How many pounds of ribs or cases to feed 250 people

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d and d

Newbie
Original poster
Jan 6, 2017
1
10
Maryland
[h3]how many pounds of ribs to feed 250 people[/h3]



D and D
Today at 3:08 pm

I'm catering a wedding reception for 250 people they will be having side dishes pasta salad, mac&cheese, cornbread, reg salad,tuna salad and whole chicken grilled and BBQ Smoked Ribs.The ribs here in Maryland are 6 slabs to a case @ 37 pounds a case . Would like to know how many cases or how many pounds I will I need to feed 250 people serving 2 bones .These are reg pork spare ribs . This will be our first catering and we will be having servers                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Thank you

                  D and D                                                                                                 
 
I'm sure a caterer will be along shortly.  I've read 3-4 bones per person, St Louis cut.  Untrimmed 2-3 bones per person.  Figure 12-13 bones per rack of spares. 

Untrimmed:  500 bones / 12.5 bones per slab = 40 slabs / 6 slabs per case = 7 cases (rounding up).

St Louis Cut:  750 bones / 12.5 bones per slab = 60 slabs / 6 slabs per case = 10 cases.  (Use the trimmed meat to make beans)

Have fun!
 
Last edited:
that's gonna be one full smoker

Good luck and show us the pics

th_4th_of_July.gif
 
I'm sure a caterer will be along shortly.  I've read 3-4 bones per person, St Louis cut.  Untrimmed 2-3 bones per person.  Figure 12-13 bones per rack of spares. 

Untrimmed:  500 bones / 12.5 bones per slab = 40 slabs / 6 slabs per case = 7 cases (rounding up).

St Louis Cut:  750 bones / 12.5 bones per slab = 60 slabs / 6 slabs per case = 10 cases.  (Use the trimmed meat to make beans)

Have fun!


Yep this is what I'd figure.

2 bones per person is pretty skimpy. Even my youngest thinks 3-4 is bare minimum!
 
I sure do hope you and another cook or two have the experience, skills, smoker(s) and coordination to pull off this cook.
That's a big event for an experienced BBQ cater.

3-4 would be my minimum too, and I would expect to cook probably an extra slab or two for every 10 slabs to account for problems, example dropped plates needing replacement, tough/burnt ends of slabs and such.
A 5 gal bucket of rub, a couple more of BBQ sauce and that's just for the ribs.

You doing the chickens too?

How big is your smoker(s)?
 
6 slabs = 37 pounds? That is ENORMUS racks and should be verified. 3-4 pound racks are the average and a restaurant supply standard. With Chicken, you can safely figure 4 diner's per rack. This will account for burnt ends, drops and folks tipping the server for seconds...JJ
 
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