• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Primitive Dish logo

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
    • Whole30
    • Paleo
  • Food Photography
    • Portfolio
    • Work With Me!
  • Shop with me
    • Shop My Favorites
    • Butcherbox *Current Promo*
    • Good Food For Good *15% Off*
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Paleo
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Grilling and Smoker Recipes

    Published: Oct 10, 2022 by Emilee Mason · Leave a Comment

    How Much Brisket Per Person

    If you're planning to cook brisket for a crowd, you're likely wondering how much to plan on per person. This guide will help you in calculating how many pounds of brisket you need for each person. This is a great way to make sure you have enough meat for your family or all of the people in a large group!

    Sliced brisket on a cutting board with a text overlay "how much brisket per person"
    Jump to:
    • Beef Brisket Cuts
    • Factoring How Much Beef Per Person
    • How Much Raw Brisket Yields Cooked Brisket
    • How Many Pounds of Brisket Per Person
    • How long does it take to cook a brisket?
    • Side Dishes To Serve
    • Leftover Brisket Recipes
    • More Side Dishes You'll Love

    Beef Brisket Cuts

    Beef brisket is a tough cut of meat taken from the breast area of the cow and is made up of two main muscles; the flat (or first cut) and the point (or second cut).

    The flat cut of brisket is what you will most commonly see in the grocery store and is a leaner cut of meat than the point cut which is marbled throughout with extra fat.

    Because both cuts contain a lot of connective tissues, they are best cooked low and slow. Braising or slow cooking in a slow cooker or crockpot is a great choice for delicious and tender flat cut brisket.

    The point cut or a full brisket (most commonly referred to as an untrimmed brisket or packer brisket) is great for smoking at a low temperatures for long periods.

    Factoring How Much Beef Per Person

    Here are some questions you need to ask yourself before you go in and calculate the pounds of meat you will need for a certain number of people.

    • Is brisket the main course? Or will you have other types of meat available as well?
      • Serving other types of meat like pulled pork butt or even finger foods like these traeger chicken wings will cut down on the amount of brisket your guests are consuming.

    • Will you have a handful of side dishes to allow your guests to fill up on? Potato salad, beans, broccoli salad, etc. all are great.
      • Brisket is a great type of meat to serve to a large crowd if you plan ahead but it's important to take into account any other foods you'll be serving as well.

    • Are you slicing and serving the brisket or making brisket sandwiches on buns? If so you will find that for a sandwich, you won't need as much pound of brisket per person.

    • If you want extra brisket to aim for leftovers, make sure to account for that. We have leftover brisket recipes listed below!

    • What type of event are you hosting? If you are serving a lot of appetizers and/or courses before the main dish, the portion size can be smaller.

    • The time of day may also have an impact on how much your guests will eat. In general, individuals will eat lighter and less during the day than in the evenings.
    A sliced brisket sandwhich on a red and white checkered background next to bbq sauce.
    Smoked barbeque beef brisket sandwich with pickles

    How Much Raw Brisket Yields Cooked Brisket

    Once you cook brisket, whether it be a whole packer brisket or another cut, it can shrink up to 50% of its initial weight. You'll need to take into consideration whether or not you trimmed the brisket before you began cooking it as well.

    For every 1 pound of raw brisket, you will have ½ pound cooked brisket per serving size for big eaters. Or for ½ pound of raw brisket, it will provide around ¼ pound cooked brisket for those who don't eat quite as much.

    How Many Pounds of Brisket Per Person

    Your first step to figuring out the amount of brisket you'll need will be to consider your guests. I recommend writing down your guest list and factoring 1 pound of meat for those who eat more, and for kids or guests who won't eat as much meat, plan on ½ pound. Then calculate how many pounds of raw brisket you will need for your dinner party.

    As a good rule of thumb, one pound of uncooked brisket should be planned per person. Therefore, a 12-pound brisket should feed 12 people. Keep in mind, it is always better to over-estimate your number of guests than to under-estimate and run the risk of not having enough brisket.

    Sliced brisket on a wood cutting board.
    Homemade Smoked Barbecue Beef Brisket with Sauce

    How long does it take to cook a brisket?

    Depending on the cooking process the cook time can vary. But as a general rule of thumb, for each pound of uncooked brisket it can take around 30-60 minutes to cook. Brisket is a quality cut of beef but you will find if it is not cooked low and slow, it can become tough, chewy and the quality is not great.

    This is a great recipe for Smoked Beef Brisket.

    Some prefer smoking a whole brisket while others toss in the slow cooker or even a dutch oven and slow cooking it in the oven. There are so many brisket recipes out there to pick and choose from. Here is a great slow cooker brisket recipe.

    Side Dishes To Serve

    Brisket is a crave-worthy main course, but let me say, don't forget those unforgettable side dishes! Here are some great side dish recipes to consider adding to the menu.

    • Traeger Baked Potatoes
    • Creamy Whole30 Mashed Potatoes
    • Smoked Vegetables
    • Whole30 Coleslaw
    • Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
    An overview shot of baked potatoes sliced open and topped with butter and salt and pepper.

    ⭐️ Leave a comment below and let us know your favorite way to serve brisket to a crowd. We LOVE to hear from you! ⭐️

    Leftover Brisket Recipes

    These recipes are great for using up the leftover beef from your event or serving as main courses or side dishes to a crowd!

    Smoked Brisket Sandwich with Homemade Pickled Red Onions
    This smoked brisket sandwich is SO GOOD! It’s a hearty sandwich using leftover brisket with homemade pickled red onions and other brisket sandwich toppings. So if you’re looking for the best BBQ brisket sandwich, read on!
    Check out this recipe
    A smoked brisket sandwich topped with pickled red onions and jalapenos.
    Brisket Mac and Cheese Recipe - Best Leftover Brisket Recipe
    This Brisket Mac and Cheese makes the perfect dish to make with leftover brisket or to serve to a crowd. Creamy homemade pasta that is packed with flavor.
    Check out this recipe
    A white bowl filled with brisket mac and cheese on a white background.
    Brisket Tacos {Leftover Brisket Recipe} - Miss in the Kitchen
    Brisket Tacos are made with leftover smoked brisket for a quick and easy dinner that everyone will love. Pile smoky beef brisket into crispy taco shells along with your favorite toppings.
    Check out this recipe
    Two brisket tacos on a red and black plate garnished with cilantro.
    Brunswick Stew
    Brunswick stew – a hearty southern dish that’s perfect for chilly nights. If you love barbecue flavors, this is sure to become one of your new favorites.
    Check out this recipe
    Brisket Twice Baked Potatoes
    Brisket Twice Baked Potatoes are easy to grill for busy weeknights. A great way to enjoy leftover smoked brisket and the flavor combination is a surefire hit.
    Check out this recipe
    A twice baked brisket potato topped with bbq sauce and herbs on a white background.
    Recipe This | Instant Pot Leftover Brisket Soup
    Instant Pot Leftover Brisket Soup. Watch over my shoulder as I make use of my leftover instant pot brisket and transform it into the best ever hearty brisket soup.
    Check out this recipe
    A white bowl of brisket soup near an instant pot.
    Easy Texas Twinkies Recipe - How to Make this Famous Southern Snack
    Everything in Texas is bigger - even the appetizers! You can't go wrong with these Texas Twinkies, jalapenos stuffed with brisket, cream cheese, and wrapped in bacon. They are perfect for your next meal or gathering.
    Check out this recipe
    A stack of jalapenos stuffed with brisket, cream cheese, and wrapped in bacon.

    More Side Dishes You'll Love

    • A collage of brightly colored whole30 side dishes with a text overlay reading "21 best whole30 side dishes"
      The 21 Best Whole30 Side Dishes
    • Two bowls of butternut squash soup with a text overlay of side dishes to serve with soup.
      What to Serve with Butternut Squash Soup: 25 delicious side dishes
    • An overview shot of smoked baked potatoes filled with melted butter, chives, and parsley next to a bowl of shredded cheese.
      Traeger Baked Potatoes
    • Smoked vegetables with grill marks being scooped by a gold spoon near parsley and peppercorns.
      Smoked Vegetables
    « What to Serve with Butternut Squash Soup: 25 delicious side dishes
    The Best Pellet Grill Accessories (2023) »

    About Emilee Mason

    Emilee Mason is a Whole30 certified coach, food photographer, and recipe developer. As a health foodie, grill enthusiast, and mom of two young boys she has a passion for creating healthy, delicious, and family friendly recipes that are simple and fun to make!

    Get the Brunch Pro Theme

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome!

    A woman in her kitchen smiling with a cup of coffee

    Hey all!

    My name is Emilee. I'm a fire wife, boy mom, and lover of grilling and smoking real foods and paleo desserts!

    I'm glad you're here and hope you'll follow along on this healthy living journey, one delicious meal {or cupcake} at a time!

    Find out more about my story here!

    Follow Along

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Popular Posts

    An overview shot of a whole salmon fillet topped with lemon and served with roasted asparagus.

    Traeger Grilled Salmon

    A white bowl of beef and broccoli on a wood background.

    Blackstone Beef and Broccoli (Paleo)

    An overview shot of juicy BBQ chicken in a cast iron pan next to a bowl of BBQ sauce topped with chopped parsley.

    Traeger Smoked Chicken Breast

    An overhead closeup shot of chicken fajitas on a pan topped with chopped cilantro and lime wedges.

    Blackstone Fajitas

    An overview shot of chicken fried rice on a blackstone griddle being tossed by two spatulas.

    Blackstone Fried Rice

    An overhead shot of smoked shrimp skewers on a black serving board next to Whole30 marinade and garnishes

    Smoked Shrimp Skewers | Whole30, Paleo

    Stay Updated

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Work With Me!
    • Web Stories

    Disclaimers

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Statement

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 The Primitive Dish