🍖 Smoked Meat Per Person Calculator
Calculate exactly how much raw & cooked smoked meat you need for any group size
| Meat Type | Raw Per Person | Cooked Per Person | Typical Yield % | Metric (Raw) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brisket (flat & point) | 0.45–0.5 lb | 0.25–0.33 lb | 55–65% | 200–225 g |
| Pulled Pork (pork butt) | 0.33–0.45 lb | 0.2–0.25 lb | 50–60% | 150–200 g |
| Baby Back Ribs | 3–5 ribs / person | 3–5 ribs / person | 45–55% | ~300–450 g raw rack 1/3 |
| Spare Ribs | 2–4 ribs / person | 2–4 ribs / person | 40–50% | ~350–500 g raw rack 1/3 |
| Whole Chicken (smoked) | 1/2 bird per person | 1/2 bird per person | 65–75% | ~500–700 g |
| Smoked Turkey | 0.5–0.75 lb bone-in | 0.25–0.35 lb | 50–60% | 225–340 g |
| Smoked Sausage / Links | 2–3 links per person | 2–3 links per person | 80–90% | 150–225 g |
| Mixed Meats (variety) | 0.33 lb total per person | 0.2–0.25 lb | 55–65% | 150 g |
| Raw Weight (lbs) | Brisket Yield (60%) | Pulled Pork Yield (55%) | Chicken Yield (70%) | Servings @ 1/3 lb cooked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 lbs | 3.0 lbs | 2.75 lbs | 3.5 lbs | ~9 servings |
| 10 lbs | 6.0 lbs | 5.5 lbs | 7.0 lbs | ~18 servings |
| 15 lbs | 9.0 lbs | 8.25 lbs | 10.5 lbs | ~27 servings |
| 20 lbs | 12.0 lbs | 11.0 lbs | 14.0 lbs | ~36 servings |
| 30 lbs | 18.0 lbs | 16.5 lbs | 21.0 lbs | ~54 servings |
| 50 lbs | 30.0 lbs | 27.5 lbs | 35.0 lbs | ~90 servings |
(Brisket)
(Brisket)
(Pulled Pork)
(Pulled Pork)
(Ribs)
(Ribs)
(Chicken)
(Chicken)
The practice of smoking meat exists for a very long time. It dates back even to the old era. Because of the smoking, the meat gets rich taste and seems more attractive thanks to what one calls the Maillard reaction.
When one combines it with curing that also helps to preserve the meat. Before, in old times, the smokers were simply rooms from stones, where the meat hanged from the ceiling. The fire in the room made smoke, that dried and preserved the meat.
How to Smoke Meat
Currently, one does smoking using special smokers, that can be from small to big size.
Two main kinds of smoking exist. Warm smoking cooks the meat because of the heat in the smoke. Cold smoking uses smoke, that comes from burning wood some feet away, so that the smoke stayes cold.
For beef, chicken and pig, one can apply cold smoking, where the temperature of the smoke is under 100 degrees and the meat stays raw. One uses this method also for salmon as lox.
Choose slices with good marble for getting even taste. Meats with good marbling keep moisture during the process of smoking. Rub from salt, sugar and spices create the bark, the crust, that gives to smoked meat his nice look.
Steak smoked result soft and juicy with ideal smoky hints, if one does it correctly. Cuts of pig are a bit thin for smoking, but soaking in salt water help. Short ribs of beef are easy to prepare and enjoy smoke.
Loin of pig is another slice, that always turns out well in the smoker.
The main question about smoking is always the duration. The best advice is cook according too temperature, not according to time. That wants to say cook until the meat reach the wanted internal heat instead of watching the clock.
Long exposure to low heat, followed by long rest, make the meat surprisingly tender. Keeping a steady 225 degrees during 12 hours is difficult for the first time.
For brisket, do not wrap the meat in foil until when it reaches 155 degrees. After that moment, wrapping help the cooking go more quickly and easily. When the meat already is wrapped, it no longer grabs the smoke.
Because of serving sizes, half to third of pound of cooked brisket for folk works well as main food. One pound of finished product is enough for around 2.6 people. If the budget is tight, two-ounce servings of brisket work, when one combines them with side dishes, pulled pig or dogs.
Too much smoking of meats can cause bitter taste in the end, so mind that. Besides meat, smoking works well for cheeses, nuts, tofu andpeanut butter.
