How much to buy for 4–20 guests
| Adults | Prime rib, bone-in | Prime rib, boneless | Ham, bone-in | Ham, boneless |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 lb (2 ribs) | 2 lb–3 lb | 3 lb | 2 lb |
| 6 | 6 lb (3 ribs) | 3 lb–4.5 lb | 4.5 lb | 3 lb |
| 8 | 8 lb (4 ribs) | 4 lb–6 lb | 6 lb | 4 lb |
| 10 | 10 lb (5 ribs) | 5 lb–7.5 lb | 7.5 lb | 5 lb |
| 12 | 12 lb (6 ribs) | 6 lb–9 lb | 9 lb | 6 lb |
| 15 | 15 lb (8 ribs) | 7.5 lb–11.25 lb | 11.5 lb | 7.5 lb |
| 20 | 20 lb (10 ribs) | 10 lb–15 lb | 15 lb | 10 lb |
Count kids, appetites, pies and wine too. Open the holiday dinner calculator →
Prime rib per person
- Bone-in (standing rib roast): 1 lb per person. Each rib bone feeds about 2 people, so a 4-rib roast (about 8 lb) serves 8.
- Boneless (ribeye roast): ½ lb per person for a normal dinner, ¾ lb for hearty eaters.
- Prime rib loses about 15–20% of its weight while roasting, and that’s already built into these numbers.
- Order early: butchers and warehouse stores often take holiday prime rib orders by mid-December.
Ham per person
- Bone-in ham: ¾ lb per person (the bone is about a quarter of the weight).
- Boneless or spiral ham: ½ lb per person.
- Ham plus another main (like turkey): about ⅓ lb boneless per person.
- Want ham sandwiches the next day? Add a pound or two.
Cooking times by weight: ham cooking time guide.
Brisket per person
Plan ½ lb of cooked brisket per person. A whole brisket loses about half its weight during a long smoke, so buy about 1 lb raw per person. That’s a 12 lb packer brisket for 12 people.
Buying tips
- Round up. Leftovers are better than running out.
- Kids under 10 usually eat about half an adult portion.
- If you’re serving lots of heavy sides or a second meat, you can drop to the lower end.
- After dinner, refrigerate within 2 hours. Cooked meat keeps 3–4 days (see leftovers chart).
Questions
How much prime rib for 8 adults?
About 8 lb bone-in (a 4-rib roast) or 4–6 lb boneless.
How much ham for 20 people?
About 15 lb of bone-in ham or 10 lb boneless when ham is the main dish.
How many people does a 3-rib roast feed?
About 6 people. Each rib feeds about 2.
How much prime rib per person for a buffet?
With lots of other food, about ¾ lb bone-in or ⅓–½ lb boneless per person.