A whole fillet weighs around 2kg and will feed 10-12 people, or choose a 1 kg piece to roast or for a magnificent beef wellington for 4-6 people.
2) Size matters
So to feed 6 people you'll need a joint that weighs around 2.5kg, which will usually be a 2 or 3 rib joint. For lean joints off the bone, allow 200 - 250g meat per person, so choose a joint around 2kg for 6 people.
Allow around 375g beef per person, so for four people, you need a joint around 1.5kg, for six, 2.25kg, for eight, 3kg and for 10, 3.75kg.
Calculate roughly 400g per person. If cooking beef off the bone, 1kg will serve four and 1.5kg will serve about six, so 200-300g per person. Calculate your cooking time for medium-rare with 20 minutes per 500g or for medium use 25 minutes per 500g.
Bone-in roasts: Figure about one-pound per person. A 10-pound roast will feed 8-10 people. Boneless: Allow about a half-pound per person, which should yield about a 6-ounce piece. A 3-pound tenderloin would feed 6 people.
A whole fillet weighs around 2kg and will feed 10-12 people, or choose a 1 kg piece to roast or for a magnificent beef wellington for 4-6 people.
For generous portions (and maybe even some yummy leftovers), buy 250 g (8 oz) per person (raw). For a roast that has bone, increase that by about 30% – so, 375 g (12 oz) per person.
The ultimate roast! A 2-rib joint (about 2.5kg) would feed four to six people and 4-rib joint (about 5kg) would feed six to eight people. 2.5kg would feed about six people.
Allow 350-400g per serving for roasts on the bone – around 3kg for eight.
Roast for 12 mins per 450g/1lb (about 55 mins for a 2kg/4lb 8oz joint) for medium-rare, or 15 mins per 450g/1lb (about 1 hr 10 mins) for medium-well.
A question we often get is “How much meat do I need?” The starting rule of thumb is: Boneless Meat: 1/2 lb. per person for adults and 1/4 lb. per person for children.
As above, same cooking times apply – but this joint will feed about 8 – 10 people, some with second helpings, which are obligatory!
As each meat item is individual, there is no definite answer to this question, but on average 1kg of meat serves approximately 4 people, depending on the adult to children ratio. This is only a guideline and we recommend that you overestimate, rather than underestimate, as you may end up not having enough.
That means you'll want at least 2 1/2 pounds of meat if you're planning to have 10 people over to dinner, and 5 or more pounds of meat if you're cooking for 20 guests.
Before buying your roast, consider how you plan to serve the meat to your guests. If the roast is part of a holiday buffet, estimate that your guests will eat about half a pound per person. If it is the main course for a sit-down dinner, plan on one pound per person or one rib for every two diners.
Base Pounds on Number of People
When buying a roast, plan on a pound for every two guests, and a half-pound per two children. Then, add an extra pound just in case, or just because leftover roast makes for delicious future meals!
A small turkey (3-4.5kg) will feed 6-8 people.
The marbling of the meat and thin layer of fat provides unrivalled flavour. Serving: 1.5kg - Up to 6 people. 2kg - Up to 8 people.
On average, serve bone-in roast portions at 250g per person. So, if serving 6 people, try to buy a bone-in roast that is at least 2kg.
Choosemyplate.gov, a healthy eating plan from the United States Department of Agriculture, defines one serving of roast beef cold cuts as 2 ounces -- the equivalent to 56 grams or about six thin slices of meat.