out.