Weddings, Eid, an aqiqah dinner, a big family meal: the question is always the same. How much meat do I need? Put in your numbers and the calculator works it out.
Rules of thumb
All weights are raw, as you buy them at the counter. Count children under 12 as half a portion.
| What you're cooking | Meat per adult | Uncooked rice per adult |
|---|---|---|
| Curry or karahi, bone-in | 300g | 75g with naan, 100g as the main side |
| Pulao or biryani | 250g bone-in | 125g |
| BBQ: chops, kebabs, wings | 300g in total | none, or 50g on the side |
| Roast leg or shoulder on the bone | 400g | none |
| Boneless curry | 200g | 75g |
Serving two or three meat dishes? Cut each one by about a third. People take a little of everything.
Whole and half lambs
For a big curry or pulao, a whole or half lamb is usually the best value. Our lambs are usually around 18kg, so a half is around 9kg. They're sold by carcass weight, with the bone and fat included, and we cut them however you need.
A simple way to split one: shoulders and neck into karahi pieces, legs into curry pieces or kept whole for roasting, and the ribs and chops for the BBQ. Tell us the dishes and we'll suggest the cut.
It helps to ask a day or two before you need it.
Cooking big batches safely
- Use more than one pot rather than one huge one. Big pots heat and cool unevenly.
- Cool leftovers fast. Split them into shallow containers instead of leaving one big pot to cool.
- Get leftovers into the fridge within 1 to 2 hours and eat them within 2 days.
- Rice needs extra care. Cool it within an hour, keep it in the fridge, and eat it within 24 hours.
More detail is in our guide to storing meat safely. Planning a full menu? See planning an Eid feast.