Enough brisket for 40 people?

Allegry · 06-14-2012, 10:49 AM

Having ~40-45 people to the house on Saturday for a BBQ. The menu is:

~50 ABTs
2-3 whole watermelons, sliced
cream cheese and fruit with crackers
4 fatties (2 italian, 2 american)
brisket & burnt ends
chicken thighs
green beans
glazed carrots
french bread
pineapple upside-down cake
~50 cupcakes

I called up my butcher and order the following meat quantities:
4lbs, sliced bacon,
4 lbs bulk sausage (2lbs italian, 2lbs mild)
40 chicken thighs
2-10 lb briskets

I'm concerned that I didn't order enough brisket. I could probably squeeze on a 3rd on my BGE (it'd have to get on a 2nd rack), but my bill for this party is already large enough and I don't want to add even more meat that won't get eaten. What do you guys think? I can call and change my order until I go pick it up today after work.

Last time I made a similar menu (brisket, chicken, fatties) I had 1 fatty, 1 7lb brisket, and a dozen chicken thighs and it barely fed 8 - but we didn't have any appetizers, as many sides, and no dessert.

Jaskew82 · 06-14-2012, 10:54 AM

With all the other food, I would think that is enough brisket. If you want, you could throw on a pork butt or another to be sure.

May want to ask the catering forum their advice. Those guys are good.

Gore · 06-14-2012, 11:54 AM

It depends on how well you cook it. If your brisket is tender, moist and tasty, you could double it. If your brisket is dry and tough, you've got way too much.

We'll only know when the party is over.

Seriously, with the fatties and thighs, you should be in good shape.

luke duke · 06-14-2012, 12:07 PM

If you're worried, can you just bump up to 13lb briskets?

---k--- · 06-14-2012, 02:41 PM

Up here in the Brisket desert, I've had 10 people destroy a 12# brisket. Seems like your light. But, maybe down there brisket isn't so special and you got a lot of other food??? But, with 20# of brisket, that renders down to ~10#. That isn't much. I would probably do 3 BIG briskets myself.

landarc · 06-14-2012, 03:01 PM

You need 15 pounds of cooked meat product. You should have that covered in that list.

smokainmuskoka · 06-14-2012, 03:07 PM

If your wallet is haemorraging, you could go hybrid pot-luck and ask the guests to bring sides and desserts.

06-14-2012, 10:49 AM	#1
Allegry Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 06-05-12 Location: Ft. Worth, TX Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Enough brisket for 40 people? Having ~40-45 people to the house on Saturday for a BBQ. The menu is: ~50 ABTs 2-3 whole watermelons, sliced cream cheese and fruit with crackers 4 fatties (2 italian, 2 american) brisket & burnt ends chicken thighs green beans glazed carrots french bread pineapple upside-down cake ~50 cupcakes I called up my butcher and order the following meat quantities: 4lbs, sliced bacon, 4 lbs bulk sausage (2lbs italian, 2lbs mild) 40 chicken thighs 2-10 lb briskets I'm concerned that I didn't order enough brisket. I could probably squeeze on a 3rd on my BGE (it'd have to get on a 2nd rack), but my bill for this party is already large enough and I don't want to add even more meat that won't get eaten. What do you guys think? I can call and change my order until I go pick it up today after work. Last time I made a similar menu (brisket, chicken, fatties) I had 1 fatty, 1 7lb brisket, and a dozen chicken thighs and it barely fed 8 - but we didn't have any appetizers, as many sides, and no dessert. __________________ Large BGE // 22.5" Weber OTS to OTG mod // Blue Thermapen // Maverick ET732 // DigiQ DX2

06-14-2012, 10:54 AM	#2
Jaskew82 is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 06-20-11 Location: Airmont, NY Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	With all the other food, I would think that is enough brisket. If you want, you could throw on a pork butt or another to be sure. May want to ask the catering forum their advice. Those guys are good. __________________ Hillside BBQ 2013 Stumps Classic - Delivered 4/15/13 Large BGE - Rescued 2012 2010 WSM 22.5" 2010 Weber genesis gas grill Rescued 22.5 Weber One-touch gold Yellow Thermopen BBQ Guru CyberQ 2011 Built UDS - Retired

06-14-2012, 11:54 AM	#3
Gore somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 10-05-08 Location: Hiding out from blood suck ghost snake gods ... and Nazis Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	It depends on how well you cook it. If your brisket is tender, moist and tasty, you could double it. If your brisket is dry and tough, you've got way too much. We'll only know when the party is over. Seriously, with the fatties and thighs, you should be in good shape. __________________ Assistant to a Mad BBQ Scientist (and a squirrel): Primo Oval XL, Small Offset, Gasser, Optigrill, UBS "I love everything about the pig, even the way she walks." -- Spanish proverb (\__/) (='.'=) This is the rabbit baby. Invests him in yours signature, (")_(") and the help rabbit baby takes over control of the world! Hmmmm, I wonder, WWGALD? Avatar courtesy of Grillman and NorthwestBBQ Promoted by Bigabyte to "Idiot #1"

06-14-2012, 02:41 PM	#5
---k--- is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 09-07-10 Location: Chicago, IL - West burbs Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	Up here in the Brisket desert, I've had 10 people destroy a 12# brisket. Seems like your light. But, maybe down there brisket isn't so special and you got a lot of other food??? But, with 20# of brisket, that renders down to ~10#. That isn't much. I would probably do 3 BIG briskets myself. __________________ -Ryan Proudly Smoking on a UDS, PBC & Accidental Winner of the 2012 "Saucy" Throwdown.

06-14-2012, 03:01 PM	#6
landarc somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 06-26-09 Location: San Leandro, CA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	You need 15 pounds of cooked meat product. You should have that covered in that list. __________________ "perhaps...but then again...maybe not..." careful there son, those ribs are boiling hot... \_\|_/ (='.'=) Here there be bunnies... (")_(")ooo Pacific Rim BBQ Bob's Brew and Que

06-14-2012, 12:07 PM	#4
luke duke is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 01-16-10 Location: Dallas, TX Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	If you're worried, can you just bump up to 13lb briskets?

06-14-2012, 03:07 PM	#7
smokainmuskoka Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 08-30-11 Location: Huntsville, Ontario, Canada Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	If your wallet is haemorraging, you could go hybrid pot-luck and ask the guests to bring sides and desserts.