Hello from another newbie and finally a question

[Merth]

Hello everyone,
I must start by saying a big thank you to all who post here. I have being enjoying this forum for some time from the spectator seat. I'm not much of a conversationalist. Guess you could say I'm a closet cooker. But i'm trying to come out. I do have a question that I have asked around about for a couple years now but figured I would put it our here for all to see and comment on. So here goes. How do you go about figuring the amounts of meat for large occassions. This could include but not limited to one or all four selections-Brisket, Ribs, Chicken, & Sausage. I have cooked a few times for large parties and gatherings and not matter what I do I find I always cook to much. I have gone off the old 1/2 pound person for boneless meat and just over 1/2 pound for boned meat but what do you do when its all in there. You know sometimes chicken and brisket, or Ribs and Chicken, or Brisket and Sausage. I mean a person could go insane trying to figure all this out. Sometimes I just cook a big pot of Gumbo just so I don't get a headace trying to estimate how much meat is needed. Now a friend of mine has asked me to cook for his wedding (which is a great honor) but now i'm in a panic thinking what if I don't cook enough or what if there is way to much and its money spent by him not me. It's fine if its my money being stowed in ziplocks but I cringe when I think of someone else having to let go it. Anyway I feel bette just getting it off my chest. Thanks for being here for me.

Later
Merth

[Woodman]

Merth, welcome , and we're glad you stepped outta the closet! I always figured 1 lb per person uncooked. I also have too much meat most often but, I also figure that it sure as hell beats the alternative! Bring extra foil and dole out the leftovers to the folks. I never saw anyone complain about having too much. I figure it into my cost. You can never accurately estimate what the breakdown of men to women, old men to young men, teenaged boys to grandmas is going to be ( unless you're cooking for a firehouse or a football team.) If you run outta food, it's a problem. If you have too much, it's leftovers! I'm certain that someone more knowlegible will chime in better about portion size, but I use the one lb rule on Butt, and brisket. Four bones on ribs. Two thighs on chicken. And, 1/2 lb on salmon (it doesn't lose much weight in cooking and, if you're eating salmon, you're eating lite!) I'm guessing that your buddy will not give a hoot about $ 100 worth of extra brisket at the end of his wedding day! He asked you to cook cause you know how to do it! :wink: Now go to it man!

Good Luck, Woodman

[Race R Us]

welcome the forum merth.

good response wood, i gotta remember them servings.

[Buckeye]

Welcome Merth.....I gotta give it ta ole Woodman. He perty much nailed everee nail on tha head. I too uzta be concerned bout cookin too much, but now I don't give it a 2nd thaut. My biggest gripe with alwaze havin cooked too much wuz tha women! They never eat their share/porshuns of meat or sides! Seems like they all jus happen ta be on sumbodees diet that week an therefore they hardlee eat anything. All tha xtra goes ta tha client anywaze, since they paid fer it...... sumtimes they'll let tha "help" take their share. Ya don't ever wunna run short on food....that cood kill yer rep. Since ya got one foot outa tha closet, bring that udn' out an start postin like ain't nobodee watchin! :shock: This ain't tha place ta be shy....... 8)

[herper]

welcome Merth I agree better too much then someone going hungry. Buckeye your right about diets messin up the game plan. had a party 2 weeks ago and saw people taken 1/2 slice of brisket, a strand of pulled pork, 4 beans, its a party folks!!!
Herper

[Anonymous]

I consider the extra food that gets passed out in foil boulders at the end of the day free advertisement paid for by the host.

[Dirty Ron]

Welcome Merth...

As a part time caterer, I wish there was a better way, but it's not a real exact science. Take your factors of how many meats, how many sides, age of crowd, how long you are serving, and whatever factors in also. IE kids won't eat much, a good idea is to have some hot dogs on the side. Mostly a guy outing (batch party/golf outing w/ beer) figure on the more side of things. And, usually, not everyone eats everything put out. The guys gave you a some good rules of thumb, and it is always better to have enough :!:

[texasbill]

Welcome in Merth glad you finally jumped into this forum with both feet.

First, Woodman has got some good numbers there for you to consider and have to agree with all that too much is better than too little but then way to much is a headache in itself.

Here is what I use to estimate meat for a large group of folks. Take into consideration the sides you are going to be serving also. If it is potato salad, slaw, and/or beans and bread then these numbers usually work for me. A whole untrimmed brisket will feet 20 to 25 folks. So that is about a half a pound or a bit more per person. Sausage figure 1/4 of a pound. A pork butt will be like a brisket around a half of pound. Chicken, I cook whole chickens and cut them up so about 5 to 6 folks for the bird. If you are cooking say quarters then you can get about 2 people per quater. OK now for the toughest one and that is ribs. Usually the most liked of the meats and I figure one rack of spares for 4 folks. That is a bit over 3 bones per person.

Now, if you are serving 2 or three meats then the servings will go up as they will want a plate with two or three different kinds of meat and a couple of sides. So usually 1/4 pound of brisket or butt, 2 ribs, a little sausage and then a bit of chicken.

These are the kind of numbers I use to cook with for large gatherings and they seem to be pretty good. Since you will know at a wedding that the people will not just pile on the food take that into consideration also. And a wedding will have a nice mix of kids, young adults, middle aged folks, and elderly. And the good news is you will have a pretty good idea of the total crowd expected.

Anyway, my two cents worth and welcome again.

Bill Cannon
Texas BBQ Rub

[Dirty Ron]

Bill, I think we were typing the same post at the same time...haha

good talkin to ya today :!:

[Greg in Jersey]

I'm a newb too. Just got my feet in the door doing some catering. When I meet with the customer I suggest to them to feed the leftovers to the local fire, rescue and police personnel. Most parties are on a holiday and those folks do enough yearound, let alone sit in a building or patrol the streets to make us feel safe and secure. I'm sure the host knows someone that volunteers in their town and a quick phone call to the local, county and/or state police will definately get an appreciative visit.

The fringe bennies for you and the host are fantastic.
Just my way of doing things, but what do I know? I'm from NEW JERSEY.

Greg

[Woodman]

Greg, I think you and I have talked on Dave's forum. I just bought a size up from yours. Welcome to this forum. It is the best one going for sure. Stick around and these guys will help out alot. Or, you just have a hell of alot of fun! Woodman

[Smokin T]

a big welcome to both merth and greg! :D woodman is correct. the guys on this forum are the absolute best! i am a newbie myself and have had great smokes because of these guys.

woodgender--hey! include a few good women here, huh! :lol:

[BBQ101]

Hello to Greg and Merth. What Smoking T said is so true. :wink:

[Buckeye]

a big welcome to both merth and greg! :D woodman is correct. the guys on this forum are the absolute best! i am a newbie myself and have had great smokes because of these guys.

woodgender--hey! include a few good women here, huh! :lol:

Sorry T...since yer a cooker now, yer no longer a newbie so....yer jus one of tha guys/boyz now. 8) Jus a figger of speech, rite Woodgal? :twisted:

[Texana]

woodgender--hey! include a few good women here, huh! :lol:

Woodgender is gender challenged .... and a lot of other challenged things I wont mention .....

Come on Woodrow .... get with the program !!!

[Smokin T]

yeah! i gotta remember i'm a cooker now! seriously, you guys and gals are so great! the comraderie here is the best. love you all!

texana--got your jelly (if you recall, i am not a fan of sweet and sour) and tried the pineapple on some ribs. let me tell you! awesome! particularly awesome because the cooker was thinking he was the best with a garage sale cooker for $5! i told him low and slow and he bragged about how he could do it in half the time. i said ok and let him do his thing. you can guess the rest. your jelly was the only thing that saved the day! :D

[Dirty Ron]

Now, Ms. T,......

Enough giving Texana a big ego also!!!!!!

[Smokin T]

dirty ron--i know, but you shouda been there! besides, texana was good to me and i owe him :lol:

[Woodman]

dirty ron--i know, but you shouda been there! besides, texana was good to me and i owe him :lol:

T, congrats on your new status girl!!! Woody

[gatorpit]

Merth, welcome. I don't think you will get a more accurate response on catering than you received here from Bill and the rest of the guys. They nailed it on the head so to speak. Again, just wanted to say welcome to the Best Dang BBQ Forum. Ritch

[Mac]

Greg/Merth

A big welcome to the best BBQ forum on the web. We aren't the biggest but there is enough expertise here to give good direction on any kind of BBQ question!

WELCOME

:D :D :D :D :D :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink:

[Texana]

yeah! i gotta remember i'm a cooker now! seriously, you guys and gals are so great! the comraderie here is the best. love you all!

texana--got your jelly (if you recall, i am not a fan of sweet and sour) and tried the pineapple on some ribs. let me tell you! awesome! particularly awesome because the cooker was thinking he was the best with a garage sale cooker for $5! i told him low and slow and he bragged about how he could do it in half the time. i said ok and let him do his thing. you can guess the rest. your jelly was the only thing that saved the day! :D

Thank you Lady T .... anytime ..... and glad to have been some help. But remember your still the "cook"

[Texana]

yeah! i gotta remember i'm a cooker now! seriously, you guys and gals are so great! the comraderie here is the best. love you all!

texana--got your jelly (if you recall, i am not a fan of sweet and sour) and tried the pineapple on some ribs. let me tell you! awesome! particularly awesome because the cooker was thinking he was the best with a garage sale cooker for $5! i told him low and slow and he bragged about how he could do it in half the time. i said ok and let him do his thing. you can guess the rest. your jelly was the only thing that saved the day! :D

Thank you Lady T .... anytime ..... and glad to have been some help. But remember your still the "cook"

I hate to say it but you people who have not tried the jelly for any number of reasons are missing the boat. You dont have to use it every cook, but for something new, exciting and tastes great you really should give it a chance .... awsome stuff .....

www.texaspepperjelly.com

[Buckeye]

yeah! i gotta remember i'm a cooker now! seriously, you guys and gals are so great! the comraderie here is the best. love you all!

texana--got your jelly (if you recall, i am not a fan of sweet and sour) and tried the pineapple on some ribs. let me tell you! awesome! particularly awesome because the cooker was thinking he was the best with a garage sale cooker for $5! i told him low and slow and he bragged about how he could do it in half the time. i said ok and let him do his thing. you can guess the rest. your jelly was the only thing that saved the day! :D

Thank you Lady T .... anytime ..... and glad to have been some help. But remember your still the "cook"

I hate to say it but you people who have not tried the jelly for any number of reasons are missing the boat. You dont have to use it every cook, but for something new, exciting and tastes great you really should give it a chance .... awsome stuff .....

www.texaspepperjelly.com

Tex....do u give tooting lessons? :twisted: :twisted: :D

[Fred]

TEX's Jellies / I am addicted to them / I eat them right out of the jars / cook with them / & am inventing new ways to use it all the time.

(sausage patty / fried egg / cheese / buttered toast / & strawberry jap. = yum!

Try them / you’ll love them / give as gifts.

This is NOT a paid endorsement.

[KazQ]

I got to start behaving,so one day i can get me some of Texanas jellies
figure if i be nice,in a month or so,i'll slip my order in.
Don't want to get a box with a card saying"No jellies for you!"

[Buckeye]

I got to start behaving,so one day i can get me some of Texanas jellies
figure if i be nice,in a month or so,i'll slip my order in.
Don't want to get a box with a card saying"No jellies for you"

HaHaHaHaHaaHa :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:...Tex az tha Jelly Nazi.... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[KazQ]

Ok now since i'm soposetobe behavin,Buckeye said that and not me
so i went back and edited in a exclamation mark,to make it official.

[Qjunkie will]

Merth a big Texas howdy and welcome to the forum!!!!!!!! 8)