A butcher’s guide to lamb cuts, cooking methods, sourcing, and why the right cut makes all the difference.
Lamb Cuts Explained: How a Butcher Looks at a Whole Lamb
Meats Advice
How to Slice Pork for Stir Fry (And Choose the Right Cut)
Learn how to slice pork for stir fry the right way, choose the best cut, and avoid tough, chewy results with simple butcher-backed tips.
Why Our Smoked Chicken Keeps Winning Awards
Discover why The Lucky Pig’s award-winning smoked chicken breast keeps winning gold — and how to use it in simple, flavour-packed meals.
Steak Doneness Guide: How to Cook Steak Perfectly Every Time
Learn steak doneness temperatures, cooking times and resting tips in this butcher’s guide from The Lucky Pig. Cook steak properly at home and get perfect results every time.
How Much Meat Per Person? A Butcher’s Guide for BBQs, Roasts & Entertaining
As a general guide, allow 250–300g of meat per person for most BBQs, roast dinners and casual gatherings, then adjust up or down depending on the cut, the sides and the appetite of your guests.
Planning a BBQ, roast dinner or gathering and wondering how much meat you actually need? It’s one of the most common questions we get behind the counter at The Lucky Pig.
Buy too little and people go hungry. Buy too much and you’re staring at a mountain of leftovers.
This simple butcher’s guide will help you estimate the right amount of meat per person depending on the type of meal you’re planning.
Quick Guide: How Much Meat Per Person
| Occasion | Recommended Meat Per Person |
|---|---|
| BBQ (sausages, burgers, steaks) | 250–350 g |
| Roast dinner | 250–300 g |
| Pulled pork or slow-cooked meats | 200–250 g |
| Brisket or smoked BBQ | 300 g |
| Mixed BBQ with multiple meats | 200–250 g |
This table gives you a reliable starting point when planning a meal.
How Much Meat Per Person for a BBQ
For a typical Australian BBQ with sausages, burgers and maybe a few steaks, plan for around 250–350g of meat per person.
If you're serving multiple meats such as sausages, burgers and skewers, people tend to try a bit of everything rather than eating one large portion of a single item.
If you're planning your own BBQ, our slow cooked pulled pork recipe is always a crowd favourite.
How Much Roast Meat Per Person
For roast dinners, a good rule of thumb is 250–300g of raw meat per person.
This works well for:
- Roast beef
- Roast pork
- Lamb shoulder
- Whole chickens
If the roast is bone-in, you may want to increase this slightly as the bone adds weight but isn't edible.
How Much Pulled Pork or Slow-Cooked Meat Per Person
Slow cooked meats such as pulled pork shrink during cooking, but they’re also very rich and filling.
A good estimate is around 200–250g of raw pork shoulder per person.
If you're planning a big gathering, check out our full pulled pork recipe guide for cooking tips.
How Much Brisket Per Person
Brisket loses a significant amount of weight during trimming and cooking, especially when smoked.
A safe estimate is around 300g of raw brisket per person.
This accounts for:
- fat trimming
- moisture loss during cooking
- people usually wanting seconds
Planning Meat for Groups
Here’s a rough guide when cooking for groups:
- 10 people → 2.5–3kg of meat
- 20 people → 5–6kg of meat
- 50 people → 12–15kg of meat
If you're cooking multiple dishes or serving lots of sides, you can reduce these amounts slightly.
Three Things That Affect How Much Meat You Need
1. Bone-In vs Boneless Cuts
Bone-in roasts weigh more but yield slightly less edible meat.
2. Big Appetites
If you're feeding serious meat lovers, it’s safer to plan slightly higher portions.
3. Side Dishes
If the meal includes plenty of salads, bread or sides, people tend to eat less meat.
Need Help Planning?
If you're planning a BBQ, roast dinner or event and want advice on quantities, the team at The Lucky Pig is always happy to help.
And if you enjoy cooking at home, join our newsletter where we share our best recipes each month.
Join The Lucky Pig Recipe List →
Visit The Lucky Pig
452 Centre Road
Bentleigh VIC
Â