How much raw briskett do i need!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not sure of exactly what salt beef is, but here is the basic formula we use for figuring out how much raw product to start with:

• average resteraunt serving is 1/4 lb.
• a more substantial serving is 1/3 lb.
• a LARGE serving is 1/2 lb.
• you lose approx. 30% of the raw weight to finished product.

So you have to figure out how many servings (people) you are expecting and multiply that by your serving size, this tells you how much finished product you are going to need. Then take that number and add 30% to it - this tells you how much raw product you are going to need to start with.

Example:

100 people, serving size 1/3 lb.

100 x .33 = 33 lbs. (finished product)

50 lbs. raw - 30% loss = 35 lbs. finished product.

So your bare minimum is approx. 50 lbs. of raw, but you probably want a cushion so if you started with 60 lbs. raw you would have an extra 10 servings.

Now regarding your other questions: TAKE SOME CLASSES on running a small business, and specifically on catering. You are correct, you don't want to kill people, and there are lots of rules and regs about properly preparing food and serving it. Last thing you want is somebody getting sick and then getting fined and sued for improper food handeling. Also the small business class helps you create realistic expectations of what you need to charge in order to make proffits - most folks end up undercharging and basically working for free after you figure in all the hidden costs.

I can't answer the restaurant side of the questions as a few others can, but I have done a few yield studies on brisket.  On a typical 12# brisket, I will lose 3#'s just in fat, now I do a heavy trim, exposing all the meat on the top and sides on both the point and flat.  That will leave you with roughly 9 #'s of beef, after cooking, I would estimate that you'll lose another 1/4 of that weight, putting you somewhere in the ballpark of 50-60% finished product.  I don't have enough numbers to be concrete on any of this, but I have done a few to get in the ballpark.

As far as how many servings you should plan on, pick a comfortable number, like JRod put 100 or whatever your number is, then plan on buying and cooking for that number.  If you run out then keep upping that number.