How to calculate barbecue meat: What to consider

Knowing how to calculate the amount of meat for a barbecue is essential to never again make a mistake when buying and preparing the best barbecue with your friends and family, or even for those who want to improve and become a professional grill master! Once you learn to properly dimension the right amount of food, you are guaranteed that you will never again run out of or have too much meat at your barbecue.

This is essential knowledge for a skilled grill master who wants to ensure greater savings during their purchases. Therefore, to better understand how to calculate meat for a barbecue and prepare for one, check out CIMO's special post!

What should be considered when calculating for a barbecue?

When calculating the amount of meat for a barbecue, it is necessary to take into account a series of aspects such as the duration of the barbecue, the profile and size of the guest list, and the prior selection of your side dishes. All of this must be considered for an accurate calculation, as these factors directly impact the consumption that will occur during the barbecue.

See more details of each of these aspects to get a better idea of how to organize:

Duration of the barbecue

The duration of the barbecue is the first factor to consider. The longer the barbecue, the more meat should be bought to be prepared and grilled. Therefore, when you expect the barbecue to last a long time, consider buying a large quantity of meat, as it is natural for guests to get hungry again later.

Here, there is an interesting relationship, as the opposite can also happen, as it is possible to determine the duration of the barbecue by the amount of meat available. This is an alternative for those who already have some meat at home and want to calculate how long their barbecue can last, or for those with a smaller budget who still want to gather special people and celebrate.

Side dishes and drinks

Both the traditional barbecue side dishes and the essential drinks are very important elements for the final tally, because the more options available for consumption, the more satisfied guests' appetites will be. Among the main side dishes, we have:

• Farofa: practically indispensable for a good barbecue;

• Vinagrete: acidic sauce, great for barbecue;

• Rice: basic culinary item;

• Sauces and pastes: garlic paste and chimichurri sauce are traditional;

• Beer and draft beer: essential drinks for a good barbecue that, in a larger consumed volume, can also impact people's appetite.

Type of meat to be purchased

Another factor that should be considered when learning how to calculate meat for a barbecue is the type of cut and its category. A barbecue should have a balance between fattier and leaner meats, in addition to the common variety between pork cuts and poultry.

Consider the profile of the guests when choosing how much of each cut to buy, especially if they are close people whose tastes you know. It is common to consider a higher percentage of leaner meats if there is a good number of women and children, while fattier cuts — with the potential to bring greater satiety due to the extra calories — can be bought in larger quantities if there are more adult men.

Another crucial aspect for promoting the best possible preparation is the perfect cut of the pieces. Discover the 5 best barbecue knives and ensure this additional support for your barbecue!

How to calculate the meat for the barbecue?

On average, each person consumes 350g to 400g of meat, but from there it is worth knowing not only the number of people, but also the profile of the guests. Depending on the "reputation" of the appetite of the men present, the amount per person can approach 500g, while for women, the average 350g is indicated, and for children, about 200g.

Thus, for an event with 8 guests — for example, 3 men, 3 women, and 2 children — a total of 3 kg of meat is ideal.

How much charcoal will be used?

Here's another aspect that's worth a quick calculation: the amount of charcoal. Generally, the recommended amount is 1 kg for every kg of meat, a truly egalitarian proportion that works well for grilling traditional cuts.

Again, there are certain elements that can alter the amount of charcoal used. A meat that requires longer preparation, such as rump cap, needs more charcoal and time on the grill. Therefore, take this 1-to-1 ratio as a base, increasing the amount depending on the preparation time of the piece.

While on the subject, check out the best and most practical ways to light a barbecue!

These are the main elements to consider when calculating meat for a barbecue. When all these details are taken into account, the amount of meat is always right! Moreover, besides saving money, this organization tends to make all barbecue preparations more adjusted, ensuring a perfect barbecue.

Continue browsing the CIMO blog to discover even more tips on how to make the best barbecue and become an even better grill master. See you in the next post!