How Much Brisket Per Person? [Serving Size Guide]

Although the brisket is an enormous cut, deciding on how much brisket per person, especially when serving many people, can be daunting. Therefore, if you plan to host a party or a family gathering, ensure that you know how much brisket per person to avoid unnecessary inconveniences.

½ pound of cooked brisket will do fine per person. However, the circumstance at hand may influence the standard brisket per person. For instance, if there are heavy side dishes, you may need as little as ¼ pound of cooked brisket per person. Again, depending on the prevailing circumstances, you may need to serve ¾ pound of brisket per person.

Planning is key to ensuring that you can handle the embarrassment that comes with not having enough food for your guests. For instance, you should know that a pound of raw brisket yields about a ½ pound of cooked brisket. Read on for more information.

big brisket

How Much Beef Brisket Per Person

One important factor influencing how much beef brisket per person is the side dishes. To ensure that your guests are full, you will need to include plenty of side dishes on your menu, which may significantly impact how much brisket per person.

As a general rule, use the following estimations to decide on how much brisket to serve a person depending on the number of side dishes;

  • Large Portion Per Person – 1.5 pounds of raw brisket gives you ¾ pound of cooked beef brisket per guest.
  • Standard Portion ­– One pound of uncooked raw brisket yields 0.5 pounds of cooked brisket.
  • A small portion – ½ pound of uncooked brisket yields a ¼ pound of cooked brisket per person.

With all this in mind, you will likely find it easy to decide how much-cooked brisket per person.

How Much Cooked Brisket Per Person

The calculation of how much cooked brisket per person is straightforward. An average person will eat ½ pound of cooked brisket. If you have plenty of side dishes, you can comfortably serve a ¼ pound of cooked brisket per person, and your guests will still get full.

When calculating how much brisket to serve per person, one of the essential things to remember is that raw brisket loses half of its weight when cooked. In other words, if you want to serve two guests with ½ pound of cooked brisket per person, you will need 2 pounds of raw brisket.

How Much Corned Beef Brisket Per Person

So you are trying to figure out how much corned beef brisket per person? The answer is simple; 1 pound of raw corned beef will yield ½ pound of beef brisket, which is the standard amount per person. If you have plenty of side dishes, you may want to reduce the amount to ¼ of cooked corned brisket per person.

How Many People Does A Brisket Feed?

A whole packet of brisket can feed 10 to 20 people, depending on its quality and weight. Generally, a full pack of brisket is 12 to 15 pounds. Thus, if you plan for ½ pound of cooked brisket per person, you can expect to get 12-15 servings. A single brisket weighing about 6 pounds is enough to feed six people.

Generally, to calculate how much brisket per person, there are several aspects that you should consider, including the following;

  1. Who are you inviting? – You need to know the people you are inviting and their appetites. If you are inviting guests with a good appetite, you should be ready to increase the amount of cooked brisket per person.
  2. What are the side dishes? – When serving a brisket with plenty of delicious side dishes, you can always comfortably reduce the amount of meat you serve per person and still satisfy everyone.
  3. Are you Hoping for Leftovers? – If you do not want any leftovers, you must calculate accurately. It would help to consider the appetite of your guests and the availability of side dishes.

Tips For Cooking The Best Brisket

When planning to serve your guests, you want to ensure that they get full; this is most likely why you are trying to figure out how much brisket you need per person. Here are some tips you may want to implement to ensure that you prepare delicious meat.

1. Choose Quality Brisket

For the best results, you need to be selective about the quality of the meat you purchase. The higher the grade of the meat, the more delicious and flavorful it is likely to turn out. For the guaranteed quality of the brisket, go for hormone-free and organic beef. In addition, ensure that you choose a cut with more fat. Fat is essential in heightening the flavor of the brisket.

2. Avoid Trimming The Fat

Some online sources recommend trimming the fat to make the brisket healthier. Nonetheless, the fats provide more cooking liquids essential to ensure that the brisket cooks fast and makes it more delicious. Without enough fat, the brisket will require a lot of sauce to become palatable.

3. Grass-fed Brisket Requires Extra Care

You should always ask for grass-fed brisket if you want the best results. When purchasing your brisket, get it from an ethical supplier.

However, a grass-fed brisket requires extra care when cooking. For instance, it might take a long time to cook until it gets tender. The explanation is that grass-fed brisket is naturally leaner. Thus it has tough connective tissues that might require more time to break down.

The best way to achieve great results when cooking such quality brisket is to cook low and slow. Incorporating additional herbs and veggies may help elevate the meat’s flavor. Further, it would help to understand that patience is necessary when preparing a delicious brisket.

4. Understand Your Brisket

One of the common mistakes that many people make when cooking a brisket is that they need to take their time to read the instructions on the brisket before embarking on the cooking process. Reading the instructions on the brisket will help you ensure you do not make any costly mistakes. For instance, Kosher brisket has salt. If you are not careful when salting it, you end up spoiling it.

5. Use The Right Equipment

It will help to have all the necessary equipment to make cooking easy and convenient. For instance, if you have a limited amount of oven space that cannot cook the amount of brisket you want in a cook, then it will be prudent to use a slow cooker for the best results.

6. Prepare Your Brisket In Time

Last-time rushes may see you make mistakes that may spoil your brisket. To ensure that you do not hurriedly cook your brisket and probably damage it, ensure that you prepare in advance. For instance, if your brisket is frozen, ensure it reaches room temperature before cooking it. This is important because it allows for even cooking of the brisket.

brisket to smoke

7. Cut Against The Grain

How you slice your cooking brisket can also impact its flavor. The best practice is to let the brisket rest for about 30 minutes, depending on its size, before you can slice it against the grain of the meat. Resting the brisket before slicing ensures that the delicious juices do not escape while cutting against the grain makes it less chewy.

8. Choose The Right Recipe

Before deciding on the recipe, research the recipe before implementing it. Use proven brisket recipes for the best results.

Wrapping It Up

Now that you know how much brisket a person; you will easily feed your guests to satisfaction. Always consider the appetite of your guests, the availability of side dishes, and whether you want any leftovers. Again, be sure to cook your brisket to perfection.