Planning a cook for 100 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 9 packer briskets at a typical 12 lb each. Buy raw weight; smoking loses 50% to shrinkage.
Pulled Pork for 100 people: about 48 lb raw
5 oz per person (a solid sandwich). That's roughly 7 pork butts at a typical 8 lb each. Buy raw weight; smoking loses 35% to shrinkage.
St. Louis Ribs for 100 people: about 64 lb raw
3 ribs per person. That's roughly 22 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.