How Much Meat Per Person Calculator | Portion Planner

When planning a meal for a groups of people, one must determine the correct amount of raw meat that will be needed to be purchase. The calculation of the amount of raw meat that will be needed for a meal is a difficult calculation to make due to the fact that raw meat will lose both weight during the cooking process and during the trimming process of the raw meat. Therefore, in addition to accounting for the amount of cooked meat that you would like each individual to eat, one must also account for the weight that will be lost during the cooking process.

Otherwise, it is likely that the butcher will purchase to much raw meat for the number of individuals that will be eating. To calculate the amount of raw meat that the planner will require to be purchased for a group, the planner must first determine the portion size of the cooked meat that will be prepared for each person that will attend the meal. The portion size of the cooked meat that will be prepared will have an impact on the amount of raw meat that is prepared.

How to Calculate How Much Raw Meat to Buy for a Group

For instance, meals that contain more meat per individual will require more raw meat to be purchased than meals that contain less meat per individual. For example, a meal that includes plating the meals for each individual will require six to eight ounce of cooked meat to be prepared per person. In contrast, meals like tacos or sliders may contain less cooked meat per individual.

Therefore, the portion size must be determined prior to calculating the raw weight of the meat that will be needed to purchase. Following the determination of the amount of cooked meat that will be prepared for each individual, the planner can calculate the amount of raw meat that will need to be purchased for the group. The reason for the necessity of calculating the raw weight of the meat is due to the fact that raw meat will lose weight during the cooking process; raw meat loses moisture during the cooking process.

The percentage of the raw meat that will remain after it is cooked will vary depending on the specific type of raw meat that is purchased. For instance, lean cuts of raw turkey may retain seventy-eight percent of the weight of the raw turkey after it is cooked. In contrast, cuts of raw meat like brisket may only contain sixty percent of the weight of the raw meat after it is cooked.

Thus, knowing the specific yield of the type of meat that will be purchased will allow for the calculation of the raw weight of the meat. In addition to the cuts of meat that will be used in the meal, the format of the cuts of meat will also have an impact on the amount of raw meat that is purchased. For instance, cuts of meat that contain the bones of the animal (bone-in meat) will appear to be heavier on the scale than cuts of meat that do not contain the bones of the animal (boneless meat).

However, the bone-in meat will contain less edible meat per pound than the boneless meat. Therefore, more raw meat will need to be purchased if bone-in meat is to be used compared to boneless meat. The type of meat that will be purchased will impact the raw weight of the meat that must be purchased for the meal.

Another factor that will impact the amount of raw meat that must be purchased is the appetite of the individuals that will be eating the raw meat. Individuals that have a light appetite will eat less raw meat than individuals that have a large appetite. For instance, a group of athletes or teenagers may require fifteen to thirty percent more raw meat than a group of individuals with an average appetite.

Thus, the appetite level of the individuals will impact the amount of raw meat that must be purchased. Another factor to consider is the need to purchase a buffer of raw meat for the meal. The buffer for the raw meat will provide for the possibility of second helpings for individuals that eat more raw meat than others, or for the raw meat to be left over as leftovers after all of the individuals have eaten.

The percentage of raw meat that is purchased as a buffer can be based upon the amount of raw meat that will be prepared for the event and the number of individuals that will be eating the raw meat. For instance, a buffer of raw meat of eight to twelve percent may be purchased as enough raw meat to allow for both seconds and leftovers. Thus, purchasing a buffer for the raw meat will ensure that there is enough raw meat to feed the group.

Other environmental factor may also impact the amount of raw meat that is purchased. For instance, raw meat that is prepared during a long service window will lose some of its moisture during that long period of time when the raw meat is exposed to the heat of the restaurant’s preparation area. Similarly, the weather outside of the restaurant will also have an impact on the appetite of the individuals who will be eating the raw meat.

Warm weather may decrease the appetite of the individuals, while cool weather may increase the appetite of those who will eat the raw meat. Though these factors cannot be controlled, they can still be considered when purchasing a buffer for the raw meat. The best way to calculate the amount of raw meat that is to be purchased for a meal is to first determine the portion size of cooked meat that will be prepared for each individual.

Following the determination of the portion size of the cooked meat, the amount of raw meat can be calculated by determining the type of raw meat that will be purchased, the appetite level of the individuals that will eat the raw meat, the style of the meal, and the raw weight of the meat. Thus, if these factors are considered, the raw meat calculation will provide the total amount of raw meat that will be needed to prepare the meal. By considering each of these factors, the individual can determine the amount of raw meat that will be needed to prepare the meal.