How much brisket per person?
Plan 1/2 lb of cooked brisket for each adult, which means buying 1 lb raw. A whole packer loses about half its weight to trimming and the cook, so a 14 lb packer feeds about 14 people.
Brisket per person chart
For typical eaters at a cookout with sides. Raw weights are as bought, rounded up to the half pound.
| Adults | Cooked brisket | Raw, whole packer | Packers at 14 lb | Raw, flat only |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 5 lb | 10 lb | 1 | 8.5 lb |
| 15 | 7.5 lb | 15 lb | 2 | 12.5 lb |
| 20 | 10 lb | 20 lb | 2 | 17 lb |
| 25 | 12.5 lb | 25 lb | 2 | 21 lb |
| 30 | 15 lb | 30 lb | 3 | 25 lb |
| 40 | 20 lb | 40 lb | 3 | 33.5 lb |
| 50 | 25 lb | 50 lb | 4 | 42 lb |
| 75 | 37.5 lb | 75 lb | 6 | 62.5 lb |
| 100 | 50 lb | 100 lb | 8 | 83.5 lb |
Light eaters need about two thirds of these weights and big eaters about half as much again. The calculator above does both, and counts children as half an adult.
Why raw and cooked are so far apart
A whole packer brisket comes with a thick fat cap and a hard seam of fat between the point and the flat. Most of that gets trimmed before it goes on the smoker. Then a long cook renders more fat and drives off water. What you slice is about half of what you bought.
A flat sold on its own is usually trimmed already, so less of it ends up in the bin. We plan on about 60% of a flat's raw weight coming back as sliced meat, against 50% for a whole packer. The flat is the leaner half, which is why some people buy two flats rather than one packer for a crowd that prefers lean slices.
Sandwiches, sliders and leftovers
A brisket sandwich takes about 1/4 lb of cooked meat, so count sandwiches rather than people. Twenty sandwiches need about 5 lb cooked, or 10 lb raw. Sliders take about half that.
If you want leftovers, size up by one packer. Brisket keeps well in the fridge for three or four days and freezes well, and nobody minds a second meal of it.
What to smoke it on
The three cookers our reviews rate highest for smoking low and slow, from the 52 we have scored for it. A big cut sits on the heat for 10 hours or more, so how a cooker holds low and steady matters more here than how hot it gets.
Kamado Joe Classic II
What we liked: The Kontrol Tower holds its air setting through a lid opening, which the $999.99 entry Classic does not offer. One sealed ceramic chamber covers 225 to 750 degrees, though a single round fire never gives two independent zones.
What we didn't like: At $1,499.99 the extra $500 over the entry Classic buys a hinge and a vent, with nothing new on the grate.
Char-Griller 22-inch Kettle Charcoal Grill and Smoker
What we liked: At $149.99 the enameled bowl, coal door, ash bucket and five-year cover all arrive together, with nothing held back for the accessories aisle. Coal door, grate lifter, two dampers and a lid dial cover every routine job on a kettle.
What we didn't like: Char-Griller publishes one heat figure, up to 400°F, and rates the bowl for only 2 lb of charcoal.
Broil King Keg Kamado Charcoal
What we liked: Leads the kamado field on handling: 140.4 lb rolling on four locking castors, with shelves that lift off by hand. Ceramic bricks and a diffuser do the storing, two dampers do the steering, and the reversible cast iron grid does the searing.
What we didn't like: Around $1,256 buys the cooker, then the diffuser kit, pellet module and rotisserie are each a separate purchase.
See every pick for smoking, or the best smokers on their own.
Questions people ask
- How much brisket do I need for 50 people?
- About 25 lb of cooked brisket, which is 50 lb raw. That is 4 whole packers at a typical 14 lb each. With lots of sides or a lunch crowd, two thirds of that is enough.
- How much brisket for 100 people?
- About 50 lb cooked and 100 lb raw, or 8 packers. At that size, check that your smoker holds them: most backyard smokers take one or two whole packers at a time.
- How many people does a 12 lb brisket feed?
- About 12 adults. A 12 lb packer gives roughly 6 lb of sliced brisket, at 1/2 lb each. A 16 lb packer feeds about 16.
- Is the 1/2 lb cooked or uncooked?
- Cooked. Half a pound is what ends up on each plate. Raw, as you buy it, plan on 1 lb per adult for a whole packer, or about 13 oz for a trimmed flat.
- How much brisket per person in grams?
- About 225 g of cooked brisket per adult, which is about 450 g raw from a whole packer. Switch the calculator to kilograms and every figure follows.
- Should I buy more if I am serving another meat?
- Less, not more. With two meats each one needs about 60% of a full portion, since people take some of each. The meat per person calculator plans two or three meats at once.