Adjust for your crowd
Enter how many of your guests are kids; each counts as half an adult.
Brisket for other crowd sizes
tap a row for its own list ↓| Guests | Cooked | Raw to buy | Whole briskets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 people | 4 lb | 8 lb | 1 |
| 20 people · you're here | 7 lb | 15 lb | 1 |
| 25 people | 9 lb | 19 lb | 2 |
| 30 people | 11 lb | 22 lb | 2 |
| 40 people | 15 lb | 30 lb | 2 |
| 50 people | 18 lb | 37 lb | 3 |
| 75 people | 28 lb | 55 lb | 4 |
| 100 people | 37 lb | 74 lb | 5 |
| 150 people | 55 lb | 110 lb | 8 |
| 200 people | 73 lb | 147 lb | 10 |
1 whole packer for 20 people. A whole packer is the point and the flat together; ask the butcher if you only see flats in the case.
How many people does a 12-lb brisket feed?
Feeds about 18 people with sides, or 12 if brisket is the main event.
Everything else for 20 people
How we got this number
- 120 guests × 1/3 lb cooked = 6.7 lb
- 2× 1.10 cushion = 7.3 lb cooked
- 3÷ 0.50 cooked yield = 14.7 lb raw → 1 whole packer
we always round up to whole briskets. Leftovers beat running out!
We count briskets at 15 lb each, the top of the usual 12–15 lb range. If the ones at your store run smaller, buy by weight: about 15 lb in all.
Food safety: cook brisket to at least 145°F and let it rest 3 minutes (most pitmasters take it far past that, to about 200°F, so it slices tender) (USDA safe temperature chart), and don't leave it out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (USDA).
Sources for this rule: Smoked BBQ Source (2023, updated 2026); Old Farmer's Almanac party chart; USDA Food Buying Guide; AMSA / Texas A&M brisket study summary (2021); Traeger.
Brisket questions
How much brisket for 20 people?
Buy about 15 lb of raw brisket: 1 whole packer brisket. It cooks down to about 7 lb sliced: 1/3 lb per guest with sides, plus a 10% cushion. Range: 11–19 lb depending on appetite.
What if 4 of the 20 guests are kids?
Kids count as half an adult, so it's 18 adult portions: buy about 14 lb of raw brisket: 1 whole packer brisket.
How much brisket for 20 people as the main event?
Buy about 22 lb of raw brisket: 2 whole packer briskets.
How many people does a 12-lb brisket feed?
Feeds about 18 people with sides, or 12 if brisket is the main event.
Different headcount? The brisket calculator works for any number of guests, and the menu planner builds one shopping list for the whole party.