In general, you can expect people to eat:
- Adults: 1/2 lb of cooked brisket.
- Children: 1/4 lb of cooked brisket.
The calculators below are for both uncooked and cooked brisket.
Brisket will lose roughly 40-50% of its weight when cooked.
- If you’re smoking the brisket – use the uncooked weight calculator.
- If you’re buying from a caterer – use the cooked weight calculator.
Calculator for the Amount of Uncooked Brisket Needed
*Remember, 50% weight loss after cooking.
Amount of Cooked Brisket Calculator
Brisket Serving Scenarios Table
The following table gives common scenarios for adult-sized servings and is based on the calculators above.
| # of Adults | Brisket Raw weight | Brisket Cooked Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 lbs | 2 lbs |
| 5 | 5 lbs | 2.5 lbs |
| 6 | 6 lbs | 3 lbs |
| 8 | 8 lbs | 4 lbs |
| 10 | 10 lbs | 5 lbs |
| 12 | 12 lbs | 6 lbs |
| 15 | 15 lbs | 7.5 lbs |
| 20 | 20 lbs | 10 lbs |
| 50 | 50 lbs | 25 lbs |
The “cooked weight” is the total weight after smoking and what your friends and family will consume.
There’s a number of factors to also consider – which are outlined below.
For instance, what type of brisket you’re using, how aggressive you are with trimming, and what else is being offered aside from brisket.
What Part of the Brisket are You Using?
If you’re the one preparing the brisket, I’d opt to serve both the point and the flat rather than serving a trimmed brisket flat (point removed).
While the weight loss would be less, a whole brisket just tastes better.
Brisket flat is leaner and brisket point is fattier – both are tender and you’ll pay less when paying for the whole muscle.
Brisket Weight Loss from Trimming
If you’re buying a packer brisket, there is a good chance that you’re going to trim the fat cap, remove silverskin, and even shape the brisket.
If you’re someone who does this regularly, you could render the trimmings into beef tallow or use the meat for sausage or burgers.
If you’re not someone who does this regularly – it’s essentially wasted money if you toss it.
When buying from a barbecue caterer, you can likely specify which portion you’re primarily after and see what they say.
How to Serve Less Brisket
When having a barbecue, it’s all about being strategic in terms of offering your guests enough food without going broke.
The simplest way to accomplish this is to offer cheap sides and smaller plates.
Some of the best sides for brisket include:
- Macaroni and cheese
- Potato salad
- Baked beans
- Coleslaw
- Pasta salads
In terms of the plate size, people are instinctively going to fill up their plates as much as possible.
Meaning, you can buy smaller plates and people will feel like they’re eating a lot of food simply because their plates are full.
If you’re catering, place the brisket/meats towards the end, which forces them to look at all the delicious sides before reaching the meat.
