Figuring Out How Much Shredded Beef to Make Per Person for Your Next Gathering

Planning food for a party or family dinner can feel like a guessing game when it comes to determining how much shredded beef to make per person You want to make sure you cook enough so everyone gets fed, but not so much that you’re stuck eating leftover beef sandwiches for a week. Don’t worry – we’ll walk you through how to calculate the right amount

How Much Raw Meat Per Person?

The first step is estimating how much raw beef to buy per person before cooking Here are some general guidelines

For adults, plan on purchasing 1⁄2 pound of raw beef per person.
For kids, the portion is smaller – about 1⁄4 pound per child.
If serving shredded beef as the main dish, go with 3⁄4 to 1 full pound per adult.
Using it as more of a topping or taco filling, you can get away with 1⁄3 to 1⁄2 pound per adult.
For a crowd with mixed demographics, average it out – 1⁄3 pound per child and 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 pound per adult is a safe bet.

So for a group of 10 adults, buying 5 pounds of raw beef is a good starting point. Better to have leftovers than run out!

Factoring In Loss After Cooking

Raw beef weighs more than cooked beef because fluids and fat are lost during cooking. This reduction is called shrinkage.

For braised and shredded beef, plan on about 25-30% shrinkage. So 5 pounds of raw beef will yield around 3.5 to 4 pounds cooked.

Use this formula to estimate:

Yield (cooked weight) = Raw weight x (1 – Shrinkage %)

For example, with 5 pounds raw meat and 30% estimated shrinkage:

5 lbs x (1 – 0.30) = 3.5 lbs cooked beef

This shrinkage must be accounted for when calculating how much raw beef to buy per person.

Suggested Serving Size Per Person

Once cooked, shredded beef portion sizes vary based on the menu and your guests. Here are some serving size guidelines:

Main dish: 6-8 oz cooked meat per adult
Sandwiches: 4-6 oz per person
Tacos: 3-5 oz per taco
Appetizer: 2-3 oz per person
Kids ages 4-8: 2-4 oz
Kids 9-12: 4-6 oz
Teen boys: 8-12 oz

For a dinner featuring shredded beef as the main dish, plan on 6-8 ounces or 3⁄4 to 1 pound cooked weight per adult. Adjust portions up or down based on your specific menu and crowd.

Buying the Right Cuts of Beef

Choosing the right cut of beef makes all the difference when shredding. Opt for well-marbled chuck roast, brisket, rump roast, or flank steak. These cuts have great flavor and naturally tenderize when braised low and slow.

Look for a 4-5 pound chuck roast or 3-4 pound brisket to feed a crowd. Avoid pre-tied roasts, as the string prevents easy shredding. Fat marbling bastes the meat, so don’t trim too much.

Cooking Methods for Fork-Tender Beef

The cooking technique affects texture, flavor, and cook time. For shreddable beef, use moist, gentle heat:

Crockpot: Low 8-10 hours, High 4-6 hours
Oven: 250-275°F covered 3-4 hours
Instant Pot: High pressure 60-90 minutes
Grill/Smoker: Indirect low heat 225°F for 4-6 hours

Always let the beef rest 10-15 minutes before shredding so juices redistribute. Moisten with broth if needed before serving.

Serving Shredded Beef to a Crowd

Once cooked, keep your beef warm and appealing with these serving tips:

Offer fun personalized toppings like guacamole, cheese, and jalapeños
Serve on rolls for easy shredded beef sandwiches
Portion into taco shells or tortillas for DIY tacos
Pair with classic BBQ sides like baked beans, coleslaw, and potato salad

With the right calculations and techniques, you can confidently tackle cooking the perfect amount of succulent shredded beef for your whole crowd. Let us know if you need any other tips!

How to…Make Killer Slow-Cooked Shredded Beef

FAQ

How many people will 5 pounds of shredded beef feed?

Adults. In general, each pound of BBQ feeds 3 to 4 people, especially if you’re serving sides. You can expect most adult guests to eat ¼ to ⅓ pounds of meat each during your event. Adults will likely be drinking, grazing on snacks, and filling up on sides, too.

How much shredded beef per person for sandwiches?

Assuming you’re serving sandwiches, call it 4-6 oz per sandwich (midpoint of 5) times 1.5 sandwiches per person times 60 people assuming a shrinkage of 1/3 yields about 43 lbs of meat going on the smoker. I always want leftovers so I would think of 43 as the minimum.

How much pulled beef per person per pound?

They say the general rule of thumb is that each person will eat about 6 ounces of meat or a little more than a third of a pound. To be on the safe side, I always round up and have at least a half pound of meat per person. This means if I’m serving 20 guests, I serve about 10 pounds of meat.

How many pounds of beef do I need for 20 people?

Boneless Meat	Number of People	Bone in meat
9lb / 4.08kg	18 – 19	14lb / 6.35kg
10lb / 4.54kg	20 – 21	16lb / 7.25kg
11lb / 4.98kg	22 – 23	18lb / 8.16kg
12lb / 5.44kg	24 +	20lb / 9.07kg

How much shredded beef per person?

The starting rule of thumb is: Boneless Meat: 1/2 lb. per person for adults and 1/4 lb. per person for children. How Many Pounds Of Shredded Beef Per Person? The suggested serving size for shredded beef is 8 ounces or half a pound of raw meat per person.

How much meat do you need for 20 people?

For 20 people, plan to purchase 10 or more pounds of meat. If the meat is part of a bigger dish, like pasta or curry, plan for 1/4 to 1/3 pound (four to six ounces) per person. That means you’ll want at least 2 1/2 pounds of meat if you’re planning to have 10 people over to dinner, and 5 or more pounds of meat if you’re cooking for 20 guests.

How much roast beef per person?

Consider serving sandwiches with roast beef as the main course with 1/2 to 1/3 pound of roast beef per person. You can calculate 1/4 to 1/6 pounds of roast beef per person when it’s included in a buffet or appetizer selection. Depending on your particular event and your guests’ appetites, change the quantities.

How much beef should a person eat?

If you are serving boneless beef, you can estimate that each person will eat 1/2 pound of beef. If everyone consumes 1/2 pound, here’s how much you’ll need: If you are serving beef as part of a dish like curry, and not as the main event, figure that each person will consume 1/4 to 1/3 pound.