How Much Lamb Per Person: Large & Small Group
Did you know Americans consume more than 100 pounds of chicken each year? Surprising, but we also only consume 0.8 pounds of lamb. Why? It is a much more delicious and decadent meat, so why not devour it?
We often invite friends and family to our home and usually cook beef or chicken. But, this time, we thought to cook lamb, but if you don’t know, lamb meat shrinks with cooking. So, we have a problem with portion size here!
Many have this problem while cooking for small or large groups, so we did our research and will explain how much lamb per person to serve.
How Much Lamb to Get and Serve?
Lamb meat is tender and juicy, but that’s what makes it so expensive. That doesn’t mean you can’t measure and buy this delicious meat. The amount you need to buy depends on the cut of the meat and if you are buying it bone-in or boneless.
There is a reason behind buying lamb, depending on the cut. First, the fat shrinks and gives you a lesser amount than you thought. The second and last is the bone. The bone contributes a lot to the weight, and when you buy bone-in lamb meat, you get a smaller portion.
Although the bone adds a lot of flavor to meat, it can get costly when you are getting meat for a large group, so we suggest using boneless lamb meat. It will save you some money but still give you a great flavor.
1. How much lamb per person?
It is better to serve 6 ounces of lamb roast per person. It will give them enough meat, and if you want, you can also get a couple of ounces extra depending on the appetite of the people.
But how will you measure meat with the bone in and boneless? It’s pretty easy! You need to get ⅓ pound of lamb meat per person if you are buying boneless meat. On the other hand, if you want some bone flavor, you can get ½ pound of bone-in lamb meat per person. As you can see, boneless meat goes a long way if you are on a budget.
2. How much leg of lamb per person?
Usually, a leg of lamb is about 4.4 to 6 pounds. It is actually enough to serve six to seven people, but if you are going for bone-in meat, 8 pounds of meat will be better.
There is a vast difference between serving a handful of people and a large group of about 90 to 100 people. If you ask us, a large group like we mentioned would need about 90 pounds of bone-in meat in case anyone has a heavy appetite.
However, 45 to 50 pounds of boneless meat is enough to feed the crowd, considering there are also children. There are many other things you should also consider when buying lamb meat, such as the budget you want to splurge on it or if you want leftovers or extras to serve.
To make the meat measurement easier for you, we made a small chart with the number of people and the amount of lamb meat for serving to get.
Note :
This measurement is only for boneless meat. If you want bone-in meat, just add 3 to 4 pounds to the measurements below.
| Lamb Meat Quantity Per Person |
|---|
| If you are serving 6 to 7 people, you must get 6 pounds of meat. |
| To serve a group of 10, it is better to get 8 to 9 pounds of meat. |
| For serving a 20-person group, get 11 to 12 pounds of meat. |
| For serving 50 people and even having some leftovers, you will need 30 to 32 pounds of meat. |
| To serve 70 people, you will need to get 42 pounds of lamb meat. |
| If you are throwing a big party for about 100 people, you will definitely need 60 to 62 pounds of meat. This will give you the option of having extras if anyone wants more. |
3. How much lamb shoulder per person?
Lamb shoulder meat is mostly sold boneless, but you can also get partly boned-shoulder meat. However, you can use about 4.9 to 5 pounds of lamb shoulder meat to feed your 6 or 7 guests.
Lamb shoulder meat is juicy, tender, and much fattier. It tastes delicious when slow-roasted at a low temperature. But a slice of large shoulder meat will shrink quite a lot when cooked, so it is better to get a pound more, just in case.
Moreover, if you plan to have just 2 or 3 people for dinner, a good alternative is buying a rack of lamb, also known as lamb fillet. Well, it is a tad more expensive, but you will have no leftovers. You can cook it in a pan, which will take only a few minutes. So, this is a perfect option instead of going for a whole leg or shoulder piece.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many pounds of meat per person?
We have already talked about lamb meat which should be ⅓ pound (boneless) or ½ pound (bone-in). This is mostly the same for every meat type, but if someone has a big appetite, it is better to serve them ¾ pounds of meat.
2. What should the temp of cooked lamb be?
The temperature of a cooked lamb should be 145 degrees Fahrenheit. It is essential to reach this temperature for the meat to ensure safe cooking and avoid getting sick.
3. What does lamb taste like?
It is a common question among many people. To describe the taste of lamb correctly, we would like to say it is almost like beef, but the flavor mainly comes from its Branched-Chained Fatty Acids (BCFAs). It has a well-balanced grassy, gamey, and earthier type of taste to it. Moreover, it is also much more tender, flavorful, and richer than beef or pork.
4. What is butterflied lamb leg meat?
The butterflied lamb leg is mainly a boneless leg of lamb, which is then spread out like a vague shape of a “butterfly.” It is a much thinner and flatter meat than other cuts, but it is great for barbecuing or roasting. Moreover, it also gives a great flavor because the spices can get into it easily.
5. Why should you tie your butterfly lamb leg?
If you are going to roast your butterfly lamb leg, you must tie it using a food-grade thread. You must tie the meat into a vague cylindrical shape so that it gets cooked evenly and adequately throughout; otherwise, you will be left with some burnt, chewy, or barely cooked meat.
This is the number one reason for tying your butterfly lamb leg. If you don’t want chewy and gray meat you have to serve to guests, it is better to tie it up for even roasting.
6. Can I store lamb meat?
You can easily store leftover lamb meat in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days, but we believe it is better not to keep cooked meat in the refrigerator for more than two days. You must store your lamb meat wrapped with plastic wrap and in an airtight container for zero contamination.
7. How to reheat lamb meat?
If you have leftover lamb meat that you want to eat later, you can definitely reheat it in the oven. Just set the oven to a very low temperature and let the meat reheat for a couple of minutes.
8. What side dishes go great with roasted lamb legs?
If you ask us, we have a lot of side dishes ideas you can pair your yummy lamb meat with. Here are a few of the side dishes:
- Salt and pepper steamed broccolis
- Salted saute asparagus
- Simple garden salad
- Mashed potatoes
- Sweet potato casserole
- Green beans
- Glazed carrots
- Roasted Brussels sprouts
- Roasted cauliflower
- French fries
- Potato wedges
Summary
Lamb is truly a delicious type of meat. It is just so tender and juicy that you will regret not having any leftovers. But the meat is expensive, so splurging on extras can ruin the budget plan for the gathering or party.
That is why our article gives you all the information you need regarding the amount of lamb meat to get for different groups. You can follow our instructions and size down or up depending on the characteristics of your guests.
If this article has been helpful to you, you should definitely explore our website for more similar content. We hope you have a great day ahead!
