How much meat to buy is the question everyone asks before hosting, and the one everyone gets slightly wrong. Buy too little and someone’s politely still hungry. Buy too much and you’re having pork belly for breakfast. Here’s how to land it about right, without weighing anything.
The short answer
Plan on about 250 to 300 grams of meat per person for a main meal. That covers most people. Big eaters, or a night where the meat is the whole event and there isn’t much else on the table, go closer to 350. Loading up on rice, kimchi and sides instead? You can pull it back a little.
Where people get it wrong
Two traps catch people out. The first is underbuying, because raw meat looks like more than it is – it shrinks the moment it hits the grill. The second is forgetting the sides do half the feeding. A table piled with banchan and rice fills people up faster than they expect, so you rarely need as much meat as you’d think.
A rough guide for the table
- Two people – around 500 to 600 grams.
- Four people – around 1.1 to 1.2 kilos. Our wagyu mix platter (1kg) suits a table of four with sides.
- Six people – around 1.6 to 1.8 kilos.
- Eight people – around 2.2 to 2.4 kilos.
Buy a mix, not a mountain of one thing
Variety matters more than sheer weight. Three or four different cuts keeps everyone reaching for the next thing, where a kilo of a single cut gets samey halfway through. A bit of beef, a bit of pork, and one cut that feels a little special. Browse the full range on the Korean BBQ cuts page. For the special cut, wagyu is the usual pick. For something different, try beef belly or pork jowl.
Read the night, too
Numbers are a starting point, not a rule. A long grazing session with drinks works through more meat than a quick family dinner. A birthday wants a special cut in the mix. If half the table doesn’t eat much red meat, lean on pork and lighter cuts. Match the order to the occasion and you’ll rarely be far off.
Example orders
Dinner for four (about 1.5 kilos): LA galbi 500g, pork belly 500g and bulgogi 500g.
A special night for four: a wagyu mix platter plus a marinated cut to round it out.
One last thing. You can always cook more, so if you’re unsure, start moderate and open another pack if the table’s still going. Fresh meat keeps for the next night either way.
Frequently asked questions
How much meat per person for Korean BBQ?
About 250 to 300 grams per person for a main meal, and closer to 350 for big eaters.
Does that include the sides?
No, that’s just the meat. With plenty of rice, kimchi and banchan on the table, most people eat a little less meat than they expect.
How much for a party of ten?
Around 2.7 to 3 kilos, spread across four or five different cuts.
How much for children?
Around half an adult serve, so roughly 125 to 150 grams each.
What if I buy too much?
No harm done. Fresh meat keeps in the fridge for a couple of days, or freeze it, so leftovers just become the next dinner.