Beef on a Bun will be served at any event in Calgary during Stampede season. That’s the only thing that’s certain in life besides death and taxes. And that’s a good thing! But when I moved to Calgary 25 years ago, I didn’t really understand how great it was. But let me tell you, it grows on you. to the point that eventually you cant live without it. Because there haven’t been any Stampede events in the last few years, I chose to make my own Slow Cooker Beef on a Bun this year.
I LOVE slow cooker recipes (see all of my slow cooker recipes HERE!), especially ones like this slow cooker BBQ beef that you can dump and go or set and forget! It only takes 10 minutes to put together and the slow cooker does all the work! It’s also WW friendly! [feast_advanced_jump_to].
Every BBQ beef on a bun place I’ve been to in Calgary is a little different. Some roast and shred the beef, while others use a slow cooker, like I have. But they’re all delicious.
Beef on a bun is a classic summertime favorite that’s perfect for backyard barbecues, potlucks, and casual get-togethers. But figuring out how much beef to buy per person for a beef on a bun bar can be tricky. You want to make sure you have enough so everyone gets their fill of juicy, tender meat without overbuying and breaking the bank.
In this detailed guide, we’ll walk through the key factors for calculating beef portions for a crowd so your next beef on a bun bash is a big success.
Calculating the Right Beef Serving Size Per Person
The first step is determining the appropriate cooked serving size of beef per guest Here are some general guidelines on portions
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4-6 ounces of cooked beef is standard for sandwiches and burgers. This gives a good amount of meat per bun without being overwhelming
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Plan for 6-8 ounce portions if beef on a bun is the main entrée without substantial sides. This ensures everyone gets plenty of protein.
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Go lighter at 3-4 ounces for kids or those with smaller appetites. You can always offer seconds.
For a featured beef on a bun meal, we recommend planning for 6 ounce finished cooked portions to ensure hearty sandwiches.
Accounting for Raw Weight Versus Cooked Weight
An important point when budgeting for beef is that raw meat shrinks during cooking due to moisture loss. For beef, you can expect around a 25% cook loss from the initial raw weight to the final cooked portions.
So if you want to end up with 6 ounce cooked servings, you’ll need to buy approximately 8 ounces of raw beef per person. This cook loss percentage is factored into the beef quantity estimates in our calculator.
Using a Calculator for Portions Based on Headcount
Let’s look at an example party scenario to see the calculator in action:
For 50 anticipated guests with 8 ounce raw weight portions, here is what the calculator recommends:
- 400 ounces (25 lbs) raw weight
- 300 ounces (18.75 lbs) cooked weight
This provides a handy estimate of roughly how many pounds of raw beef to purchase from the butcher for your event.
Adjusting Portions Based on Appetites and Leftovers
The calculator portions are based on standard recommended serving sizes. But you may want to bump up amounts by 10-20% for hearty appetites or if you anticipate extra guests. More meat can also cover those who want seconds and leave you with delicious leftovers.
For a 50 person cookout, we’d likely get 28-30 lbs of raw beef to be safe. We can cook 25 lbs for the buns and save the rest for sandwiches the next day. Having extra is ideal for flexibility.
Ground Beef vs Steaks for Shredding or Slicing
For pulled or shredded beef sandwiches, ground chuck or sirloin are great economical options. 85% lean gives the ideal balance of beefy flavor and tenderness.
If offering a mix of sandwiches and whole meat steaks, you can divvy up quantities between ground beef and steak cuts like sirloin or tri-tip. Just remember steaks cost more per pound.
For a classic shredded beef on a bun bar, we recommend sticking with ground beef for the best value and easiest prep.
Shopping for Buns and Sides in the Right Ratios
Once you know the total cooked beef amount, you can plan out buns and sides in proper proportions. Here are some tips:
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Buns: Allow 2 buns per person. So 100 buns for 50 guests.
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Sides: Figure around 0.25 lbs of salads/sides per person. For 50 people that’s about 12.5 lbs each of potato salad, coleslaw, etc.
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Chips: Get 5-6 individual bags per person, so 250-300 bags for 50.
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Condiments: Estimate 2 oz of onions, pickles, etc. per person. And have ketchup, mustard and mayo squeeze bottles on hand.
Starting with the beef quantity makes shopping for the rest of the meal much simpler.
Handy Beef Portion Tables
Here are some handy tables to estimate costs for raw beef based on serving sizes and number of guests:
4 oz Serving Size
- 10 people – 2.5 lbs
- 25 people – 6.25 lbs
- 50 people – 12.5 lbs
- 75 people – 18.75 lbs
6 oz Serving Size
- 10 people – 3.75 lbs
- 25 people – 9.375 lbs
- 50 people – 18.75 lbs
- 75 people – 28.125 lbs
8 oz Serving Size
- 10 people – 5 lbs
- 25 people – 12.5 lbs
- 50 people – 25 lbs
- 75 people – 37.5 lbs
Use these quick references to calculate the beef you need for any size event!
Key Takeaways for Perfect Beef Portions
Planning portions for a build your own beef on a bun bar involves some upfront math. But you can easily estimate:
- Raw beef amount per person
- Total cooked beef for serving
- Adjustments for extra guests and leftovers
- Bun quantities and side dish ratios
Knowing how much beef per person is key to building the perfect beefy bun bar that leaves everyone satisfied. So get your grilling tools ready and delight your guests with a mouthwatering feast of tender, juicy beef sandwiches!
Slow Cooker Beef on a Bun Recipe
- ▢ 5 lbs beef – chuck roast round roast,
- ▢ 1 – medium yellow onion finely diced
- ▢ 1 cup -barbecue sauce- I use presidents choice gourmet
- ▢ ½ cup chili sauce * I use Heinz
- ▢ ½ cup brown sugar
- ▢ 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- ▢ 2 teaspoon mustard
- ▢ 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ▢ 2 teaspoon -minced garlic
- ▢ 2 teaspoon liquid smoke
- ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
- ▢ 1 ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ▢ 20 buns
- Spray nonstick cooking spray inside the slow cooker and put the meat on the bottom.
- Whisk remaining ingredients together in separate bowl.
- Pour over meat.
- Low for 8 hours or high for 4 to 6 hours, or until beef is soft.
- To shred the beef, take it out of the slow cooker and use two forks. You can also use a mixer (see VIDEO in the notes).
- Return beef to the slow cooker. Mix in the sauce, then remove the fat from the cooking liquid. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until heated through.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove from slow cooker.
- Place meat on each bun.
- Then, if you want, add coleslaw, onions, pickles, pepperoncini, or jalapenos on top.
- Buns: You can use any kind of bun (hamburger, Kaiser, etc.) or my Dinner Buns (Granny Buns) recipe. *I use hamburger buns.
- Any cheap cut of beef, like a round roast, chuck roast, or sirloin tip
- ketchup and an extra teaspoon of chili powder could be used instead of chili sauce. I use Heinz Chili Sauce (affiliate link).
- Apple cider vinegar or regular vinegar mixed with a splash (about 2 tsp) of white wine, if you have it. This is what wine vinegar is.
- Instead of brown sugar, use white sugar and add 1 teaspoon of molasses.
- If you don’t have liquid smoke (affiliate link), leave it out for now. But I do think you should try it—it really does make a difference! You can get it on Amazon or at almost any grocery store.
- You can add pickles or jalapenos, and some people put the coleslaw right on top.
Variations & Substitutions
- You can use any kind of bun (hamburger, Kaiser, etc.) or my Dinner Buns (Granny Buns) recipe. *I use hamburger buns OR make it WW-friendly with a thin bun.
- Beef: round roast, chuck roast, or sirloin tip—Any cheap beef roast will do.
- ketchup and an extra teaspoon of chili powder could be used instead of chili sauce. I use Heinz Chili Sauce (affiliate link).
- Do not use wine vinegar. Instead, use apple cider vinegar or regular vinegar mixed with a splash of white wine, if you have any.
- Instead of brown sugar, use white sugar and add 1 teaspoon of molasses.
- If you don’t have liquid smoke (affiliate link), don’t use it. But if you do have it, use it. It makes a huge difference, and you can find it at almost any grocery store.
- Pickles, jalapenos, or pepperoncini are some of the toppings. Some people put the coleslaw right on top, which is something I love to do.
Traditionally, beef on a bun is served with coleslaw and beans. It seems wrong to suggest anything else, so here are some coleslaw recipes and another side dish I think goes well with this dish:
It is much faster to shred or pull your beef with a stand mixer. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you could use a hand mixer instead, which is what I did. ).
This recipe makes a lot, so if you’re making it for a big group, make the full amount. However, if you are making it for a smaller group, you can reduce the servings. Simply click on the number of servings you need and the amounts will adjust accordingly!.
And if youre looking for an even quicker recipe, try my shortcut version (Speedy Beef on a Bun!) And for even more Stampede recipes, be sure to try my other recipes at the bottom of the recipe card!
Make up to 2 days in advance and store in fridge for up to 3 days after making.
Stampede is on this year, albeit a scaled down version with a few more restrictions. But whether you’re going to Stampede or not, this is the time of year when you’ll probably want Beef on a Bun! Oh, and I can promise you one more thing: this recipe will most definitely satisfy that craving!
Barbecued Roast Beef on a Bun – Food Wishes
FAQ
How much roast beef per person for beef on a bun?
How much beef per person for beef sandwiches?
How many sandwiches does 1 lb of beef make?
How much does 1lb of beef serve?
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Boneless Meat
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Number of People
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Bone in meat
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1lb / 0.45kg
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2 – 3
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2lb / 0.91kg
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4 – 5
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3lb / 1.36kg
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3lb / 1.36kg
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6 – 7
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4lb / 1.82kg
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4lb / 1.82kg
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8 – 9
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6lb / 2.73kg
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How much beef do you put on a bun?
Place a generous amount of sliced beef on each bun and top with additional BBQ sauce if desired. Serve hot and enjoy! Wondering how much beef you’ll need per person for your BBQ beef on a bun? As a general guideline, plan for around 1/2 pound (8 ounces) of beef per person. This will ensure everyone gets a satisfying portion.
How much roast beef per person?
Consider serving sandwiches with roast beef as the main course with 1/2 to 1/3 pound of roast beef per person. You can calculate 1/4 to 1/6 pounds of roast beef per person when it’s included in a buffet or appetizer selection. Depending on your particular event and your guests’ appetites, change the quantities.
How many buns per person?
Buns: Allow 2 buns per person. So 100 buns for 50 people. Sides: Figure 0.25 lbs of potato salad and coleslaw per person. That’s 12.5 lbs of each for 50. Chips: Get 5-6 individual bags per person. So 250-300 bags.
How much meat do you need for a roast beef sandwich?
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Meat Calculator: How Much Meat Do You Need? For roast beef sandwiches as the main dish, consider 1/2 to 1/3 pound of roast beef per person.