GUIDES FROM THE MASTER
How Much Shashlik per Person? Amounts for 2 to 20 Guests
How much shashlik per person? As a main course, plan 400 g of marinated meat per person. That is master butcher Meister Morgel’s rule of thumb, and it has proven itself: everyone leaves full, and you are not eating leftovers for half the week.
How much meat per person you really need for a barbecue depends on your crowd, though. Lots of sides? Children coming? Sausages on the grill as well? Below you will find a table for 2 to 20 people, the factors that matter and the packs that suit each group size.
The quickest way is the calculator right below this introduction: it works out the amount for your group in a few seconds.
At a glance
- Plan 400 g of marinated meat per person for a main course, weighed straight from the pack; water loss on the grill is already allowed for.
- With a buffet or lots of sides, 300 g per person is enough, while big appetites with few sides call for 500 g.
- Children up to about 12 eat 150 to 200 g, and each bratwurst counts as roughly 100 g off the shashlik.
- For 10 people you need 4 kg, exactly the contents of the “Friends and Family” package at €67.98, which is under €7 per person.
Quantity calculator
4 kg of shashlik for 10 peopleBased on 400 g per person as a main course.
Our suggestion: 1 × Friends and Family = 4 kg
The full plan: Shashlik for 10 People: How Much Meat, Which Pack and a Plan for One Grill
How much shashlik per person? The butcher’s rule of thumb
400 g per person applies when shashlik is the main course with the usual sides: lavash or bread, pickled onions and a salad or two. The figure refers to the weight of the marinated meat as it comes out of the pack. The fact that meat loses a little water on the grill is already built into the rule.
Treat 400 g as an average and adjust it to the occasion:
- Buffet, lots of sides or starters: 300 g per person
- Shashlik as the main course with bread and salad: 400 g per person
- Big appetites, long evenings, few sides: 500 g per person
- Children up to about 12: 150 to 200 g per child
Shashlik per person: table for 2 to 20 guests
The table works with 400 g per person and shows which packs or single varieties fit. Where no pack matches exactly, we round up to the next sensible combination. For other group sizes, use the calculator above.
The minimum order value is €49, and delivery is free from that amount. For small groups it is worth ordering for two barbecue evenings straight away and freezing part of it. Our guide to freezing shashlik explains how to do it properly.
For bigger groups there are ready-made plans with a shopping list, grill schedule and timeline: shashlik for 10 people, 20 people, 30 people and 50 people.
| Guests | Shashlik at 400 g each | Packs and varieties that fit |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0.8 kg | 1 kg of single varieties, e.g. 500 g each of Classic pork and Classic chicken breast |
| 4 | 1.6 kg | “Try Them All” (1.5 kg) or “Work’s done. Grill’s on.” (2 kg) |
| 5 | 2 kg | “Work’s done. Grill’s on.” (2 kg) |
| 6 | 2.4 kg | “Work’s done. Grill’s on.” (2 kg) plus 500 g single variety |
| 8 | 3.2 kg | “Work’s done. Grill’s on.” plus “Try Them All” (3.5 kg) |
| 10 | 4 kg | “Friends and Family” (4 kg) |
| 15 | 6 kg | “Friends and Family” plus “Work’s done. Grill’s on.” (6 kg) |
| 20 | 8 kg | 2 × “Friends and Family” (8 kg) |
How much meat per person for a barbecue? What changes the amount
The rule of thumb is your starting point. These five factors decide whether you go up or down.
- Sides: the more salads, bread, grilled vegetables and dips on the table, the less meat each person eats. You will find ideas in our guide to sides for shashlik.
- Other meat: if there are sausages or steaks too, count each bratwurst as roughly 100 g and take it off the shashlik.
- Children: young children eat about half an adult portion. Count teenagers as adults, sometimes with a bit extra.
- Appetite: a football team after training eats differently from friends relaxing after work. For big appetites, plan 500 g.
- Duration: if the evening runs for hours, people keep coming back to the grill. Plan towards the upper end.
BBQ pack for 10 people and smaller groups
The easiest way to plan is with ready-mixed packs. The “Friends and Family” pack is made for 10 people: 4 kg, with 1 kg each of Classic pork, Onion & Garlic pork, Classic chicken breast and Mayo chicken thigh. At €67.98 that is under €7 per person, with free delivery.
For around 5 people, “Work’s done. Grill’s on.” brings 2 kg of Classic pork and Classic chicken breast for €33.99. If you want to get to know the varieties first, go for “Try Them All”: 500 g each of Classic pork, Classic chicken breast and lamb with onions, 1.5 kg in total for €30.50. That feeds 3 to 4 people.
You can change the mix before you buy, as long as you swap within the same price range. Every variety arrives ready-marinated and ready to grill, cut in the Meister Morgel Cut®: even pieces that cook through together. No marinade to mix, no cutting the night before.
Several kinds of meat: how to split the amount
With several varieties on the grill, everyone wants to try a bit of each. The total hardly goes up, so 400 g per person remains your guide. You simply split it differently.
Chicken thigh stays particularly juicy and forgives a few extra minutes on the grill. Chicken breast is leaner and cooks faster. Together they cover almost every taste.
- Mixed crowd: half pork, half chicken. That is exactly how “Friends and Family” is put together.
- Guests who don’t eat pork: plan chicken breast shashlik, chicken thigh, lamb or beef for them and cook it on its own section of the grill.
- Something special: add 1 kg of lamb shashlik or beef shashlik as a highlight. Plan richer meat as an extra, not as the bulk of the order.
Too much or too little shashlik?
When in doubt, order one pack more. Raw shashlik that has stayed in the fridge the whole time can go into the freezer for next weekend. Cooked leftovers go into the fridge promptly after the meal and must be piping hot when you reheat them.
The next day they are delicious in flatbread with onions and herbs. Our recipe for shashlik in flatbread shows you how.
The right pack for your group
For 10 people, choose “Friends and Family”; for smaller groups, “Work’s done. Grill’s on.” or “Try Them All”. Ready-marinated by a master butcher, with free delivery from €49.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams of shashlik per person?
As a main course, plan 400 g of marinated shashlik per person. With a buffet or lots of sides, 300 g is enough. For big appetites and few sides, plan 500 g.
How much shashlik do I need for 10 people?
For 10 people you need around 4 kg of shashlik. That is exactly what the “Friends and Family” pack contains: 4 kg in four varieties for €67.98, which is under €7 per person.
How much shashlik should I plan for children?
Young children eat about half an adult portion, so 150 to 200 g. From their teens, count them as adults. With lots of children in the group, lower the total accordingly.
Does the amount refer to raw or cooked meat?
The 400 g refers to the marinated meat as it comes out of the pack. Meat loses some water on the grill, and that is already allowed for in the rule of thumb.
How much meat per person if there are sausages as well?
Then reduce the shashlik. Count each bratwurst as roughly 100 g and take it off the 400 g. Someone who eats one sausage still needs about 300 g of shashlik.
What do I do with leftover shashlik?
Raw shashlik that has been kept cold throughout can be frozen. Cooked leftovers go into the fridge promptly and must be piping hot when reheated. They are great the next day in flatbread.