Planning a cook for 10 guests and don't want to run out of brisket at the worst possible moment? Here is the working math, using the same numbers the free BBQ Calculator uses: cooked portion per person, shrinkage during the smoke, and how many whole cuts that adds up to at the meat counter.
4 pencil-cut slices per person. That's roughly 1 packer brisket at a typical 12 lb each. Buy raw weight; smoking loses 50% to shrinkage.
Pulled Pork for 10 people: about 5 lb raw
5 oz per person (a solid sandwich). That's roughly 1 pork butt at a typical 8 lb each. Buy raw weight; smoking loses 35% to shrinkage.
St. Louis Ribs for 10 people: about 6 lb raw
3 ribs per person. That's roughly 3 racks at a typical 3 lb each. Buy raw weight; smoking loses 30% to shrinkage.
Mixing meats? Most cooks do. The calculator splits servings across every meat you pick, adjusts for light or hearty eaters, adds sides math (beans, slaw, sauce, buns), and builds a fire-up-to-serve timeline for your smoker.