How many people do you cook for?

[mlk18]

I am constantly watching grilling/smoking/bbq videos, reading equipment and recipe reviews, perusing this forum, etc. It seems like almost everything I see is people cooking portions for perhaps 2 people. Maybe that just makes it easier to put together a good review. Got me wondering how many people you cook for on a regular basis?

I have a wife and 3 kids living in my house, a neighbor girl who might as well move in, 2 kids (and their significant others) who seem to be home more now on the weekends than when they lived here, and parents living nearby who feel I owe them for all the grilled/smoked meats they fed me as a child. And maybe they want to spend as much time with their grandkids as they can. It's not unusual for me to be cooking for 12 people and extremely rare to be cooking for less than 6-7. Last night I grilled up over a dozen burgers and smoked a nice sized chunk of balogna, there were no leftovers.

 

[Fueling Around]

I don't envy your grocery bill.

Empty nesters here so often just wife and me.
When I make pulled pork, brisket, or a couple racks of ribs that could be a number of things.
Kids or other guests are home, I'm sharing with another family, or I'm packaging for later.

 

[TNJAKE]

Household of 6 here. 2 adults and 4 teenagers

 

[tallbm]

I am constantly watching grilling/smoking/bbq videos, reading equipment and recipe reviews, perusing this forum, etc. It seems like almost everything I see is people cooking portions for perhaps 2 people. Maybe that just makes it easier to put together a good review. Got me wondering how many people you cook for on a regular basis?

I have a wife and 3 kids living in my house, a neighbor girl who might as well move in, 2 kids (and their significant others) who seem to be home more now on the weekends than when they lived here, and parents living nearby who feel I owe them for all the grilled/smoked meats they fed me as a child. And maybe they want to spend as much time with their grandkids as they can. It's not unusual for me to be cooking for 12 people and extremely rare to be cooking for less than 6-7. Last night I grilled up over a dozen burgers and smoked a nice sized chunk of balogna, there were no leftovers.

Hmmmm how to answer this.

Technically I cook for 1... HOWEVER I never cook just a single meals worth of food.

When I cook something I'm going to get a minimum of 2 meals out of it.
If I cook for me and others the same thing applies. Generally, and on purpose, there will be enough for left overs every time.

I often smoke a brisket (or 2) or a pair of pork butts with the intent to eat on it all week. If there is any left overs towards the end of that week I vac seal em.
Also when I cook 2 or more briskets or pork butts, one of them will be vac sealed while the other is being eaten on all week.
Why run the smoker for hours and hours to only make 1 when for just a little bit more time and almost the same amount of effort you can have 2 lol.

So I'm used to making a boatload even though I don't often serve a ton of people. I do serve a lot of meals in the end :)

 

[gmc2003]

Empty nesters here also. Normally I like to fill up my smoker especially if it's going to be a longer cook(waste not - want not). The vacuum sealer is a game changer. I seal most meals for a later use. So I guess two regularly and up to 10 a couple of times a year. Sometimes it's tough with my son's family being pescatarians.

Chris

 

[Gonna Smoke]

At least 6-8 almost everyday and usually a dozen or more, I'm expecting 10 tonight. There are kids in the mix, but all family and I wouldn't want it any other way. Sometimes it takes a village...

 

[Bearcarver]

It's been awhile that it's only the two of us.
Bear Jr is 50, married, and has his own house.

Bear

 

[negolien]

Me and the ole lady.. makes it tough to do stuff sometimes as they are too big like butts and brisket.. I tend to freeze a lot of our meals.

 

[DougE]

On holidays, a bunch. On a daily basis, for me and the wife, or often just me. We have different tastes, I like some things she doesn't, so some days she cooks her own thing, and I cook my own thing.

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

Just me also. I just don't care much for meat frozen after been cooked. A texture thing. I just gave left overs to friends at our Thursday brewery meeting.

 

[bigfurmn]

If I’m smoking something, it’s usually for between 10-20 people for family get togethers. A couple of my cousins and myself hang out a lot with our families. I’ve done my niece’s grad party that was about 175. Doing pulled pork for my cousin’s daughters grad party this June. No idea the head count yet.

 

[Colin1230]

Empty nesters here also. Daughters and SIL's and grand kids come over occasionally, but not enough. Pam and I share the cooking duties but normally it's either her or I doing the cooking. When we have company I do most of the cooking and really enjoy it. But, being just the two of us the vacuum sealer is our friend.

 

[jcam222]

Only two of us at hime but 99% of my cooks will feed at least 12 lol. I just don’t know how to cook a little and love to share my passion.

 

[Ringer]

Household of 6 here. 2 adults and 4 teenagers

That's 12 by my math.

Got 5 here, 2 teen boys and 3 normals.

 

[bigfurmn]

How many people “accidentally“ over cook just to share with people? (Maybe that should be a new thread?)

 

[TNJAKE]

That's 12 by my math.

Got 5 here, 2 teen boys and 3 normals.

Our teens are 19,18,16,15.........you don't want to know my grocery bill lol

 

[JLeonard]

Usually 4 or 5 (one is a 14yo boy that eats for 3).
Jim

 

[48°North]

House of 5 here, but usually end up with an additional 4 to 6 when the neighbors and friends see the smoker pulled out.

 

[Steve H]

Usually just me and Ann. The one kid , 28 years old, just keeps coming back every time I throw him out the door. Must be putting too much back spin on him! He doesn't usually eat with us. He does his own thing. And has a unique diet.
Both of us are still learning to adjust amounts to cook even though its been a long time since we cooked for 5.

 

[mike243]

Just the wife and I every day, the last 2 years has really slowed our cookouts down. We have a fairly large family and have always enjoyed cookouts. age and covid has all but stopped that the last 2 years. we still cook for the son and his family but work and sports seem to cut that back these days too. Life is ever changing and not always for the better